by Pauline ETIENNE

Observers, pedagogues and language specialists all agree that the standard of English is going down. This has become common knowledge. Therefore, the arrival of a new English textbook in Standard I was most welcome ? as there were hopes that it would help provide children with the basics of the language and give them solid grounds for the future. It has actually surely been a source of disappointment.

The solution to bring the level of English up is certainly not to lead children to a mental block when they think of the book. However, most teachers are unanimous that the length and level of certain parts of the book are far too high for five year-old children who still need to have fun and learn through playing.

The ministry made it clear that ? unlike what some teachers were wrongly saying ? the books had been tested in ten schools before being implemented. Professionals prepared those books and there would be no point in discussing its advantages. But the opinion of those working with kids everyday could have been given more importance.

We are in the middle of a supposedly big reform to achieve ?world-class education?. In this new concept, the child is reported to be at the centre of preoccupations with concepts such as inclusive pedagogy being increasingly used in schools. If the system is still made of imperfections, the repetition of the minister that he is putting the child at the centre of the system is reassuring.

Fortunately enough, Standard I contains no formal or decisive exams. It is a time when the child is supposed to bridge the gap between his pre-primary years and primary school. It is a time when the child should be given the love ? or at least desire ? of learning as well as the basic skills, especially through play-activities. With this in mind, the increased number of illustrations in the new book is a good point. Books should always be made more attractive to give children the pleasure of reading and learning.

However ? and even though it might sound attractive to the children at the very beginning to have big books like the big ones ? the fear is that they would soon neglect it in favour of more funny books or activities. The more so if those books contain complicated words like some teachers seem to be saying.

Now, as books have already been introduced in schools, the future of the children in Standard I will depend only on the use made by teachers. It will be up to the latter to use the book in an intelligent way. Alain Doulub from the Roman Catholic Education Authority was recently saying to ?l?express?, ?We have asked our teachers not to give so much importance to books. What is most important is to adapt the items to the class. In the past, a book used to be a bible.

Now, the emphasis is laid on the child.?The main purpose of a book is to support the skills taught. Teachers should stop focusing too much on ?finishing the book?. They could use what they believe to be positive in it and neglect the other parts while using other activities to make sure children acquire the basic skills to start Standard II serenely.