Every Sunday, “Back in the Day” looks at an article that ran on this date in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The items are verbatim, so don’t blame us today for yesteryear’s bad grammar.
An intensive study into the problem of improving instruction in oral and written English has been completed by a committee of the English department of the University of Hawaii in cooperation with the department of public instruction.
The relatively large number of high school graduates seeking admission to the university with a lack of adequate knowledge of English precipitated the study.
By the study, it is hoped an integrated program of instruction in English will be worked out extending from the first grade of elementary school through the second year of university.
Study of English problems in the territory was begun many years ago, and a concerted effort of all educators has been pointed to a gradual improvement of the situation.
Renewed vigor in the program to raise the English standards was injected in 1937 by Dr. W. Norwood Brigance, former head of the university English department. Dr. Brigance, with his colleagues, worked out a series of English tests to rate students on the correct use of and ability to use good English.
The study reveals that there are many obstacles which hinder the working out of an effective program of good English. Among these is the large size of secondary school classes which makes it difficult to work out desirable individual training in oral English.
"Another obstacle of importance is the difficulty of arousing a desire for English in students, a difficulty aggravated by the attitude of many students that good English is "sissy," the report asserts.
The study also reveals that there is a lack of techniques and materials for teaching composition and grammar adapted to local conditions in Hawaii.
Dr. Beck points out that a major cause of mispronunciation is inaccurate hearing of correct English sounds.
The study emphasizes that improvement by students cannot be expected if teachers make errors.
There is also the possibility, the study discloses, that if too much emphasis is put on grammatical and articulatory correctness, the original purpose may be defeated by a selfconsciousness of the student which would develop into complexes, inhibiting good expression.
