Oct. 6.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2507

emphasis on written work in the early stages is a hindrance and
not a help to the acquisition of the language.

In Standard IV, the work of synthesis and analysis should be
extended to include easy complex sentences, thus: "The man saw
the pig in his garden"; "He shot it with a gun," may be combined
to form "When the man saw the pig in his garden, he shot it with
a gun"; "The man shot the pig with his gun because he found it in
his garden," &c.; and, conversely, a complex sentence of the type
given may be resolved into its simple elements. Further distinctions between singular and plural, past and present, present and
future, should be taught by examples and the variation of easy
sentences. Oral descriptions in consecutive sentences of simple
objects or incidents, or of pictures, or the oral reproduction of easy
stories, should also be given. Written composition including the
writing of letters will also be expected. There is no need, of course,
to teach the various grammatical terms.

(In teaching composition in this and higher classes, by means,
for example, of a short story, the teacher should proceed by well-
defined stages. He should first prepare the way by reading or preferably by telling a suitable story, the purport of which should be
well within the comprehension of the children, and the words already
within their vocabulary, only a few new words being introduced.
Next, he should ask questions following the order of the story,
individual children being called upon to answer in complete sentences, and the best answer being written on the blackboard. The
blackboard may then be turned, and individual children asked to
repeat part of the story in their own words. The written story may
now again be shown to the class, attention being drawn to punctuation marks, capitals, &c. Then the story should be transcribed
from the board. At the next composition lesson, the children should
be required to reproduce the whole story, first orally and then in
writing.)

Standard V : Oral work should be continued, the work of the
lower standards being revised and extended to include further
exercises in analysis and synthesis, and in the variation in
form of easy sentences. The functions of various phrases and
clauses in easy direct sentences should be taught as far as
they can be distinguished by answering such questions as When?
What kind of? Which? What? E.g., After the man had scraped
his gum, he took it to the store: 'When did the man take the gum
to the store?' I like to see boys whose faces are clean: 'What
kind of boys do I like to see?' John saw the man that shot the pig:
'What man did John see?' &c.

Further practice is also to be given in the various tenses, including the perfect forms as shown by their use in various sentences.

Standard VI : Revision of the work of previous standards.
Further exercises in the blending of sentences and clauses, and in the
conversion of phrases, clauses, and sentences into equivalent constructions; also in the proper order of words, phrases, and clauses,
especially as regards the position of limiting words, phrases, and
clauses, and of very easy concessive clauses. Correction of errors;
oral and written composition on suitable topics; simple business
letters.

In Standard VII, the work in English should show some advance
on that of Standard VI, and should include some training in elementary commercial correspondence.

READING.

5. Except in the preparatory classes, two reading books will be
   used in each class through the year. The preparatory classes will
   be expected to read sentences printed or written on the blackboard,
   and, in the more advanced classes, to read a primer such as the
   Adelaide or Royal Crown Primer or an Infant Reader.

The most careful attention must be paid to the teaching of
reading in the preparatory classes, the method recommended in the
early stages being a combination of the Phonic and Look-and-Say
methods, the Phonic predominating. The children should not learn
the alphabet first, nor is it necessary to follow the usual order of
the alphabet. The sounds of the letters must be taught in so thorough a manner that the child on seeing a letter immediately
associates with it the sound, and on hearing the sound immediately
associates it with the letter.

Words, syllables, and letters can be written to the teacher's dictation at stages suitable to the children's progress. Loose letters on