Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld. : 1909 – 1954), Friday 24 December 1926, page 13

SPEECH TRAINING.
INTERESTING PAPER.
A ROSEWOOD TEACHER’S VIEWS.

In the course of an interesting paper on the teaching of spoken English, read to the Teachers’ Union Conference. Mr. Zerner, Head Teacher of the Rosewood State School, makes the following thoughtful observations –

Whatever view is taken of specialisation in schools, it is evidently desirable that the general education of every teacher shall be sufficiently good to ensure unceasing instruction in the English language. The teachers of all special subjects must be responsible for the quality of the English spoken or written during their lessons. In every department of school work confused and slovenly English must he regarded as the result of a failure on the part of the teacher. 

We desire to express our strong conviction that no teacher can, in his own grade, be too highly gifted or too highly trained, and that is at least as true in the earlier as in the later stages. In the early stages it is particularly necessary to have first-rate teachers. 

THE CHILD’S RIGHT.
English must be the first subject. In point of time, to receive specific attention, it cannot afford to wait. At whatever age a child first comes into the teacher’s hands it is then that his definite training in English must begin. English, being not merely a school subject, but also a home or life subject, is always being taught, often badly. certainly in haphazard fashion, independently of the school. Delay, therefore, in counteracting, by good teaching at school, bad habits in the use of the mother tongue acquired outside, adds immensely to the work to be done later. An adverse balance is continually mounting up until, perhaps, it is too late for it ever to be wiped out. 

Speech training must be undertaken from the outset, and should be continued all through the period of schooling. The definite training of the ear and of the vocal organs is not one of the things to which tradition has paid regard. Uncouth speech has been assumed to be the natural heritage of the children for whom elementary schools were originally instituted. Actually the accomplishment of clear and correct speech is the one definite accomplishment which the child is entitled to demand from the infant school. Apart front some excellent pioneer work in individual schools and by individual teachers, speech training has been strangely neglected. We wish to emphasise its importance most strongly. 

ATTENTION ELSEWHERE.
In Victoria a good deal has been done. Classes for teachers in speech training have been held with definite instruction for the improvement of enunciation, involving systematic study of the way in which speech sounds are formed. In New Zealand a special booklet has been issued by the board of inspection. In London also special well-attended classes have been held and some good work has been accomplished. The task of the London teacher, and indeed of all the teachers in England. is greatly hampered by dialects. Here that is not the case. 

It is lamentable to hear the children habitually mispronouncing words. or mumbling rather than pronouncing them, while their teachers, who may show great concern at inaccuracies where the written word is concerned, seem to accept a pitiably low standard of speech as a thing which must be taken for granted and scarcely calls for comment. 

We repeat that it is emphatically the business of the elementary school to teach all its pupils to speak standard English, and to speak it clearly and with expression. Earnest teachers are agreed that this can be done provided that definite and systematic teaching is given from the outset. It is not sufficient merely to correct the various errors of pronunciation as they occur or to insist on the children “speaking out.” They should learn to recognise every sound in standard English; should observe for themselves how sounds are produced and modified by the position of the speech organs; and should practise producing them properly. Habitual lip laziness must be combated. 

With reference to method, it may be stated that no special phonetic system need he employed, but special attention must be given to S.T. (a) by means of voice production in musical exercises: (b) by preparatory work in reading lessons; (c) by imitation of correct sounds; (d) by children’s discussions in some English lessons; (e) by encouragement throughout the day. Speech is to a remarkable degree a matter of imitation. 

SOME GOOD REASONS.
We do not advocate the teaching of standard English on any grounds of social superiority, but because it is manifestly desirable that all English people should be capable of speaking so as to be fully intelligible to each other, and because inability to speak standard English is in practice a serious handicap in many ways. 

Our duty is that of guiding the child to that refinement of speech which, in a subtle manner, is an index to the mind, and helps to place it beyond the reach of vulgarity of thought and action. 

The position of the English language in the world affords another argument for all English children being taught (standard) English, as distinct from a dialect of English. If English is to become the international language everybody who wishes to learn it must be given an opportunity. English children, required by law to attend school, are surely entitled to be taught in a scientific and effective way the accepted speech of their own country. Speech training is intimately connected with, and, is indeed, included in training of oral expression. Oral expression must be the concern of every Infant school from the very first. The Headmaster of Rugby has said, “To be bad at English seemed to be regarded by both masters and boys as a natural defect.” There is something pathetic about the acceptance by boys and masters in the great public schools of a low standard of English, as if it were inevitable. If English be made the concern of every teacher in every primary and secondary school the battle will be won. About teachers, the report says: “If they cannot learn to express themselves clearly and correctly in English, they are unfit to become teachers.” Referring to the training of teachers, the report states: “The teaching should also include such a knowledge of elementary phonetics as will enable the students to analyse and classify the sounds of spoken English, and to explain the mechanism of their production in terms suitable for teaching children how to speak and read distinctly. Good lecturers in phonetics are not yet easy to obtain. In the meantime something might perhaps be accomplished by means of peripatetic teachers. Vacation courses, organised by the Education Department, would do much good. With reference to students at training colleges, two hours per week for one year or one hour per week for two years, should be the minimum requirement. In one and a-half years at least 60 hours should be done.”

THE TEACHER’S DUTY.
The point, then, is that much more attention should he paid to spoken English. The cultivation of the voice, guidance in the art of story-telling, instruction in recitation and reading aloud, are all important for that English teaching which all teachers are called upon to give. The voice of the teacher is his main instrument, the only model which his pupils will have to follow, and too much attention cannot be paid to it. It follows necessarily from this that an oral test should form an essential part of the examination in English. In no other way could the effectiveness of the oral teaching be ascertained. Again, the teachers’ reading should aim less at “getting up” the contents of particular books, and more at obtaining a master of expression in English. Every spoken word should be as clear to the ear as the written word is to the eye. 

In Queensland about 800 out of 4000 of our teachers have had no schooling beyond the fifth class in a country school. When we consider that it is from these that the majority of children in the small country schools first learn to pronounce English, to read it, and to express themselves in it we are convinced of the importance of fitting these teachers for their important work. 

The duty of the teachers and the function of schools is to keep English pronunciation pure, as measured by cultured standards. Skill in oral reading is an essential part of the equipment of every teacher. English is the most important of school subjects. All others are tributary to it.