AI English Translation, Pages 176-200
ENGLISH BOOKLIST 1957—1958
English Books Prescribed for the School Year 1957 - 1958
PRIMARY
Fifth Year for the Fifth Primary
1. Oxford English Course for Iraq Book 1.
2. Teacher's Notes to Book 1. (for teachers only).
3. Progressive Writing Book 1.
4. Progressive Writing Book II.
5. Crosswords for Beginners, I.
Sixth Year for the Sixth Primary
1. Oxford English Course for Iraq, Book II.
2. Teacher's Notes to Book II (for teachers only).
3. Progressive Writing Book III.
4. Progressive Crosswords I. (Revised).
INTERMEDIATE
First Year for the First Intermediate
1. Oxford English Course for Iraq, Book III (All).
2. Teacher's Notes to Book III (for teachers only).
3. (Story book to be selected later from new lists).
4. Crosswords for Beginners Book II.
5. Progressive Writing Book IV.
Second Year for the Second Intermediate
1. Oxford English Course for Iraq, Book IV (All).
2. Teacher's Notes to Book IV (for teachers only).
3. Stories from the Near East.
Third Year for the Third Intermediate
1. Oxford English Course for Iraq, Book V (All).
2. Teacher's Notes to Book V (for teachers only).
3. Emil and the Detectives.
4. English-Reader's Dictionary.
SECONDARY
Fourth Year for the Fourth Preparatory
1. Oxford English Course for Iraq, Book V (All).
2. Teacher's Notes to Book V (for teachers only).
3. Oliver Twist. Tales Retold.
4. English-Reader's Dictionary.
Fifth Year for the Fifth Preparatory
1. Hill, Comprehension & Precis Pieces.
2. Louis Pasteur (Lives of Achievement).
3. The Stories of Shakespeare's Plays, 1. Tales Retold.
4. English-Reader's Dictionary.
Copy of the Letter
⟦line⟧
Enclosed you will find (200) copies of Instructions No. 13. Please review their contents and take the necessary steps to distribute them
to all official, private, and evening primary schools, teachers' institutes, and educational courses under your administration.
The distribution has been carried out according to the attached schedule.
On this occasion, we list below a copy of the memorandum from the Acting Specialist Inspector for the English Language, Mr. Salim
Hakim, No. 388, dated 14 / 4 / 957. Please act according to the note recorded therein and above from us.
Signature / Acting General Inspector of Education
⟦line⟧
Copy of the Memorandum
⟦line⟧
Enclosed is a copy of Instructions No. 13. I kindly request you to mediate with the Directorate General of Education to approve printing it
at the Education Press in four thousand copies (4000), then distributing them to all official, private, and evening primary schools
according to the attached schedule, as well as teachers' institutes and educational courses.
Note: A - The school administration shall keep a copy of these instructions after the teacher signs upon receiving a copy.
B - The teacher is requested to keep his copy in his private file of all sent instructions for reference.
Salim Hakim
Acting Specialist Inspector
⟦line⟧
Directorate of Education of Baghdad Province / Center | Number / 1889
Personnel | Date / 6 / 5 / 1957
To /
Administrations of official and private primary schools for boys and girls
for boys and girls affiliated with this Directorate, all of them.
We record for you above the text of the letter from the General Inspectorate of Education No. 1155 dated 12 / 5 / 957, which includes
a copy of the memorandum from the Acting Specialist Inspector, Mr. Salim Hakim, and enclosed is one copy of Instructions No. 13.
Please receive it and act according to what was stated in the memorandum transcribed therein.
Abdul Sattar Al-Qaraghouli
Director of Education of Baghdad Province / Center
Copies received
and kept in the file of
Mr. Munir
A copy to /
General Inspectorate of Education / Your letter referred to above.
Personnel.
Mr. Munir
Please contact Education to inquire about
the attached copies
⟦signature⟧
19 / 5 / 957
M / Al-Araji 15 / 5
Attached
86854
T-A-H
Directorate of Education of Baghdad Province / Center
Secondary Accounts
Number / ⟦illegible⟧
Date 2 / 3 / 1957
Administrations of Secondary Schools for Boys and Girls
Official and Private.
