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.

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 257
Filipino normal-school teachers read aloud all the basal texts of the first
four grades in twelve hours and three quarters. A dozen hours of reading spread over four school years comprises the basic reading course of
study of the primary school. To this material is added, for some
pupils, the content of certain supplementary books. These books also
were read aloud by the same normal-school teachers that read the
basic texts-Table 19 presents the results.
TABLE 19.-TIME REQUIRED TO READ ALOUD THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF
SUPPLEMENTARY BOOKS OF THE PRIMARY GRADES
Hours Minutes
First Grade:
The Elson Readers, Primer.............................................. 32
Second Grade:
Philippine Literature Series................................................ 21
Insular First R eader.............................................. 1 7
Third Grade:
Insular Second Reader........................................... 3
Story Hour Readers, Book Two..........................................
Fourth Grade:
Insular Third Reader.............................................. 4 66
Stories of Great Filipinos........................................ 38
T ota l......................................................... 14 3 6
The evidence in the tables is very convincing that the material
through which children learn to read is totally inadequate. In four
years of school attendance the total amount of reading which a pupil
is given to read can be read aloud in approximately 27 hours.
Granted that a primary pupil could read silently only one-half as
rapidly as the Filipino adult did aloud, the figures provide an impressive illustration of the sparseness of the curriculum. It must not be
forgotten that libraries and magazines, newspapers, and books practically do not exist. In the Philippines, the child's only reading consists
of "basal texts" and "supplementary books." The evidence is conclusive therefore that a very large addition must be made to the volume
I of reading in the primary grades. Much practice is necessary in order
that efficient habits be developed. Practice must be accompanied by
interest, however, or bad habits will result. To insure practice in
reading much supplementary material is necessary. This material
should not duplicate the material found in the basal book nor should
it be wholly of a literary type. There should be books dealing with! simple geographical and historical material. This fact becomes of
striking importance in the light of the severe difficulties set up by the
foreign-language situation. Philippine schools will be compelled to give
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