A survey of the educational system of the Philippine islands by the Board of educational survey, created under acts 3162 and 3196 of the Philippine Legislature.

MEASUREMENT OF INSTRUCTION

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expression through textbooks designed to fit the peculiar needs of these
peoples. It is our judgment, therefore, that reading in Filipino schools
can become approximately efficient only when the content of the reading matter expresses Filipino ideas and ideals, sentiments, and attitudes,
and when these are expressed in terms appropriate to dynamic interests
of children who have reached the preadolescent and adolescent stage.
But there is a third change that is needed in the reading instruction
of Philippine schools. Not only must the amount of reading matter be
increased and its character be constituted out of Filipino conditions.
Those two changes alone, fundamental and necessary though they are,
will not develop ability to read the English language. They must
be accompanied by a radical improvement in methods of teaching.
Oral pronunciation must be subordinated to thought-getting. With the
present lack of highly-trained teachers this result can be brought about
soon only through the systematic use-daily, weekly, monthly-of devices deliberately designed to bring it about.
Third: Are There School Systems in Which English Is Taught Successfully and with Promise of Permanence?
It is significant, furthermore, that some Philippine schools have already brought their practice much more closely in line with modern
practice than have those schools which have rigorously followed the
prescriptions in the course of study of the academic division. They have
invented and used, systematically, methods which bring highly efficient
results. By doing so, these schools have succeeded in producing young
people who can read much better than the rank and file of Philippine
schools, almost as well indeed as pupils in typical American city schools.
This achievement is so striking a proof of the possibility, even under
the existing difficulties, of solving the reading problem by the use of
right methods, that we shall study it next in considerable detail. Where
in a few conspicuous school systems reading is taught very well, success
is achieved by concentrating instruction on silent, meaningful reading.
The success of Bulacan and Laguna, together with that of Manila,
prove that, even though hampered by the most difficult conditions,
Filipino children can acquire reading ability that promises a fair measure
of permanence in adult life.
Bulacan is especially conspicuous. Trace through the various grades
the achievements of the two municipalities which were measured, Polo
and Malolos. Second-grade Polo pupils test higher in paragraph reading and vocabulary than do average second-grade American pupils.
In Grade III they are less than half a year behind, and in Grade IV
and Grade V about a year behind. These pupils in the higher grades
have had the present system of silent reading only two years. From