TaL AM

Our vision is to enable Jewish children in the Diaspora to “meet at Mt. Sinai”
in order to receive and study Torah in its original language — Hebrew —
and at the same time to “bring Sinai closer”
to their lives, tailored to fit their own personal perspectives.
We aspire to create a strong connection between the students studying TaL AM
and the People of Israel, Jewish heritage and the State of Israel,
through a unifying and distinct language.

Our mission is to develop a modern curriculum which integrates
innovative research in learning and teaching methods, and in education in general.
We also aspire to provide training and professional support to teachers
and principals so that TaL AM may be successfully implemented.

TaL AM graduates will be dedicated to their Jewish heritage
and will be proud to be part of the Jewish People.
They will have the sensitivity to make the world a better place (Tikun Olam),
and will assume an active role in doing so.
They will have communication proficiencies in Hebrew,
skills for independent learning, and an educated and broad outlook
on the complexity and beauty inherent in Jewish heritage.
They will also understand the imperative of imparting this heritage
to future generations.

In this school year TaL AM will be studied in about 347 schools spread across six continents (including Asia).

TaL AM strives to create a unified language in unique voices. The program meets the needs of various ideological streams, while taking into account their respective worldviews. The content in subjects requiring ideological compatibility is therefore presented in two editions: one Orthodox/traditional, and the other liberal. Thanks to its adaptability, TaL AM is used in Orthodox, Chabbad, Community, Conservative and Reform schools.

TaL AM is a modular program; hence its flexibility and adaptability to different time allocations:
Option A: over 100 minutes per day
Option B: 2 lessons per day (100 minutes)
Option C: 1 lesson per day (50 minutes)

It is possible to adapt TaL AM to other time allocations in consultation with the school’s Program Director and coordinators.

The material is designed in a way that distinguishes the program’s core
curriculum from material for reinforcement and enrichment.
Content and skills are acquired by activating multiple intelligences.
(*) The program enables students to use the communication channels they
prefer, and is adaptable to their spheres of interest.
(*) The program is structured around a virtual classroom comprised
of diverse students, each demonstrating how s/he learns.
(*) Teachers receive training assisting them in the adaptation
of the program to the students’ needs.

TaL AM covers subjects taught in day schools in the Diaspora,
and differs slightly from grade to grade, as certain subjects are
introduced in later stages.
These subjects include:
(*) Literacy track teaching reading, writing and oral expression
(*) The Jewish Year track, covering daily life in the classroom, at home,
and in the environment; Shabbat; and the Jewish holidays.
(*) Torah
(*) Parashat Hashavua (the weekly Torah portion)
(*) Prophets and Navi
(*) Prayer
(*) Oral Law: Mishna
(*) History
Schools implementing TaL AM do not require any other learning
materials aside from Chumash and Siddur.

TaL AM features a broad range of materials for the student, classroom, teacher, home and parents:

• For the student: workbooks, CDs, CD-ROMs, books for guided reading, enrichment pages
• For the teacher: manuals, big books , PDFs of workbooks, guided readers and library books
• For the classroom: posters, big pictures, games, CDs, CD-ROMs, library books and project books
• State-of-the-art website

The price lists for TaL AM materials for Grades 1-5 are available on our website.
Please visit our webstore by clicking this link (webstore.talam.org).

Grades 1 to 5.

The program is suitable for schools with an affinity for the State of Israel,
that are committed to teaching Judaic subjects in Hebrew, and which
acknowledge the importance of professional development and have their
teachers participate in the TaL AM Teacher Training Institutes.

Teachers intending to implement TaL AM are required to participate in two training institutes:
Institute 1 – 5 days, prior to the commencement of the school year.
Institute 2 – 4 days, mid-year and online training.

For the cost of the institutes, please visit our institutes page.

Please click here for the dates and locations of our upcoming training institutes.

Many entities are involved in funding TaL AM: firstly, the AVI CHAI Foundation,
which generously invests in the development and publication of the program,
and enables schools to purchase TaL AM materials at a 33% discount.
In addition, The Canadian Government; The Jewish Agency: The Jewish
Zionist Education Dept.; The Pinkus Foundation, and numerous other
donors are involved. Most of the funding, however, is derived from the
proceeds generated by TaL AM sales to schools throughout the Jewish world.

The TaL AM graded curriculum offers:
1. Graded benchmarks for the development of communicative skills.
2. Rubrics for assessment, to be used by students and teachers in order to evaluate learning.
3. A spiraled and graded format enabling the development of a progress portfolio by teachers and students.
The curriculum provides teachers with tools to prepare portfolios for each grade and each student, which is completed throughout the school year. The content, knowledge, thinking and learning skills are assessed at the end of each thematic unit. The students’ reading, writing and speaking are assessed by the end of the first term, and at the beginning of the third term. They are examined according to established benchmarks and assessment rubrics prepared for grade. The outcomes are used to inform and guide instruction, and to facilitate differentiated and active intervention. At the end of the year, the class portfolio is handed over to next year’s teacher in order to enable him/her to activate prior knowledge and skills, so that learning can be expanded in the new grade.

1. Identify missing knowledge and/or skills for first term learning.
2. Compensate through repeated modeling and direct teaching of skills the students are lacking.
3. Provide professional development for teachers in order to enable them to adjust the curriculum and better monitor the core skills and content.
4. Contact TaL AM and ask for the aid of a TaL AM Liaison.