We record for you below a copy of the letter from the Directorate of General Education / Curricula and Books -
Numbered 8902 and dated 26 / 2 / 1957. Please inform the English language teachers
in your schools about this.
Abdul Sattar Al-Qarah Ghouli
Director of Education of Baghdad Province
Center
A copy of it to:-
Directorate of General Education / Curricula and Books - your letter referred to above
for your kind information.
Secondary Education Accountant - for information.
Copy of the Letter
To all Provincial Directorates of Education
It has been decided to delete the following five chapters from the book (Louis Pasteur) prescribed for the fifth
secondary grades, for the purposes of the general examination for the current school year only. Please
circulate this to all secondary schools for boys and girls, both official and private, and inform us.
The chapters are
Chapters XIII, XVII, XVIII, XIX, and XX.
Director General of Education
A copy of it to:-
General Education Inspectorate - your letter numbered 516 and dated 18 / 2 / 1957
Directorate of Secondary Education
Directorate of Examinations
Directorate of Curricula and Books
Presidency of the Higher Committee for the Administration of General Examinations
Mr. Morris - Specialist Inspector - your memorandum numbered 370 and dated
12 / 2 / 1957.
Nasser / 2
5719
⟦illegible⟧
Directorate of Education of Baghdad Province / Center
Secondary Accounts
Number / 5719
Date / 3 / 7 / 1957
Administrations of Secondary Schools for Boys and Girls
Official and Private
We record for you below a copy of the letter from the Directorate of General Education / Curricula and Books -
Numbered 8902 and dated 26 / 2 / 1957. Please inform the English language teachers
in your schools about this.
⟦signature⟧
Abdul Sattar Al-Qaraghuli
Director of Education of Baghdad Province
The Center
A copy to -
Directorate of General Education / Curricula and Books - your letter referred to above
for your kind information.
Secondary Education Accountant - for information.
Copy of the letter
⟦line⟧
To all Provincial Directorates of Education
It has been decided to delete the following five chapters from the book (Louis Pasteur) prescribed for the fifth
secondary grades, for the purposes of the general examination for the current school year only. Please
circulate this to all secondary schools for boys and girls, both official and private, and inform us.
The chapters are:
Chapters XIII, XVII, XVIII, XIX, and XX.
Director General of Education
A copy to -
General Education Inspectorate - your letter numbered 516 and dated 18 / 2 / 1957
Directorate of Secondary Education
Directorate of Examinations
Directorate of Curricula and Books
Presidency of the Higher Committee for the Management of General Examinations
Mr. Morris - Specialist Inspector - your memorandum numbered 370 and dated
12 / 3 / 1957
Nasser / 2
Directorate of Education of Baghdad Province / Center:
Secondary Accounts:
Number /: 57 / 4 / 4
Date: 3 / 3 / 1957
Very Urgent
⟦line⟧
Administrations of Official and Private Secondary and Intermediate Schools
for Boys and Girls.
We record for you below a copy of the letter from the Directorate of General Education / Curricula and Books -
Number 9051 dated 27 / 2 / 1957. Please inform the male and female teachers of the English
language in your school to correct that.
Abdul Sattar Al-Qarah Ghouli
Director of Education of Baghdad Province
Center
Copy to -
Directorate of General Education / Curricula and Books - your letter referred to above, for your kind information.
Secondary Education Accountant - for information.
Copy of the Letter
⟦line⟧
Directors of Education of all Provinces
Two errors recorded below have appeared in the second part of the book "Riddles and Puzzles."
Please circulate this to all male and female English language teachers for the first
intermediate grades to carry out the correction and inform us.
Director General of Education
Copy to -
General Education Inspectorate / English Inspection - with reference to your letter No. 363
dated 24 / 2 / 1957.
Directorate of Curricula and Books
Page 8 ⟦line⟧ 14 --- For "Learner"
Read "Leader"
Page 34 Across 8 --- For "Night"
read "Tight"
Nasser / 3
Directorate of Education of Baghdad Province / Center:
Secondary Accounts:
Very Urgent:
Number /: 5718
Date: 2 / 3 / 1957
Administrations of Official and Private Secondary and Intermediate Schools
for Boys and Girls.
