Open Journal of Business and Management, 2015, 3, 257-264
Published Online July 2015 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/ojbm
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojbm.2015.33026
How to cite this paper: Abu-Hussain, J. (2015) The Thinking Language of Elementary School Teachers in the Arab Education
System in Israel: Implications for Teacher Education. Open Journal of Business and Management, 3, 257-264.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojbm.2015.33026
The Thinking Language of Elementary
School Teachers in the Arab Education
System in Israel: Implications for
Teacher Education
Jamal Abu-Hussain
Al-Qasemi Academy, Baqa-El-Gharbia, Israel
Email: Jamal_ah@qsm.ac.il
Received 7 May 2015; accepted 26 June 2015; published 29 June 2015
Copyright © 2015 by author and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Abstract
This pioneering study constitutes initial research on the topic of the thinking language of
elementary school teachers in the Arab education system in Israel. The language of thinking can
contribute significantly to every child and every classroom. However, written and spoken texts in
the classroom at all levels use very few words referring to thinking. The current study attempts to
bring the topic of thinking onto the agenda of the education system in general and the Arab
education system in particular. This education system functions in a society characterized as
developing and marked by a traditional culture. Thus, teaching in the Arab education system in
Israel is still primarily a verbal activity. The objective of the study was to examine the language of
thinking among teachers in the Arab elementary schools. It uses qualitative methodology through
analysis of quantitative measures. The research tool involved the structured recording of the
protocols of 38 lessons. The results of the study show that the thinking language of teachers in
Arab elementary schools is sparse, ambiguous and inaccurate. Among the study’s recommenda-
tions are to offer teachers continuing education courses on this topic, to train teachers at teacher
training colleges in the language of thinking, and to allot special courses for teacher trainees. Such
training programs should provide teacher trainees with experiential learning experiences to un-
derstand and develop their thinking, enabling them to use the language of thinking with their pu-
pils.
Keywords
Thinking Language, Teachers, Elementary Schools, Teachers Education