1933-12-06 — Page 7

TRICKS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE

: Discussion Follows Address

11

By Miss H. D. Sawyer

An illuminating address on "The Teaching of English in Schools" was delivered by Miss H. D. Sawyer, Head- mistress of Diocesan Girls' School at yesterday's meeting of the English Association, over which Mr. N. L. Smith, Director of Education, presided.

Among the large gathering present to hear the paper and the equally interesting discussion which followed were Bishop Hall, Mr. Justice R. E. Lindsell, the Hon. " Mr. R. H. Katewall, Mr. G. P. de Martin, Professor R. K. Simpson, Mr. W. L. Handyside, Mr. C. Middleton Smith and a large number of others interested in the schools and colleges of Hong Kong,

PAPER AT THE ENGLISH ASSN.

Peo-

books which each girl has read (outside her schoolsyllabus) and I find that as a rule some 10 or more volumes have been taken out by each child. •

Reading Easy Books Before I leave the subject of Reading may I sound a note of warning. Do not be afraid of letting children read easy books, for there is great value in achieve ment. Let a girl have some story

Paraphrase

HONG TONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1933.

INFLUENCE OF THE DISCUSSION DISMISSAL OF

THE PRESS Interesting Debate Last Night

The discussion which followed the address was led by Mr. G. P. de Martin, who said that it was a mistake to try and explain poetry to young children, principally ba-

GEN, BALBO

Il Duce To Keep

小

cause it was so difficult to ex-Reins in Own Hand

N

Balbo

plain poetry efficiently. It would be much better to allow the chil-' "The influence of the Press has dren to visualize for themselves) The dismissal of General increased, is increasing and ought.] the beauty of the' Ilves.

from the Italian Cabinet throws an to be diminished" was the subject "Another interesting point men-interesting light on the intentions of a debate: between the Unton.

tioned by Mr. de Martin was the of Signor Mussolini to concentrate Church Young People Society and

a the decisions about disarmamerič importance of stressing the the St. Andrew's Society at the beauty of simple English. Instead of writing "I have received your letter of last month." the foreign would probably write: "I have re- ceived your favour of the 30th

Union Church, Kowloon, last even- ing.

ultimo."

Another speaker said that the teaching of poetry to the Chinese their students resulted in too much of it being used by the student in prose. The students, also, in writ- ing their essays, generally did not give their own views but those of their teachers":

The

in his own hands. It is pertinent tion of the former Italian Foreign at the moment to mention the posi- Minister and now Ambassador in London, Signor Grandi. active" part of Italy in the world's diplomatic relations will now be bigger than ever. Signos Museo lini seems set for the role of an intermediary between Germany and the chief Western Powers. Already reports from Rome say that Herr submit Goring arrived there to new German propisala to the Po- wers. One can, therefore, expect a A lady speaker said that the growing Italian activity in the poetry to be found in the Crown diplomatic sphere during the next Readers used in Hongkong Schools+hree months. were mid-Victorian. It was not Strangely enough, in the midst of poetry, and hardly verse, but unthees activities, Signor Grandi, fortunately, the children either who did not come back to London had to learn this or nothing. since he had left about two montha, Yet another lady. sald that ago for his summer bolidays, is when she first began to teach in sailing "next week from Italy to Hongkong, there were no

books India on a three months' leave) on certain English subjects, but All the diplomatic activity will happily that state of affairs is therefore shift to Rems, where now amended. All the same she Great Britain has as the newly Royal readers appointed Ambassador the greatest employed at the Technical In British expert in the affairs of the stitute at one time) were terribly League of Nations and disarma-

one" to-day meat, Sir Eric Drummond, un-English since no would call a dish a "denizen of the deep." (Laughter),

The proposers of the motion, Mr. R. H. Wong and Mr. E. F. Fincher, of the St. Andrew's So- ciety, in their arguments, criticised the Yellow Press, and the startling outlines in some of the "papers about various vices. In opinion news for the good of the pubile was usually put in an in- while stories conspicuous place. which had a bad influence on the people, such as divortes and mur- ders, were put in the front page with advocate the abolishment of the power and the freedom of the Press, the infuence of the Press, particularly on the various vices described, ought to be diminished.

