Punctuating the English and reading it back

In his words

Before trying to understand a step, he has the class read the English straight through and punctuate it aloud: three dots at the end of each phrase, a question mark at the end of a question. Let's put in the punctuations first 46:15. Then they read it back with the punctuation and only then ask what it means.

It's a small step, but it turns a column of single words back into sentences, so you can see where the Gemara asks and where it states.

Worked example from a class

Step 19 in the Westwood beginners' class (46:15): "A kav of dates in four amos… a kav of pomegranates in four amos… what is it?… a kav in four amos… the reason… what is it?… because that not they are important…" Then: "Let's try and make a little bit of sense out of this step first."

Hear him teach it

346 moments found so far in 340 transcribed classes; more appear as transcription continues. Tap one to play from that moment.

1. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 16, 2011 · 46:15“Let's put in the punctuations first, okay? So let's go back to word number one.”Inserts three dots and question marks into the English, then reads it back to understand the step.
2. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 21, 2011 · 50:23“Now let's read just the English, but let's put in the punctuations first.”Colons and three dots are inserted into the English of the Abaye/Rava step before trying to comprehend it.
3. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 28, 2011 · 43:12“But let's put in the punctuations first and then we're going to read the English part.”Inserts three dots between phrases, then has the students scan and read just the English to understand the step.
4. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 30, 2011 · 30:19“we're going to do just the English, but let's put in the punctuations first”Students insert question marks, three dots and colons into the English, then read it back to understand the step.
5. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 5, 2011 · 15:50“Now let's just read through the English, but let's put in the punctuations first. Here we go. Come here, exclamation point.”Inserts exclamation points and three dots into the English and reads it back.
6. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 7, 2011 · 27:59“Now we want to do just the English first step in the comprehension. But before we do, let's put in the punctuations.”Inserts dots, exclamation points and question marks, then reads back only the English.
7. Westwood · Advanced class, Dec 9, 2011 · 16:17“we're going to put in the punctuations in order that we'll be able to read all of this back and try and understand what it's saying”Inserting three dots between the literal phrases and reading the English back.
8. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 12, 2011 · 20:03“Now we want to begin the comprehension two steps, which is first just reading the English, but let's put the punctuations in first.”Inserts exclamation points, question marks and three dots, then reads only the English.
9. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 14, 2011 · 30:59“Okay, now we want to read just the English, but let's put in the punctuations. Here we go.”Inserts exclamation points, three dots and question marks, then reads back only the English.
10. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 19, 2011 · 24:19“Now we are going to read through the English. But let's put in the punctuation first.”Inserts three dots and a question mark, then reads only the English to understand the step.