14

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 1

included. Individual effort to be encouraged: questioning to follow. Free and connected speech to be aimed at.

(c) Written Composition.—Written composition to be further developed so that the pupils can write a simple narrative—e.g., the retelling of stories from literature, or history, from the points of view of the various characters; accounts of excursions, autobiographies; original themes and stories. Natural sequence of events to receive attention. The writing of simple letters from one pupil to another should be included. The exercises should show advance in sentence-structure, and pupils should begin paragraphing. Correct use of capital letters, question mark, full stop, and apostrophe should be more firmly established, and the use of comma and quotation marks introduced. Practice in writing from memory short passages previously read by the pupils. Exercises in the imitation of good models of English.

(d) Formal Language.—Completion and expansion of sentences. Subject and predicate treated synthetically and recognition of these in easy sentences. Combining sentences by means of and, but, if, when, whenever, while, as, as soon as, after, before, since, till, until, where, wherever, because, for, who, which, that. Recognition of nouns and verbs; attaching appropriate nouns to verbs and verbs to nouns. Changing of sentences from singular to plural with an understanding of the changes made in the noun and the verb. Recognition of the functions of adjectives and adverbs by adding appropriate words to nouns, and verbs. The use in sentences of may and can; correct forms of the personal pronouns I, him, me, she, her; and the parts of the verbs pay, begin, tie, die, bring. Correction of errors in the oral or written composition, reasons not being required.

READING.—Oral and silent reading of the following: (a) The School Journal; (b) supplementary continuous readers. Carefully selected passages and complete works to be read for information or for enjoyment, the subject-matter being treated accordingly. Excessive attention to detailed explanations shall not be required, but the pupil should be able to show in a general but quite definite manner that he comprehends the subject-matter of the reading lessons. Reading aloud by teacher and pupils of carefully selected passages in prose and verse. Magazine clubs should be encouraged.

RECITATION.—Recitation of suitable poems and prose passages. Special attention should be paid to enunciation, modulation, and natural expression. Individual selection by pupils to be encouraged. Simple dramatic work should be attempted.

APPRECIATION OF LITERATURE.—During the lessons in reading and recitation training is to be afforded in the appreciation of good literature.

SPELLING.—Systematic instruction in the spelling of common words used by the pupils in discussions, oral lessons, and composition exercises. Class and individual lists of words to be kept, and the plan of instruction to be clearly defined. Dictation of easy passages.

WRITING.—Exercises to secure freedom and fluency should be maintained. Cursive writing of sentences and short passages of prose and poetry. A good standard of writing and figuring in all written work. Print-script may be kept up for suitable purposes—e.g., in drawing, arithmetic, and diagrams.

STANDARD IV.

LANGUAGE:—

(a) Speech Training.—Systematic instruction in correct speech to be continued, with attention to the correct pronunciation of Maori words and place-names. The practice of acquiring, through the key-words of a pronouncing dictionary, the correct pronunciation of unfamiliar words might be begun here.

(b) Oral Expression.—Oral practice still to form a prominent feature of the work in composition. Pupils should be trained to talk at greater length on the content of reading, nature-study, geography, and history lessons, and to express with reasonable fluency their ideas on familiar topics and current events. Lectureettes and debates.

(c) Written Composition.—The reproduction of subject-matter of poetry or prose; description of events, current and past; simple narratives, nature-study subjects, and other topics familiar to the children in their daily life. Imaginative stories. The writing of personal letters and correspondence with other schools, both in New Zealand and abroad. Correct use of the apostrophe, and quotation marks, should be fully established. The indenting of the paragraph should now be expected. Further exercises in the imitation of good models of English, also practice in writing from memory short passages previously read by the pupils.

(d) Formal Language.—Exercises to give pupils command over good types of sentences for use in their composition, and to give them such know-