Mr. Noble and Mr. Alford of the Union Church Young People So- ciety who were the opposers to the motion, described the good the newspapers had done to the publie They said that the Press "was usually Government controlled, and therefore if it had no free-hought the dam they could not have influence, They quite agreed that there was a section of the Press-the Yellow Press-which seemed only to pay particular attention to the vices, but newspapers in general, they contended, usually did more good than harm.

A discussion then, followed, after which the motion was put to the vote. The motion was carried by 23 votes to 8.

#

To begin with I think that the teacher cannot be too careful about speaking clearly and cor- rectly herself if she expects her pupils to do the same. I believe that many of our dificulties come from what I will call slipshod" enunciazion and careless Gram- mar. The Headmistress in my own old school used to tell us that we should speak English so easily arid purely that another speech could not tell from our from what part of the country we that is interesting to her, so that she feels she does not want to Came, and I have tried to carry this out in my ordinary inter-put the book away, and she will soon want another when the first course with others and in my

is finished. From reading easily, teaching. Mr. Bernard Shaw once said. "What we ought to aim at

and fluently spelling and com- position will follow, naturally, and is to speak English that will be inteligible to a foreigner. It in almost every case those who are best at written work are those is not sufficient for us to be in- telligible to one another."

who read most. With beginners In English, I find it very necessary ple think that English spelling is dincult but I believe this is to make sure that what is being

read is also understood. largely because we speak very carelessly and do not pronounce letters when we should. To illus trate what I mean-take the two to teach in' India being told that I am not a great believer in words 'holy' and "wholly"—they } the children could read their Books Grammar text books-there is one are not spell alike nor should they so well that they could hold them which is my pet abomination, that Professor Simpson and Mr. M. be pronounced alike again the upside down I was true, for known by school girls as Nesfield. F. Key also addresed the meeting. words"where" and "were.

they had read them over and over If I am responsible for the Eng-after which Mr. Macnamara told There are some very simple rules again, so that they knew them by

lish Grammar, in the Junior or the meeting a story. He said that might well be pointed out to heart, but not one of them could

Middle School. I do not let the that a teacher was teaching Eng- the beginner which help consider-

tell the stories in their own pupils have a text book at all. Mylish and suggested that the pupils ably both in reading and spelling words. From

early very

make stages object is to

the children should write an essay in the Praya. in Hongkong. The first essay, she for exemple:-the of the therefore I believe in paraphrase. think and they will not think for

use 'double consonant the middle It has struck me that as

a rule themselves if they have everything came across contained the foh

lowing:-There are two sorts of of a word, the value of the silent girls dislike what they call para put in front of them, "" at the end of a word the phrasing, but they have not the What's Wrong with Grammar Praya in Hongkong The mor- I have not yet discovered why ning Praya and the evening praya which comes before e except atter same dislike to putting an extract

and they are both held at the the fact that t, h, e, spells "the" into their own words. The very so many Teachers do not like and not "ther" which very soon word paraphrase seems to give teaching Grammar at one time, I Cathedral." (Laughter!) becomes "therr"That there are them the idea that the extract is had to take a class for this sub- any other plenty of exceptions I know, but extremely difficult to understand ject without having these should be taught carefully and they start off with the feeling branch of English with them at In their proper place when they that they cannot do it. This dif- all, I found they knew practically ed appear in the child's vocabulary.

ficulty may soon be conquered by nothing and as they were girls of giving the class a very easy piece about 16 years of age I began to begin with, especially it set for with analysts. Week after week homework. With the Seniors II kept them at this, but although ed to fight shy of books which in themselves are very admirable. they thought they were learning merely analysts I was doing much but which if followed too closely are inclined to do the work for

Mr. W. L. Handyside said that

POPPY DAY FUND the meeting appeared to be $ field day for teachers. He thought that some of the Chinese boys Further Contributions

smattering of who obtained a

were Previously acknowledged $14,198.80 English at Chinese schools really getting something that was W. H, Bell, Esq.

100.00 not good for them. He told the Nanning Foreign Com- meeting that he was of the opinion munity

50.00 phrase I think I am right in that Chinese boys learnlog Eng

Do books for saying that for some years English should have 11sh Grammar as such was not the first six months. They should taught in many English schools, learn to know something about but, I believe that it has since the language before starting to been found necessary to teach it study it. He disapproved of the again.

teaching of grammar to children. Nesfeld Denounced

since it was a subject which could only be followed by those with some experience.

