STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION TRENTON THE TEACHING OF ELEMENTARY COMPOSITION AND GRAMMAR JUNE, 1913 TRENTON, N. J. MACCRELLISH & QUIGLEY, STATE PRINTERS. 1913. A few Essential Principles General Suggestions Regarding Technical English, Suggestive Methods for Technical Work Books for Supervisors and Teachers PART II PAGE 38 38 39 40 40 41 4I 44 44 45 45 45 46 46 48 49 50 54 APPENDIX A-Exercises in Correcting English Expression 92 102 104 FOREWORD. It is not necessary to discuss the importance of English training in the schools; that this importance is recognized in school practice is shown by the fact that usually more time is given to English than to any other subject in the school curriculum. Perhaps no other subject presents such difficulties for the teacher. These difficulties may be briefly summarized as follows: the numerous and conflicting agencies which may be employed in English training; the lack of widely accepted standards in English; the language habits which are constantly being formed at home, on the streets and by the general out-of-school environment of pupils, much of which is liable to be at variance with best usage; the lack of a linguistic conscience on the part of so many men and women which has a reflex influence upon the English work of children. Poor teachers rely mainly upon mechanical methods of teaching English which consume time and, while satisfying formal requirements of school programs, fail to bring about satisfactory results. No subject is more poorly adapted to mechanical methods than English. Too much reliance should not be placed upon text-books, rules, definitions and formal grammar; good results can be secured only by patient, skillful, intelligent teaching. Mere assignment of lessons, mere conducting recitations is neither teaching nor training. There must also be a high standard of spoken and written English in all work of the school and not merely in some of it. In this monograph is pointed out, and with considerable detail, some of the best existing theories and practices in the teaching of English, both oral and written; these have been tried in many schools. They are therefore presented with a considerable degree of confidence. |