This method is also known as Reading Method or Text Book Method.
Dr. West's New Method
Learning to read a language is by for the shortest road to speak and write it. - Dr. West
Dr. West worked as a teacher and principal in a Teacher Training College in Dacca and he conducted an extensive research and experiment on the problems of teaching English as a foreign language in India. The outcome of his research is ‘The New Method. It stood as a reaction against the Direct method. After a considerable thinking he came to the conclusion that by far the greater number of Indian’s required only a passive knowledge of English. Indian children need most to be able to read English then to write it and lastly to speak it and understand it when spoken. According to Dr. West the main purpose of Indian child should be purposeful silent reading not oral reading.
Principles :
I .The new method is based on -
- 1st priority of reading.
- 2nd separate provision for reader with controlled vocabulary.
- 3rd a judicious use of mother tongue.
II. In the New, Method theoretical grammar is not taught separately, but is used for curative purposes when necessary. Dr West holds that grammar should be regarded “not as a diet but as a drug.
Main Features :
1. Emphasis on Reading : Dr West insists through his method that Indian school Children should first be taught how to read English. In order to develop the habit of purposeful silent he provides a new type of reading books containing 2,280 words which has been classified under following four heads:
Essential Words-
- This, that he, it, a shall, may. etc.
- Common environmental words
- Chair, table glass, bus car, door, house, etc.
General Words
- Good, bad, nice, sweet, happy, etc.
Specific environmental words
- Tree, garden, River Mountain, sky. etc.
2. Emphasis on Oral Work : Dr. West stresses silent reading. He also stresses some oral work mainly in the form of reading aloud before silent reading begins.
3. Emphasis on Training in Speech : Dr West has given some scope for training in speech to make his method complete .in order to give a scheme of speech training he has made a distinction between speech and vocabulary. According to him “The ideal vocabulary is the most easily learnt and most easily used set of works which are capable of expressing correctly the largest number of ideas “The size of the speaking vocabulary is much smaller than that of the reading vocabulary.
Dr. West has selected a minimum speaking vocabulary of 1,158 words capable of expressing all our ordinary ideas He has classified these words under two main heads viz from in speaking and content works. Dr West holds that specific practice n speaking and drill in vocabulary. Should be give in order to develop the speaking ability in children.
4. Emphasis on Developing Reading ability : This method lays more emphasis on the development of reading abilities, improvement of vocabulary. Dr. West laid more emphasis on the development of reading ability due to the following reasons.
- Reading is a ‘passive’ activity whereas speaking and writing are ‘active’ activities. The passive work is like the foundation of active work.
- Students after leaving school can continue self-education by reading English material.
- By reading student can have an idea of structure of English language
- Student can also develop a taste of English literature.
- Reading facilitates speaking and writing.
- Stress on silent reading
Dr. West designed new type of books called ‘readers and rapid readers’ Features of book are-
- New words and phrases equally distributed over the pages
- Mother- tongue is frequently used
- Matter is explained with the help of pictures
- Grammatical rules are not explained
- Long stories included for developing reading habits.
- In this method reading vocabulary is emphasized more.
- The comprehension test is taken by the teacher by asking questions.
Advantages :
1. Children improve their reading skill with this method.
2. It initiates students for self-activity
3. Reading helps in the development of power of comprehension
4. Reading helps to make the speaking and writing easy
5. The use of the mother –tongue makes student feel at home
6. It helps to increase the vocabulary of the student.
7. Develops a taste over the English literature.
8. Students do not feel the over-load of grammatical rules.
9. Both in terms of time and money, it is an economical method.
10. It develops the habit of reading books in other subjects.
Disadvantage :
1. Dr. West drew a hard & fast line of distinction between speaking & reading skill which is practically & psychologically not sound.
2. Dr. West has over emphasized the importance of acquiring a vocabulary and has selected the commonest words. But he has neglected the graduated introduction of sentence patterns and also of the phrases and idioms that are essential elements in developing language sense.
3. This method attaches too much of importance to silent reading. No doubt, in learning of a language, silent reading has an important role. Also, this method does not give due importance to the oral work. To neglect oral work in the lower classes is unscientific and un-psychological.