Reading Aloud

Reading and reading aloud is I think of very great value in teaching English. I make use o 1t myself with the upper classes of the school and it should be taught carefully in every class. There is a real value in Mstening to the sound of words, and it teacher is a good reader and reads well to her class she can do much

to help her pupils in the correct pronunciation, ef words as well as showing them the use pt the voice for expression, and the.. use of

and of course punctuation, meaning of new words.

Individual Reading

the

i, e, let a teacher take one child at a time and let the rest of the class read to themselves. This is a far better way of teaching read ing than making the whole class listen to each other. Here again however, I believe in the teacher herself reading, and reading well to her class.

I remember being told by our lecturer at the Cambridge Train-

I remember when I Arst went

|

Mr. N. L. Smith' than thanked Miss Sawyer for her address, after which the meeting was adjourne.

take more difficult pieces in class and by means of talking and ques- tions we get through quite dif- more with them and before I had the pupils. You know the type of

Acult and interesting pieces. Much of this work can be done too in other lesson's besides those called English. History, Geography, Domestic Science and Scripture English, and no should all help in the teaching of answer, whether oral or written should be allowed to pass with incorrect English

Grammar

dream

has a quite beautiful" piece of thing I mean the book which

English for the class to read and think about and then underneath one finds all the points one would them- wish children to find for selves, set out for them.

Speeches

Total

..$14,348.30,

H.M.S. BERWICK DANCE-

Enjoyable, Function At Hotel Cecil

A very enjoyable evening was spent by the large number of people who attended the dance given by the Ship's Company of H.M.S. Berwick at the Hotel Cecil, last

when the evening.

augmented bands (H.M'S. Kent and H.M.S. Berwick) porvided some excellent music

Dancing commenced at 8.30 p.m. and went on till I am and during the evening a large number of officers and ladies attended. in- cluding Capt. Sedgewick, HMS. Berwick and Mrs. Sedgewick,

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST CHINESE YOUTH

Alleged Abduction Of Miss Alma To

Charges of abducting Miss Alma To, aged 18, the daughter of Dr. Herbert To on the night of Octo- ber 24-25, were preferred against" Thomas Lec, allas Thomas Pang Kee, an Australian born Chinese at Central Magistracy yesterday.

Lee had previously appeared be- fore the British Court in Shanghai on the same charge and was aI- rested on a warrant on his arrival

aboard the French s.8. Andre | Lebon yesterday. *.

His Worship: Was the defend- ant brought back or how did he come.

He

Chief-Del-Insp. Shannon: came back voluntarily..

Lee was remanded formally for

a week on ball of $1,500,

-JAPANESE PRINCE AT THE PALAČE.

finished I found they could pass an examination, in General Gram mar of quite a high standard.

Learning by Heart Learning by "heart is a great value and should be encouraged. This comes naturally to some but is more difficult to others, but to all it is valuable provided its use is not abused. There are certain

Both before I came to Houg poems which ought to be familiar Kong and more than once since to everyone i think, and it seems I have arranged for one English All through my. "teaching life to me that unless a child is try period a week to be devoted to I have taught English Grammar,

troduced to them while at school, what for want of a better name I think the individual Reading | and I still love teaching it. Long shia is probably going to

miss we used to call "speeches." One

Mr. R. A. Wadeson appeared for lesson the best for young children before I went to the Training them. In these days there. are gir had to take the chair, ar -

College I was teaching and I re- some beautiful anthologies to be other girl had to take minutes of the prosecution and Mi, W. C. member my Head Mistress coming had cheaply, and I thnk one the meeting, and I always made Hung for the defence.

Mr. Wadeson asked for a week's in to listen to my lesson which should be introduced into every one of the Ludience sitting among: happened to be one to some quite school if possible. To some pu-se gal. Each girl had a subject formal remand, young children on Transitive and pils the book will not make much allotted to her a week before hand, Intransitive Verbs. I got terribly appeal perhaps, whereas others and she knew she might be called mixed up, for the only examples will enjoy it more and more, and upon to speak for about 5 to E of Transitive verbs I could get the more familiar we become with minutes. No one knew before hand from my class were such as To reading poetry the more we shall who would be chosen to speak sing a song, dance a dance, enjoy and appreciate it. This the chairman picked upon whom dream and I was again gives scope to bring out the she liked. The speaker said what Ignorant of the causative verb individual taste of pupils. she had prepared and could use ing College on the Teachlas of I was quite non plussed as to what. It is a pity to confine puptis notas if she liked, but she was English that a teacher should al