We record for you below a copy of the letter from the Directorate of General Education / Curricula and Books -
Numbered 9051 and dated 27 / 2 / 1957, so please inform the male and female teachers of the English
language in your school to correct that.
⟦signature⟧
Abdul Sattar Al-Qarah Ghouli
Director of Education of Baghdad Province
Center
A copy to :-
Directorate of General Education / Curricula and Books - your letter referred to above, for your kind information.
Secondary Education Accountant - for information.
Copy of the Letter
⟦line⟧
Directors of Education of all Provinces
Two errors listed below have occurred in the second part of the book "Riddles and Puzzles."
Please circulate this to all male and female English language teachers for the first
intermediate grades to carry out the correction and inform us.
Director General of Education
A copy to :-
General Education Inspectorate / English Inspection - with reference to your letter No. 363
dated 24 / 2 / 1957.
Directorate of Curricula and Books.
⟦line⟧
Page 8 Line 14 | For "Learner"
Read "Leader"
Page 34 Across 8 | For "Night"
Read "Tight" / Nasir
NOTES FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH IN INTERMEDIATE
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS (15)
INSTRUCTIONS TO TEACHERS OF ENGLISH No. (8)
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
(GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE)
THE CROSSWORD PUZZLES.
The different books in the English Syllabus are chosen for different purposes:
The Oxford English Course is for the basic study of the language. The Writing
Books are for the teaching of handwriting. In the Intermediate Classes, the
Supplementary Readers are to widen the students' knowledge of English. Each
of these books must be used for its proper purpose. The time spent on each must
be decided according to its importance in the whole scheme. In planning their
work, teachers should remember that the basic language teaching of the Oxford
English Course is more important than any other part of the work; the Oxford
book has priority over all other Books.
The Crossword Puzzles must not be taught like the Oxford Book or the
Writing Books. They must not take up more than a very small part of the time
allowed for English. Crossword Puzzles should never take up the whole of
a lesson period.
Crossword Puzzles are not easy to make, but there can be great pleasure in
solving them. Many teachers of English have not had this pleasure in their own
language. In the Teacher's Notes to Book One of the Oxford English Course
for Iraq (Western Asia), pages 168 to 170, explanations are given of the making
and solving of Crossword Puzzles. Teachers of English who will use Puzzles
should study these pages.
Crossword Puzzles can be very difficult. In the Western world, large prizes
are often given by newspapers for the winners of Crossword Competitions. The
Crosswords in use in our schools, however, are very simple. Their purpose is to
give the pupils an opportunity of revising, in a fresh and interesting way, what
they have already learnt. They are a means of revising language knowledge, not
of teaching it. In the Crossword books used in schools, the vocabulary of the
puzzles is carefully graded; so is the difficulty of the clues and the amount of work
in each .
⟦illegible⟧
The clues in the Crossword books are based on exercises in Books One and
Two of the Oxford English Course for Iraq (Western Asia). Most of these
exercises are discussed in Chapter III ("Classroom Exercises") of The Teacher's
Guide (Pages 147 to 204). The following types of exercises are to be found
represented in the clues. Reference is made here to puzzle numbers in
Progressive Crossword Puzzles for Iraq, Part One, used in the 6th year Primary:
