importance of securing a natural liaison between the work of the primary and that of the secondary school. Unless the Welsh master in the secondary school knows with some precision what ground has been covered in Welsh by pupils before they come to him he cannot properly develop the knowledge which they have. It is satisfactory to note that in some areas the secondary school is given reasonably full information on this point by the contributory primary schools. This is a practice that should be extended.
C. The Teaching of English in Welsh Schools
It is unnecessary to write at any length on the course in English as a first language in any type of secondary school: the course will not differ materially from that followed in a similar secondary school in England. Upon the teaching of English as a second language, however, something must be said.
(a) English as a Second Language. First of all teachers of English in secondary schools must bear in mind that for children whose mother tongue is Welsh, English is a second language, that these children are unlikely to have begun learning English before the age of 7, that their acquaintance with English is still in the rudimentary stage, and that much of their general instruction will have been given through the medium of Welsh. This is as it should be of course, and teachers of English, so far from regretting it, should rejoice that these children have been given a sound foundation in language as such.
The first essential is to obtain accurate information as to the extent of the child's knowledge when he enters the school. His "marks in English at the examination," or expressions of opinion, such as "very good" or "fair" from his previous teachers are not sufficient for this purpose. What is required is detailed information about the child's vocabulary range, the books he has read in class, and the methods which have been used to teach him English. Such information is better gained by personal contact between the teachers concerned, and for this purpose conferences should be arranged regularly between the English teachers in secondary schools and the teachers of the contributory primary schools. It must be emphasised that the contacts between the primary and secondary schools are at present quite insufficient. The results are plain to see lack of mutual sympathy, a discontinuity of purpose and method which does the child much harm, and an avoidable discouragement of good teaching.
The second essential is to realise clearly the aims in teaching English as a second language in the secondary school. The first aim is to develop the child's active and passive vocabulary in as many directions as possible; this development must be orderly and based on the child's vocabulary control when he enters the school. The second is to develop the child's ability to speak English; due attention should be paid to articulation, accent, and especially intonation, which is frequently most neglected. The third is to make the child aware of
