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about fruit and vegetables. In another text, fairly good from the standpoint of conversation, the following lessons appear: "Lesson 13, The seasons;" "Lesson 14, Fruits and colors;" "Lesson 15, A week's work at home;" "Lesson 16, A local friend;" "Lesson 17, The fire." These extracts are typical of practically all of the texts in use. It should be said that recent texts show marked tendency to organize and adapt subject matter more rationally to the use of foreigners.

V. METHODS OF TEACHING.

The method of teaching English and civics to foreigners is in a chaotic condition. Five fairly suggestive methods of instruction are employed by various teachers and instructors throughout the country. These are the visual, dramatic, laboratory, vernacular, and grammatical methods.

The visual method is employed more extensively than the others. It is used to some extent by practically all teachers. The teacher points out some convenient object in the classroom, gives its name to the class, and asks the individual pupil or the class as a whole to repeat the name after him. Many texts are so constructed as to bring this method into use in the first few lessons. While this method is frequently carried to an extreme, it is valuable in the teaching of the names of objects, and the expressions concerning them; it is practically useless, however, in dealing with expressions of motion and with abstract ideas.

The so-called "dramatic method" of teaching English has come into vogue in recent years, following the widely known work of Gouin and more recently the efforts of Dr. Peter Roberts, of the Young Men's Christian Association. Dr. Roberts has devised a textbook with action as the starting point. In this method the teacher goes through some motion or act, at the same time pronouncing the appropriate expression in English, and asking the pupils to repeat the expression after him, thus: "I go to the door, I turn the knob, I open the door." This method has proved to be of value in teaching expressions with respect to motion and action, but is wholly inadequate in teaching expressions regarding objects and abstract ideas. Pupils also make the criticism that teachers who employ this method habitually use too many expressions during the class hour, and as a consequence confuse the class. The chief criticism, however, is that the expressions taught in this way are not usually those of actual life and everyday experience, and are not of any particular value to the student in carrying on a conversation.

In a sense the laboratory method is the outgrowth of the visual method. It differs in taking advantage not only of the ordinary

classroom objects, but of other objects imported into the classroom for more detailed conversation and discussion. The chief feature of the method is to take the class on an excursion into some factory, city department, or institution, where practical, intelligent discussion concerning the environment is carried on. A teacher in one of the Rochester (N. Y.) schools employs this method quite successfully. He takes his class out upon the street and holds a conversation with them, teaching expressions with reference to direction, buildings, streets, and the local environment. He also takes his class to the nearest police station and fire department, where similar instruction is given. This is probably the closest approach to the ideal method of teaching English to foreigners that has yet been devised.

The vernacular method brings into play the native language of the pupils taught, and depends for its success upon the teacher's fluency and efficiency in the foreign tongue. Certain teachers in the San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, Buffalo, and Rochester schools who are able to speak foreign languages make use of this method. The value of it lies in the ease with which rules of grammar, technical terms, idiomatic expressions, and terms concerning abstract ideas can be explained to the pupils. It has been severely criticized by school authorities and educators on the ground that there is danger of the teacher using too much of the native language of the pupil. This is perhaps true to an extent, but with the definite rule that the foreign language should be employed only for the purpose of making a necessary explanation, when it is impossible to explain the expression or idea in the English language, the vernacular method is probably the most efficient in getting the idea of the English expression immediately into the pupil's mind. Once this is done, it becomes unnecessary to use the foreign language further, and attention can then be devoted to the important thing in language instruction, i. e., associating the idea directly and immediately with expressions concerning it.

This method is appreciated by those who are not educators, as will be shown by the following extract from a synopsis of a report made in 1909 by the civic club of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia research and protective association on the educational opportunities of foreigners immigrating to Philadelphia.

* *

One evening school deserves special mention in this report * ** The average attendance during the year has been 550 *. Twenty-six classes are in operation, one of which is composed of women and girls. Six advanced classes are taught in English. "The other classes are taught partly in Italian and partly in English. The principal speaks many Italian dialects and teaches her teachers enough Italian to enable them to explain the new language in the Italian. The groundwork being solid, however, the progress is rapid when once pupils understand the fundamentals of the language."

The New Jersey immigration commission, in its recent report, remarks that:

Other authorities, however, believe that the teachers should have some knowledge of the language of the pupils in order to make clear from the first moment, the word, the phrase, or the idea which is presented to the pupils.

One of the speakers at a public conference held under the auspices of the New York-New Jersey committee of the North American Civic League for Immigrants in New York City in May, 1913, referred to the value of this method in striking terms:

In my experience there are two types of teachers who are successful in this field: First, the man or woman who speaks the language of the pupils and has had the ambition and perseverance to master English to the point of being able to teach it—one who has gained what we may call an American point of view, and has at the same time a sympathetic understanding of the students in his class. Second, the American man or woman who has genius as a teacher, wide sympathies, few prejudices, and the gift of recognizing the common human elements in all peoples; who feels that the only barrier between himself and his pupils is that of language.

In my opinion, as a rule, the first is the better. Between the teacher who speaks the native language and the pupil there is no barrier of language. It is wonderful how even a slight knowledge of the language helps. At only a few words of greeting, perhaps, eyes will light up at the effort to get nearer, and a big hole will be made in the wall of separation. The teacher who knows the language will have a knowledge of home conditions, customs, traditions, and religious observances which will enable him to avoid giving offense or making blunders which sometimes cause the students to leave.

