English in action
From introduction:
English in Action, Volume Two, for the tenth and eleventh years of the senior high school, has a maximum of examples and practice and a minimum of theory and rules. The heaviest emphasis is laid on stimulating, enticing, and helping pupils to speak and write correct, vigorous, lively, colourful English and to form the habit of using their best English. In many schools the first problem of the Enghsh teacher is to arouse in pupils a keen desire to speak and write better, to develop a language conscience.
To help him I have tried to find attractive and pointed illustrations and examples, devise interesting and profitable exercises, provide a variety of challenging composition topics to select from and show boys and girls the value of the work they are doing. The worst fault in the average school speech or theme is talking or writing too much and saying too little.
To reduce the number of thin themes I have pointed out in most of the chapters, especially in the one headed “Something to Say,” ways of securing material before writing or speaking. Because many compositions show a lack of purpose, organization, and revision, stress is laid on (1) aiming to entertain, instruct, impress, convince, or persuade a definite audience, (2) planning before speaking or writing, and (3) criticizing and revising thoroughly the first draft of a theme. Businessmen and college instructors say that high-school graduates canT spell, punctuate, or speak or write correct and effective sentences. Since most pupils in the upper years of high school need both projects and drills, about one-third of the book is a practice in capitalizing, punctuating, enunciating, pronouncing, spelling, winning words, and correcting and improving sentences.
These drill chapters contain numerous mastery tests so constructed that either the teacher or the pupils can score them quickly and accurately. Many models, chiefly pupil themes, are introduced to show pupils how to go to work and to set reasonable standards of attainment.
Mr Maurice R. Robinson in Saplings says, “One may not hope to attain the heights of the masters, argues the high-school mind, but may not one hope to equal the attainment of the fellow student in the neighbouring high school?’^ Systematic, thorough speech training prepares for life and reduces the quantity of writing necessary. Hence in the chapters on extemporaneous speaking, argument and debate, reading and reciting, enunciation and pronunciation, and parliamentary practice, I have included definite suggestions, examples, and an abundance of practice.
Most of the compositions called for in other chapters may be either oral or written. Believing that no two teachers will wish to present the work in exactly the same order, I have divided the book into two parts, ‘^Exercises in Speaking and Writing ’’ and “The Sentence and the Word.” This arrangement and a full index and table of contents make it easy for the teacher to find the drill exercises that the class most needs at the hour and to sandwich them between the speeches and the themes. The text is adapted to the needs of pupils of varying abilities. It has a program of creative writing (short stories, feature stories, editorials, articles for the school magazine and the class paper) for students who have mastered the minimum essentials, thorough drills on fundamentals for pupils who need it, and enjoyable projects for all.
Some contents:
PART I. EXERCISES IN SPEAKING AND WRITING
Chapter Page
I. Conversation. 3
Talk and Conversation. 3
Value of Conversation. 3
Voice and Enunciation . 5
The Good Listener . 6
Something to Say . 7
Topics for Conversation. 8
Language of Conversation . 9
Good Manners. 10
Compliment . 12
Contradiction . 13
Talking Business . . . 13
Telephone Conversation . 14
II. Speaking and Reading. 21
Speaking . 21
Reading Aloud and Reciting. 38
How to Memorize. 44
III. Extemporaneous Speaking. 49
Importance. 49
Habits. 50
Posture. 50
Mannerisms and Nervousness. 51
Audience Sense. 52
Earnestness. 52
Enunciation. 53
Voice. 53
Purpose. 53
Material. 54
Outline. 54
Notes . 56
Practice. 57
Beginning and Ending. 59
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