SPOKEN OR WRITTEN?

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 194, 18 August 1931, Page 6

SPOKEN OR WRITTEN?

A good deal of confusion lies behind the report on the merite of spoken (as against written) English made by the Wellington inspectors. It is quite true that speaking naturally comes before writing, but that is only because infantile finders are less accurately mobile than infantile tongues and lips. What the inspectors miss (in their report anyhow) is the fact that thinking precedes either speaking or writing. Now, as the essentially distinguishing feature of Christian education is self-control, a teacher cannot too early commence to put the child on the way to a watching of his thoughts. This does not mean self-consciousness (which is a deplorable handicap), but consciousness of self. The most effective way towards establishing the habit of self-control muet be through the child's speech; for speaking is certainly its most frequent voluntary act. The difficulty of examining the whole question may be seen by considering the last preceding sentence —thinking is clearly an act, but all thinking is not voluntary; and'to demonstrate that fully would require a column or more. In a brief note like this, one must speak dogmatically. But if the Wellington inspectors are seized of the fact that thinking precedes either speaking or writing, and if they also cognise that the act of writing affords a better opportunity (than speaking does) for consciously securing an orderly expression, it is hard to understand their belittling of written composition. Are they tinder the impression that people are too silent? Let them listen on a crowded ferry boat, or in the gallery of the House or in the club billiard room. Or, better still, listen at an informal meeting of teachers. The fact of the matter is the world is suffering under an over-supply of windbags. By all means let us have more written compositions in the schools not less. If people are to be encouraged to greater loquacity than wo have now let" us at least try to insure ourselves against hearing the amazingly thoughtless piffle that commonly affronts one's eare—and intelligence I can so! a real reason, though for the despairing cry of the Wellington inspectors. I 8 it that they know at first hand, the astonishing inadequacy of proper expressions on the part of many teachers' The beauty of accuracy cannot be impart by men and women who do not possess it themselves. —A.H.M. "j