ENGLISH TEACHING BY GRAMOPHONE

Evening Star, Issue 19272, 10 June 1926, Page 10

ENGLISH TEACHING BY GRAMOPHONE

Tho gramophone is rapidly becoming s» usual and as accessary a piece of apparatus in a well-equipped school as a globe or a piano. The conclusion has been readied that it is not merely a source of pleasure, but, in tbo bands of the capable teacher, can be of enormous help in cdsoitteg the children. Tho main danger so far seems to bo that the school records may lo too difficult for youn" hearers. Strong meat is nauseating to babes, and children, have been known to have s dislike for ''the teacher’s records * because they were hvyond their understanding. Some aufboTjiW possess a “library of records,” tsefsotou l from which r,ro delivered systematically at the different schools. It would be interesting to ascertain how many of item make a real appeal to the children or to the teachers.

In the teaching of English the gramophone can be of immense setrica. Not long ago all the older girls fn an elementary school were gathered together tor a tel-’ 1 : about Charles Kingsley. They had lean reading’ ‘"Water Babies/ 'Westward Ho/ and ‘Heroes/ and the teacher was lottcdar,ing them to some of hia verse. Rhft fiSSeluded by reading ‘Three acd then, taming to the gramophone, slipped on the record of this old stag, sung fig Clara Butt. The girls listened spetTbcvrod, and afterwards tried to write down fo tbetr own words the psetores conjured before them by tho poem. The eagerness and interest with which those essays were written was sufficient evidence of the shocks of the plan. Them aro other narrative wwrosr set to music which would lend titemsetoes to similar treatment, •Another experiiwmt. with all the school assembled, was tried recently- It was dwiiw£mg near the end of the year, and several of Masefield’* poem* had been stadtsd In different classes during the y«aE Art excellent record was obtaroerj of *S«w Fewer/ f;ct to music and sung by Kcsncrtey Stemford. Before starting the jtaicspbow tbr teacher warned the children that they” turn? to make no ran if they f/w music, bnt wait until the end ts> shoca thoir knowledge. No hint was given as to whnt wo* cotrvng. Of courro. ths ffirih who knew ‘Sea Fever’ were delighted te hsxr it Bung, and one of them was anted to recite it to tbo school. Again the yeewsd was plnved, and obviously more keenly appreciated. Several times it was repeated, the children softly bumming (he oir ss they became familiar with it. the ones who torn tho words quietly joining in. Presently girls in otter classes miggcsted that they know poems by the same writer, and n wo linger girl stood up and rod ted ‘Tte West Wind/ to the evident delight of the rest of, the school. Several of the children thought (how words ought to ho put to music: in fact, they were eager to surge*: the lines which particularly appalled fo them far thoir lovelv eonnd. Other poems were dealt with in thy came way. Can one find a happier or more refreshing method of leathering together the pcenr learnt over a long period? Too often on" finds the children shutting off one year’s study in literature from another, as though tho poems they learnt in the lower c'as'ci were only for those young days. Anything which helps to discount, such an idea is worth much to the child.

In Scripture lessons the gramophone, has been found of immense value. Take, for example, the storv of Elijah. After the lessons of his life have, been carefully taught, the chief incidents can bo impressed by a few carefully-chosen records of parts of Mendelssohn's oratorio. The music will he appreciated much more if ft is taken in this way, for the children can grasp what the composer is trying to express if they are familiar with the story. Other oratorio? lend themselves to the same treatment. Two or three records carefully chosen from ‘ Tho ’Messiah ’ will give prrnt and meaning to the Christmas story. Educational Supplement.’