Head- to learning only poetry by heart, encouraged to do without them. ways prepare her reading lesson, to call them. Another

prose too should be committed to As soon as she sat down Ker should always read over before mistress came to listen to a Gram-

or "speech" was open to discussion. should hold

Clearness hand what she is going to take in mar lesson several years later, and memory, but whether poetry her lesson, and altho do not this time I was dealing with Pre- prose the passage

some meaning to the person re- All written work should I think always do so, I believe this is the positions, and I suppose my lesson

one. citing. With both older and young- aims at clearness. The hand writ best way, and I know that I read was not a very successful

er children every care should be ing should be clear and thus eas- in a far better way a piece that Anyway I feel I owe something to

lly read, the thought expressed I have thus prepared, even it both those Heads for I was called given to the enunciation

Some poems lend themselves to should be clear and thus easily not is only a fairy story, than a piece to their private rooms after school which I have not looked at before and my lesson was well criticised dramatisation ano as a rule 1 understood Schoolgirls are

find a claas can be enthusiased and | expected produce matured and I was helped. One piece of advice was given to me which I when once the fire of enthusiasm ideas but they should be able to The School Library

have tried to follow "Make the has been kindled it is not hard express themselves clearly and

interesting or

to keep it alight. Twice since I concisely, able to discriminate in indeed lesson

else your It matters very much

came to Hong Kong I have had a choice of words. In practically what books are read in school, and class will dislike the subject and

Matthew Arnold's “Sohrab and all my lessons I make someone of all children should be taught and you will have endless dimeulty."

Rustum" dramatised, but, alast other make use of a dictionary encouraged to read, and readGive children sentences which are widely. The school library is a interesting to them and so inspire have never been able to produce it chiefly to find out the meaning of on the stage, for various very a word used in the lesson, but I vary essential part of school equip them to make their own examples obvious reasons, but I hope that en not expzed pupils to go to the To sum up. I am entirely ment, and I believe so much in I believe in teaching analysis from

one day it will be acted by some dictionary to find words to use in agreement with the author of its value that I allow on the Time very early stages and with young of my pupils. One class got as their exercises, nor do I encourage Alpha and the Plough who in a Table "Silent Reading" that la, children I make use of sentences far as allotting and learning their then to rely on a dictionary for short essay entitled "On Eig I allow children to have a whole bringing in something topical, or

own parts as well having drama- correct spelling. I think Dictation Words," says: "It is an excellent leton period when they may read which when connected build up tised it, but although we went a very worth while lesson. In the thing to have a good vocabulary, a. library book. They may choose a story,

through it in the classroom we lower classes it should be prepar but one ought not to lard one's their own book-but they should- Most children love stories and got no further.

ed, for if possible words should common speech or every day let- abow it to their Teacher of Eng-one can teach all kinds of Gram-

Written Work

always be spelt correctly the rat ters with long words......and fami- lish before they take it from thematical terms etc. by incorporat In written work and in socalled time. In correcting dictation Iliar conversation that dresses itt library so that they get a volume ing them in some story. With essays or compositions. I believe think the best way is to correct itself up in silk hatted words is no which is suitable to their ability older girls I find analyals almost that one of our thiet aims is to in class. I myself spell out the less an offence against the good I have in my office at school two as useful paraphrasing-in fact train pupils so that they may be words and let each child correct taste of things. We do not make shelves full of books which are I use the two side by side, for able to express themselves freely her own, book I do not approve a thing more impressive by cloth- placed at the disposal of the top I tell pupils that paraphrase helps and readily. I try to encourage of her seeing other people's missing it in grand words any more class I expect girls to make use with analysis and analysis is very them to give me their own ideas, takes, let her look to her own and than we crack a nut more neatly

by using a sledge hammer of them and I ask for a list of valuable in the making of a para- and for this reason I am inclia correct them.

hand.

to

London, November 15. Prince Lyssato Tokugawa, for 30 years President of the Japanese House of Feers, who is on a visit to London, was received by the King at Buckingham Palace to day.

The King also

received Sir Mon- tagu Butler on relinquishing his appointment as Governor of the Central Provinces of India. Bir Montagu kissed hands on his ap- pointment as Lieut-Governor the Isle of Man

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