OVERSEAS LEAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20947, 10 August 1931, Page 3

OVERSEAS LEAGUE.

TALK ON SPECIAL CLASSES.' The monthly At Home of the Auckland branch of the Overseas League was held on Friday. An interesting address on (he educational work carried out in the special classes conducted in connection with primary schools was given by Miss E. F. Munro, assistant-supervisor of this work for the Dominion, who has recently returned from a course of study in educational methods abroad. Before special classes were established, Miss Munro said, all children, whether quick, average, or slow, were given the same curriculum, with the result that the slow children lagged behind and left school with the habit of failure established in them. In deciding whether children required special methods of leaching, three examinations were held, physical, psychological, educational. By means of excellent standardised tests they were able to gauge a child's mentality and to forecast his probable mental and educational age at 14 years, and to plan his work to provide the greatest progress. Apart from scholastic work, physical education was given by means of folk dancing, rhythmic exercises and drill. Manual training by means of handcrafts was also an important part of the curriculum that was much loved by the children. The teachers in charge of special classes were picked women of wide sympathies and unusual teaching ability. The character of the child was carefully trained. It was found that many children are maladjusted to their home circumstances, and when once the parent can be brought to see the child's difficulties from the child's point of view, the right adjustment can usually be made. Miss Munro stressed the need for an after-care association, such as existed in other parts of the world, to take an interest in these children after they leave school. Such au association had been formed in Wellington and she hoped to see something of the same sort here in Auckland.

Miss Munro displayed a most attractive exhibit of articles made by the children of the special classes, the work including baskets, trays, needlecraft and knitting.