Many educators and instructors have the mistaken notion that adult immigrants can be trained in English through the medium of grammar, phonics, and rules. Teachers fail to appreciate that the average immigrant coming to this country is not only not interested in rules of grammar, but has not the formal grammatical knowledge of his own language that is a prerequisite to this kind of instruction in English. Frequently a grammatical rule is explained in English, and the pupils fail entirely to comprehend its real meaning and significance, and therefore become disgusted with the course of instruction and drop out.

Another speaker at the conference on the education of the immigrant above referred to comments on this form of instruction:

Continued drill on phonics wearies the foreigner, whose ears are not trained to the niceties of the English language. So we must endeavor to make our drills practical; always in combination with words that are vital to the community life of pupils.

VI. PRIVATE AGENCIES AND IMMIGRANT EDUCATION.

An increasing number of private agencies are concerning themselves with adult immigrant education. These agencies are National, State, and local in scope. Some are philanthropic, some industrial organizations; others are religious, political, patriotic, and fraternal societies or associations. A few of these are engaged in a social-legislative

program to increase educational facilities; some are seeking to "Americanize" the immigrant; others describe their object as of a general, social, and educational nature. The activities in which these organizations are engaged range from classes in English for foreigners to district visiting and domestic training. The great majority of these agencies are maintained by private subscription, although some derive their income from the immigrant and his countrymen. A large number are supported by industrial establishments. A few are backed by foreign governments. Many spring from the newer work of the churches. Thus a number of the large religious associations and missionary societies, without neglecting the field of foreign missions, are now devoting a great deal of time and attention to the immigrant problem.

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

Notable work has been done by the Young Men's Christian Association. The report of the international committee for the year 1912-13 shows that there were organized into English classes no less than 21,914 immigrants, and into naturalization classes 1,693-a total of 23,607. More than 193,339 attended lectures during the year. Associations in 28 States and in 6 Provinces of Canada carried on 1,221 classes. Over 300 local associations are engaged in educational work for foreigners, and 44 different nationalities were reached during the year in this way. The main volume of the association work was done in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. In Massachusetts and Rhode Island 45 associations were interested, having 458 teachers, 289 classes, and 5,624 students, with a total attendance at lectures of 42,725. In the State of Pennsylvania 28 associations were working, with 190 teachers, 167 classes, 2,184 students, and 130,230 attending lectures. In New York 33 associations were interested, having 130 teachers, 126 classes, and 2,148 students. In Illinois 17 associations were engaged in the work, reaching 2,042 students; and in Ohio 14 associations, reaching 1,374 students. The attendance and classes increased during the year 34.9 per cent over the year preceding.

The association first comes into contact with the immigrant at the principal ports of embarkation in foreign countries, where it has secretaries. These men meet and talk with the alien before he takes the steamer; they advise him in regard to the United States, directing him to the Young Men's Christian Association in the city to which he is destined. At the port of arrival the organization has secretaries who meet the immigrant, advise him as to American customs and conditions, and give him general assistance.

Following this first contact with the alien, the association endeavors to reach him with educational facilities. The international committee has a department of industrial education, under the supervision

of a secretary, who organizes the work in the various States, outlines courses, and correlates the educational activities of the various local and State organizations.1

The annual report for the year 1912-13 shows that over 1,500 teachers were employed in this educational work for immigrants and others. Most of these teachers were volunteers and came from colleges, shops, offices, stores, the professions, and the trades. Apparently no uniform basis of qualification for teachers is applied, especially when volunteer workers are taken. Fortunately, young men of education, usually college men, have volunteered to teach. No effort is made to secure instructors with ability to speak foreign languages, since the method of teaching eliminates the foreign tongue as a factor in learning English.

The method of securing students is worthy of note. Association secretaries are sent in search of the foreigner in boarding houses, saloons, candy stores, steamship-ticket agencies, private banks, private houses, factories, shoe-shining parlors, and societies. Many aliens are reached through the card of the association given by representatives at the ports of embarkation in Europe, and are induced thereby to call at the respective associations in the towns and cities where they locate. Advantages and opportunities for instruction are advertised in newspapers, in circulars in foreign languages, and on bulletin boards. Frequently some foreigner of more active disposition is charged with the duty of working up a class among his friends and fellow countrymen.

The association cooperates with churches of all denominations. It has cooperated with public schools in furnishing teachers; with social settlements, societies, and fraternities; with the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution; with boards of trade, boards of health, associations of operators, employers of labor, and others. It has made surveys of communities showing local needs, and in many instances stimulated public-school authorities to take interest in immigrant education. Thus in Lackawanna, N. Y., the association. furnishes the teachers and supervision, and the city the school buildings. In small localities in the anthracite region of Pennsyvlania the organization furnishes teachers and also backs up the public schools with what are known as "miners' institutes," through which men are prepared for the more technical training of the industrial schools.

The subject matter used in the association courses in English dwells largely upon the everyday experiences of the immigrant, covering his domestic life, industrial experiences, and employment. Each set of lessons is composed of several groups. These are conveniently

1 For further description of the educational work, see Report of the Commissioner of Education, 1913, p. 573.

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