CHILDREN FROM EUROPE

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25955, 8 November 1949, Page 2

CHILDREN FROM EUROPE

AUSTRALIAN TEACHING METHODS

An enterprising effort to make immigrant children feel at home, and able to cope with their new life in the shortest possible time, has been undertaken by the Department of Education in Victoria, Australia.

A special class to teach these children English, and to familiarise them with the Australian way cf life has been set up in Melbourne. T7ie class was established after complaints had been received from teachers that through attention given to children who could not speak English, the rest of the class was necessarily neglected at times. The teacher is a 21-year-old graduate of an Australian Teachers’ College. Miss Jutta Grisar. Miss Grisar is a naturalised German who went to Australia 11 years ago. With the advantage of having more knowledge than the average Australian of the ways and problems of European children in a strange land she was successful with the children immediately. She discovered that children with no knowledge of English could be taught to speak intelligibly in six weeks. Later, with some knowledge of Australian currency, conditions, and manners, the child could be safely drafted into a grade in accordance with his or her age.

Miss Grisar teaches an average of 10 new pupils every six weeks. She encourages the children to act. think, and speak naturally. If they want to laugh out loud, they may do so. If they want to talk to each other, ask questions. Walk across the room to speak to another student, they may do so. ' Discipline, of course, is insisted on during full class lessons, but the majority of schooltime is spent in individual lessons, designed to suit the nationality of the child, and his standard of advancement.

“Usually there are two or three children from the same country in the class at one time. I have found from experience that a more advanced pupil can help another far better than I can.” Miss Grisar says.

“AU are eager to help children iroin their own country to learn the ways and language of Australians. That is why I allow the children to talk together during school hours. It does them good, helps them to relax, restores. their spirit of independence and fun.

“Of course, later when they are removed from the class, they will be subject to normal class discipline again. But by then they will understand and accept what is expected of them.”

English is taught with the help of pictures. Hens, dogs, or horses look the same in any country. The picture is shown to the children, together with the English word, which Miss Grisar helps them to pronounce.