SOME PRESS OPINIONS
EDUCATIONAL NEWS.—‘The first of these smal Reader, a &rammar, and an exercise book, giving nature, sufficient Srammar to give some formality selection of dril] exercises. We do not know any firs and teachable than this one,
“The second little book gives some admirable le the ground of the first ten lessons in the former work. Considering the acknowledged value of the phonetie method of studying a foreign language, this should be à valuable aid to'the teacher, who should make up his mind to master the special
alphabet—that of the Association Phonétique I nternationale—used throughout the lessons, ” s
1 books is an illustrated oral lessons of an interesting to the work, and a copious t year’s course more thorough
ssons based on phonetics, covering
imns for several Years the use rably that of
1 one thing ata time, the spelt phonetically and the t. If English people were they would learn with surprise Again, when a Reader is illus-
trated the pictures should be pictures and not violence to a child's experience by crowding togeth forms mere]ly for their Symbolic value, And finally learnt in the language itself. This does not me never be spoken, it only means that each pupil sho tional practice as possible each lesson. The above p tions, and we hope that those teachers who still method will give it a trial.”
SCOTSMAN.—"“The object of this little volume is to su
uld have as much conversa-
, î » neglecting the gradual and systematic study of grammar, It contai:s a reader, a srammar, and an exercise book.’
THE MODERN LANGUAGE QU'ARTERLY.—" The nu French worki ng On new method li many more will doubtless be induced to adopt su French Course which Mr. Siepmann has just published. . . + We are glad to see that a real French Wall-picture has been designed for use with this book, . .. An interesting feature of the course is that the work Prepared for the First Term is published separately in the alphabet of the Association Phonétique Internationale, and Mr. Siepmann strongly urges its use. Weentirely agree with him that teachers
would not regret it, . . . One ofthe most absorbing questions for the teacher is that of the best vocabulary to give to the beginner. class-
his .... Running
drawings by Mr. H. M. Brock, in which he has Caught the little French boy and girl inall their charm. By the
him and to make the dry rules of grammar seem pleasant,. X arc in eVery way excellent,”
SIEE. AIMARY FRENCH COURSE PRESS OPINIONS Continue.
FREEMAN'S JOURNAL.—"‘: Special attention may be called to the ‘Primary French Course, by Mr. Siepmann, of Clifton College, now published by Messrs. Macmillan. ‘fhe aim of the book is to meet in the initial stages of learning the double requirement of a system which shall at once teach French as a living and spoken language, and also afford the training in accurate thinking and a strict grammatical study. The book assumes that explanation of grammatical points will be given in English ; but it supplies à method of furcing the pupils to shape thoughts and phrases in French.”
GUARDIAN.-—‘ Mr, Otto Siepmann's. Primary French Course contains lessons consisting of reading, conversation, recitation, grammar, and exercise, and the teacher is instructed to give a preliminary oral lesson to teach the meanings of the new words that occur in the reading. It thus follows closely on the lines of the reform method. Mr. Siepmann, however, has come to the inevitable conclusion that the mother-tongue must be used to soie extent in teaching beginners, and his graimimnar is written in English. The readings are pleasantly written by M. Pellissier and the conversations are in the language of everyday life, and upon subjects appropriate for school children. ‘he illustrations by Mr. H. M. Brock are full of life and animation, and lend themselves readily to conversation practice.”
ASSISTANT MASTERS’ CIRCULAR.—" This useful little volume follows the modern system of oral teaching in French from pictures, but a modification is made in allowing the use of English for explaining grammatical points. We are glad to see that more attention is paid to grammar than is usually the case in oral teaching. The phonetic transcription followed is that of the Association Phonétique Internationale, An admirable series of illustrations, on which the lessons are based, is included.”
BOOKSELLER.—‘M. Otto Siepmann's high reputation as a text-book writer is too well known to require more than an allusion here. In a full and suggestive preface to the second of the volumes above mentioned, after commenting on the dissatisfaction with the teaching of modern languages which has heretofore existed, and the reasons for it, he states that his main object is to supply materials for the teaching of French by a method which places the spoken language in the foreground without neglecting the gradual and systematic study of gramimar. With this view the reader, grammar, and exercises given are interdependent, and as their merits have been put to a searching practical test at Clifton College, teachers of French in schools may be said to be taking them With a warranty. M. Siepmann, we note, hopes to continue the course of which this is the first part, and ‘to produce satisfactory results, not only in the use of the spoken language, but also in making modern languages in our schools instruments of a mental training and culture comparable with that imparted by a complete course of classical training.” With a view of ensuring a good pronunciation, the ‘ First Term’ course contains a phonetic version of the first ten lessons of the larger book, preceded by a short chapter on French sounds. “he symbols of the Association Phonétique Internationale have been adopted, and the separation of the two volumes has for reason the authors opinion that it is advisable not to let pupils see the ordinary spelling till they have learned to pronounce. Mr. H. M. Brock illnstrates both books in his usual admirable style.”
CLIFTON CHRONICLE.—" While retaining all that has proved sound and practical in the principles of the ‘ Neuere Richtung'—viz. (1) That a carefully graduated Reader should form the nucleus of modern language teaching ; (2) that grammar should be reduced to essentials, and (3) that the spoken language should receive due attention—a stand is made (1) against the haphazard way of teaching grammar which is unsatisfactory in more ways than one ; (2) against the idea of avoiding the mother-tongue as being a hindrance to the learner in acquiring a foreign language ; (3) against the introduction of irregular forms before the pupil has mastered the regular ones, and (4) against the propagation of purely conversational methods which neglect mental training and lead to intellectual looseness and inaccuracy of the worst kind.”
JOURNAL OF EDUTATION.—"“The swing of the pendulum has brought us back from the radical reformers who would entirely banish the mother-tongue to a via media which makes French the staple of the lesson, but allows free use of English for explanation and grammar teaching. A lesson, according to Mr. Siepmann, consists of reading, conversation, grammar, and exercise, with a preliminary oral lesson to teach the meaning of new words which occur in the reading.”
SIEPMANN’'S FRENCH SERIES.
Edited by OTTO SIEPMAN N, Head ofthe Modern Language Department at Clifton College, and EUGÈNE PE LLISSIER, Professeur Agrégé au Lycée du Havre, formerly Assistant Master at Clifton College, and Lecturer
in French at the University College, Bristol.
NOTE.—Those marked * are ready; those marked À are in the Press ; and the others are in Preparation.
ELEMENTAR Ÿ, tBIART.—Monsieur Pinson. Edited by Orro SIEPMANN, *PIERRE CŒUR.—L'Âme de Beethoven. Edited by DE
Kensington Coaching College. 25.
- Tour des Maures. Edited by À. H. WaLe, Marlborough ollege. 25.
t DESNOYERS.- Jean-Paul Choppart. Edited by L. von GLEHN, Taylors’ School.
*DUMAS.—Napoléon. Edited by W. W, tGENNEVRAY Marchand d’Allumett
Clifton College.
