500 Teachers At Reading Courses

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30036, 22 January 1963, Page 14

500 Teachers At Reading Courses

Primary teachers’ recognition of the importance of reading in schools was shown by the 800 applications for 500 places in refresher courses now being held throughout the country, said the director of Education (Mr A. E. Campbell) when he opened a Christchurch course last evening which has more than 100 from all parts of the South Island and from Wellington province. “I can sympathise with teachers if they feel anxiety about keeping up-to-date in this subject,” said Mr Campbell. “After all, reading and its teaching proliferate every year.” Between 1881 and 1891, Mr Campbell said, there were only two scientific studies of reading anywhere in the world. Now he knew personally of 100 such studies in progress and the variety of books was legion. “How does a teacher come to terms with all this?” he asked. “No Best Method”

“The Department o. Education in New Zealand does not believe that there is any single best method of teaching reading," said Mr Campbell “Teachers have always used a variety of methods with our full approval and this will continue. They have been consulted widely on the new infant readers to be introduced this year and we will continue to welcome their views on the evolution of new approaches."

Mr Campbell said he believed New Zealand children had solid achievements in reading. A comparative study showed their work was superior to that of Australian pupils. “Recent surveys s*'ow that our children now are reading more widely in more and better books than ever before in spite of the distractions of radio, television, and pop records,” he said.

The Commission on Education had recommended even more efforts to promote reading and already a special committee had recommended

the freeing of teachers in primary schools for periods of school library work, supported by district organisers from the School Library Service. Action •on this might come soon. “How BiUy Reads” “But the vital question is not whether Billy can read as weU as his dad or granddad or his contemporaries in Australia, England, or the United States,” said Mr CampbeU. “It is whether he is reading as well as he needs to read or can learn to read and nobody can give a pat answer to that one. We believe that, given better teaching and better conditions, Billy’s reading achievements can rise.” The Christchurch course would cover the whole gamut of reading from the able to the backward pupil. “I predict that one of your chief findings will be a need for more guidance on what to read,” said Mr Campbell. “Most children are omniverous readers and there should be a happy medium between what some say they ought to read and what they want to read. t “Teachers themselves should, I submit, talk more often of what they have read, are reading and (more importantly) are re-reading,” said Mr CampbeU. “They and their pupils may gain more from prolific reading than from too much reading on what to read.” ’ m Christchurch course will last 10 days. Guests at the opening were Mr N. E. Kirk, MJ 3 .; Mr T. M. Archer, Regional Superintendent of Education; and Miss M.. M. Simpson, senior inspector of schools, who edited the new infant readers. Mr F. R. Price is chairman cf the course, and the administrator is Mr E. A. D. Bodger.