SCHOOL WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 140, 15 June 1936, Page 9

SCHOOL WORK.

SPELLING PROBLEM. WEAKNESSES REVEALED. INSPECTORS' COMMENTS. Observations made by Wellington school inspectors relative to weaknesses in spelling are substantiated in the annual report of the inspectors in the Auckland Education Board's district. Some interesting comments are also made by the local inspectors on other subjects in the seliool curriculum which do not reveal the desired amount of progress. The Wellington inspectors state that judged by the results of proficiency and other examinations in both formal and applied work, the subject of spelling does not appear to be making progress. In many cases the teaching is mechanical and devitalised, consisting mainly of the setting, dictating and marking daily of a few words selected at random, a quite inadequate method which is calculated to dull rather than to quicken the "spelling conscience." Proficiency schedules also show that the marks gained in dictation and spelling tests are not in harmony with those obtained in other subjects. The work in spelling, states the Auckland report, has not made much advance upon that of recent years, and the criticism that lias been made in previous reports in a large measure still apply. Correct spelling naturally develops from training in the observation of word forms as used in their right context. The results in the recent proficiency examination reveal a need for a serious tacking of the problem in this subject. As for reading, the inspectors comment that the work in this connection is. on the whole, about stationary. Some improvement is noticeable in the infant classes, due to the fact that most of the children admitted are approaching the age of six years and many of them have received previous instruction. In the middle and upper classes little improvement has been observed. Speech training is carried out regularly, but unfortunately it seems to be largely divorced from reading and the ordinary speech in class. In recitation much fine work is done in the infant and junior classes, but in the middle and senior classes the results are too often disappointing, due, 110 doubt, in many cases to the measure of self-consciousness with which the older pupils become afflicted. The Writing Standard. Dealing with writing, the report adds that in many schools work of a high standard is obtained. Those teachers, who have been endeavouring to obtain definite rhythmic movement in, connection with instruction in correct letter formation have succeeded in obtaining most creditable results with greater ease and fluency. In general, however, the teachers have not satisfactorily solved the problem of free writing in connection with muscular movement as outlined in the syllabus. While conscious of room for improvement in the .written work in composition, the inspectors, nevertheless, report that the instruction given is in general sound and good. Occasionally, however, it is added, the bright promise shown in the junior classes does not come to natural fruition in the middle and senior divisions. This weakness in cerj tain schools and classes is probably due Ito one or more of the following 111IInences —lack .of feeling for the subject on the part or the teacher, paucity of ideas resulting from restricted reading by the pupils and the tendency to rely too much upon written expression without the accompanying blackboard instruction. The chief faults — apart from errors in punctuation and spelling—in the senior classes are mainly those of poor arrangement and sequence of ideas as the result of lack of training in their selection beforehand. Instruction in selection and arrangement before writing begins is a difficult matter and is worthy of closer study by the teacher. Practice in oral expression is, however, more than an aid to written composition. It serves to cultivate powers of correct, fluent and forceful speech, so useful in a world where the spoken word rather than the written is the medium of social intercburse and a factor in personal advancement. In our best schools to-day, it is stated, free and sustained oral discourse upon familiar topics is throughout encouraged as an end in itself. Improvement in Arithmetic. In referring to arithmetic the inspectors state that the results at the recent examinations show a definite improvement in the stibjcct. 111 the larger schools, however, there is still a disinclination among teachers to divide the pupils, of large classes into ability groups, so that the child of superior ability may proceed at a rate in keeping with his capacity, and' those less able may not be forced to proceed at a pace that will give them distaste for the subject. .