CHILDREN'S ENGLISH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10319, 5 February 1925, Page 3

CHILDREN'S ENGLISH.

IS THERE AN ACCENT? VIEWS OF SCHOOL INSPECTORS. WELLINGTON, February 4. When Sir James Parr, Minister, for Education, met the school inspectors who are holding their annual conference here to-day he suggested that they might express their opinions as to the tendency of the children in different districts toward a. distinctive accent. He asked if they had observed any hardening of the vowel sounds or any other distinctive departure from English as it should be spoken. The result was a most interesting, though a very varied, expression of opinion. Mr Bird, chief inspector of the Wellington district, said there was a decided tendency to broaden the vowel sounds. Unfortunately there was an absence of phonics in the infant classes.

Dr. Mellwraith, Auckland, said there was a tendency to poor speech among the children in the dairying districts. That was perhaps, partly due to the fact that they were often more tired than other children,, and also to the fact that there was not sufficient instruction in phonics* Mr T, F. Warren (North Auckland district) said he had noticed that in som ecountry districts the pronunciation of the children was faulty, and he expressed the opinion that the teachers were not altogether free from blame. He suggested regular vpice drill. Mr W. Haslam (Canterbury) did not agree that the speech of New Zealand children was poor in respect to accent, but he had found the accent of the boy in the classroom was different from what he used in the playground. It was more accurate in the school than in the playground. The trouble was not so much with the school children as with the youths of from 14 to 18. Mr Valentine, senior inspector, Taranaki, said undoubtedly there was a tendency to murder the vowel, but his experience was that children were more correct in their pronunciation than was the case .10 years ago. He strongly urged lessons in. phonics, and the use.of the method of Mr Fussell, Chief Inspector in Victoria. Mr A. N. Burns said he thought that on the whole the pronunciation or children was satisfactory, yet he admitted the need for watchfulness.

Mr Fleming, senior inspector, Otago, said that the speech in the South island was purer. In this respect he had the evidence of a lady teacher from England that the further south you went in New Zealand, the purer the speech. Mr John Caughley, Director of Education, took a hopeful view of the position. People were, he thought, too much inclined to generalise from a few bad instances. When he was headmaster of the Christchurch West School some years ago he had made a careful examination of the pupils in regard to accent, and had found the result surprisingly good. The point worthy of notice was that the pronunciation of the girls was better, than that of the boys. In no other country was the speech of the children so good as it was in New Zealand.

The Minister, at the close of the discussion, expressed the opinion that constant vigilance was the price to be paid for keeping the well of English undefiled in Zealand. There was no doubt the inspectors could do a great deal. He suggested that they should make particular observations in the various districts, so that they would be able to express definite opinions when they met again in conference. Every effort should be made to maintain a purely English accent in New Zealand, which, from its situation and circumstances of its settlement, had distinct advantages in this matter; He further expressed the opinion that there should be used in the schools a text book on the lines of Fussell's Book, which was a most excellent one. Tlie Department would undertake to get a suitable booklet prepared during the present year, and he would ask the Director of Education to give a special direction to the training colleges to give more attention to the subject.