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THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 7

comprehension of the subject-matter; to cultivate a taste for and an
appreciation of good literature; and accordingly to lead the pupils to
form the habit of reading good books. The reading of such books might,
indeed, well replace all other kind of home-work.

Poetry set for recitation should, while suited to the age of the pupils,
be chosen for its literary merit as well as for the interest it arouses.
There is such a wealth of simple and beautiful poetry in English literature
that there is no reason to select for repetition verse that is not worth the
trouble of learning by heart. One of the objects in making children
learn verse (or prose) by heart is that they may have stored up in their
memory masterpieces that may develop their imagination, and may,
whether the children themselves are conscious of the operation or not,
mould their taste for good literature.

The children should have an intelligent comprehension of the poetry
set for recitation, and be able to answer questions upon the subject-
matter of it. In some classes the pupils might be trained to reproduce
in their own words the substance of poetry previously committed to
memory. These exercises link the recitation to the composition lessons.

Spelling should be taught by means of systematic lessons on word-
building, based on a general phonic scheme, or on the meanings of the
words, or on both principles combined. This teaching should be regularly
supplemented by transcription from script and print. Dictation is a
useful test, but not in itself, it should be remembered, a method of
teaching spelling. It is recommended that in the preparatory classes
and Standard I., the transcription should be from script only.

The object of the instruction in composition shall be to train the
children in the correct and ready use of their mother-tongue, both
in speech and in writing. Although in the definition of the work for
the several standards many grammatical terms are introduced, these
terms are used for the guidance of teachers, and it is not intended that
any grammar shall be introduced into the course of primary instruction
except for the practical end above mentioned. Technical grammatical
terms should be used very sparingly indeed, and the order of instruction
should be, first from example to rule, and then from rule to example; in
other words, by induction first, then by deduction. Every lesson, in
short, should be a composition lesson, no lesson a grammar lesson.

38. The following shall be the complete course in English for the
    various standards in all schools:—

STANDARD I.

Reading.—Two books. One book at least should consist of short
stories, fables, verses, &c., well within the comprehension of the youngest
readers, and not containing rare words or long words.

Composition.—Answering orally, in complete sentences of a simple
character, questions upon the most striking parts of the subject-matter
of the reading lesson, and upon such common objects and occurrences as
would be observed by children of seven or eight years of age at home, at
school, on the way from home to school, or elsewhere.

Writing.—Formation of the small letters and junctions. The small
letters, short words, and figures on the slate or on paper at dictation.
Transcription of short, easy sentences, beginning with a capital, from
script on the blackboard.

Spelling.—Based chiefly on word-building, but including also other
words in common use contained in one of the reading-books.

It is suggested that the word-building for this standard should consist
of such combinations of consonant and vowel sounds as are most com-
monly represented in words of one syllable and in easy words of two
syllables, and of easy words formed therefrom by the addition of common
inflexions. The following words may serve to illustrate what is here
meant : Ass, asses, mass, masses, lass, lasses ; lip, slip, slips, slipping,
slipped, slipper, slippers ; talk, talks, talking, talked, talker ; stalk, stalks,
stalking, stalked, stalker ; walk, walks, walking, walked, walker ; match,
matches, catch, catches, latch, latches ; ledge, ledges, sledge, sledges ;
fly, flies, dry, dries, try, tries ; light, tight, fight, might, &c. ; eight,
weight, eighteen, eighty, weights ; though, dough ; rain, rains, train,
trains, strain, grain, chain, brain, stain, &c. ; oar, roar, boar, soar, oars,
roars, boars, soars, roared, soared, roaring, soaring, &c. ; swim, swims,
swimmer, swimming ; light, sun-light, moon-light, star-light, candle-light,
fire-light, night-light, &c. ; brave, braver, bravest, bravery ; quick, quicker,
quickest, quickly ; hot, hotter, hottest, hotly, &c.

Every word should be used in a sentence, formed if possible by the
child, unless its meaning is beyond the child’s comprehension or experi-
ence, in which case, indeed, it would be wiser to defer the teaching of it.