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.

260 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PHILIPPINES

becomes a valuable asset. There seems to be little question "that
phonetic training is needed for foreign children not only to develop a
method of attacking new words, but to sharpen auditory perception and
develop speech coordination." But any amount of phonics in excess
of what can be used by the child has proved to be a hindrance rather
than a help in reading. Moreover, unless a child is required to make
use of his phonetic knowledge, the time spent upon the development of
the subject can best be used in other ways.
DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN THE TEACHING OF PHONICS IN THE
PHILIPPINES.-The teacher of phonics in the Philippines has many
serious difficulties to overcome. In the first place, she has had almost
no training in phonics. In most cases she has had no instruction under
an American teacher to whom the sounds of the various syllables present
few difficulties. The point has already been made that the sounds of
many of the consonants and vowels are particularly hard for the Filipino
to master. That the English language is not a phonetic language offers
another difficulty.
SUGGESTED HELPS FOR TEACHERS.-Training in phonics under an
American teacher who knows the subject should be given in summer
schools and in teachers' institutes for those teachers already in service.
Phonograph records giving the correct sounds of consonants, phonograms,
and certain words that are commonly mispronounced, should be incorporated in a scientifically constructed scheme of phonic instruction.
Such records should be made to meet the particular needs of the
Philippines.
Charts showing the correct placing of the lips, tongue, teeth, and
other vocal organs in the giving of certain sounds are helpful to a
limited degree. To get the correct sound of a consonant it is sometimes helpful to pronounce an easy word beginning with the consonant,
then slightly prolong the first sound in the word which is the consonant
sound, and finally omit giving the sound of the remaining letters of the
word.
The subject matter of phonics, considered as a tool subject, consists
in:
1. Sounds and symbols of consonants.
(a) Consonants made with breath:
f, h, k, p, s, t, wh, th (as in thin).
(b) Consonants made with voice:
b, d, g, j, 1, m, n, r, v, w, y, z, th (as in them).
2. Phonograph consisting of vowels and consonants.
3. Certain endings as, ing, or, est, s, ly.
4. A few rules governing the sounds of vowels and consonants.
5. Certain words commonly mispronounced.