1. Meaning of words, e. g.
Paper, Pencil; blackboard, ⟦line⟧. (chalk) 15
Sun, dry; rain, ⟦line⟧. (wet) 19
2. Opposites, e. g.
Black, white; wet, ⟦line⟧. (dry) 21
3. Consecutive Words, e. g.
a. Numbers: One, ⟦line⟧, three. (two) 1
b. Days: Sunday, ⟦line⟧, Tuesday. (Monday) 19
c. Pronouns: I, my, mine; --, our, ours. (we) 26
d. Adjectives: New, newer, ⟦line⟧. (newest) 26
4. Sounds, e. g.
Hat, at; hit, --. (it) 16
5. Different Words with the same Sound, e. g.
To, ⟦line⟧, two. (too) 10
New, knew; no, ⟦line⟧. (know) 25
6. Grammatical Differences, e. g.
a. Singular and Plural: I, we; he, ⟦line⟧. (they) 1
b. Masculine and Feminine:
Mother, father; daughter, ⟦line⟧. (son) 30
c. Short Forms: He is, he's; I am, --. (I'm) 6
d. Verbs: Cutting, cut; running, ⟦line⟧. (run) 3
I draw, he ⟦line⟧. (draws) 3
come, came; --, went. (go) 13
(2)
7. Abbreviations, e. g.
In the morning (a. m.) 17
December (Dec.) 17
Number (No.) 17
8. The use of Prepositions, e. g.
The teacher is -- the room. (in) 3
Go -- the window. (to) 3
The cat is lying ⟦line⟧ the table. (under) 12
The cup is -- the table. (on) 6
9. The use of Articles, e. g.
Open ⟦line⟧ door, please. (the) 3
Give me -- orange, please. (an) 16
A boy; -- apple; a cat. (an) 8
She is eating -- egg. (an) 17
10. Practice in Sentence Patterns, e. g.
Go to bed, -- you are tired. (if) 22
Don't stand up; please ⟦line⟧ down. (sit) 23
We go to the doctor when we are ⟦line⟧. (ill) 24
John is happy; -- is Jack. (so) 25
Is today Monday -- Tuesday? (or) 26
11. Elementary Conversation and Question Forms, e. g.
"Have you a pen ?"
"Yes, I ⟦line⟧." (have) 2
"What's your ⟦line⟧ ?" (name)
"Jill." 6
"⟦line⟧ the time, please ?" (What's)
"It's five o'clock." 11
"How ⟦line⟧ are you ?" (old)
"I'm twelve." 30
(3)
If the solving of Crossword Puzzles is to be of value to your pupils, the
pupils must solve them, not the teacher. The pupils must not merely copy them
from the blackboard. Pupils often do not realise the value of Crossword Puzzles.
They do not understand that it is the effort of thought and memory that goes into
solving them that makes them worth while. Pupils are sometim⟦...⟧ious merely
to get the answers by the easiest means, so that they copy them ⟦...⟧ their own
book from an old book used in a previous year. This is useless and must ⟦...⟧
prevented. In order to avoid it, teachers are advised to keep the Crossword
books themselves, only giving them to the pupils when they are to be used
immediately, say during the last ten minutes of a lesson period. The pupils may
then be allowed to finish a puzzle at home, and perhaps solve one more. The
books should be returned into the teacher's keeping the next day.
It is advisable not to use the Crossword books at all before the mid-year
holidays in February. All the puzzles should then be completed by the pupils
by the end of the school year.
Enclosed with these Notes is a copy of the Solutions to Part One of "Progressive
Crossword Puzzles for Iraq", used in the Sixth Primary Class. Please do not
allow this to get into the hands of your pupils. Its purpose is to enable you to
make sure that your answers are correct.
December, 1955. C. W. Morris
Specialist Inspector of English
(4)
25
⟦line⟧
728
Directorate of Education of Baghdad Province / Center
Certificates
Number /: 2420
Date /: 26 / 1 / 957
Administrations of Official, Private, and Foreign Intermediate and Secondary Schools
for boys and girls all affiliated with this Directorate.
We are sending you herewith a two-page copy regarding the Comby exam for the purpose of displaying it
to the students of your school.
⟦signature⟧
Director of Education of Baghdad Province
Center
Copy to: -
Directorate of General Education / Examinations. - Reference to your letter No. 3332 on
22 / 1 / 957 for your kind information.
Certificates Observation.
Kadhim / 24
Circular for Teachers of English in
Secondary Schools (Government & Private )
⟦line⟧
The Cambridge Lower Certificate
⟦line⟧
in England
⟦line⟧
1. In the last school year ,an encouraging number of students of the
fifth Secondary Class passed the Lower Cambridge Certificate examination,
either in language or in literature, or in both. This was a good beginning.
It is hoped that this year, good students of the Fifth Class will again
enter for the examination, and that the number of full passes will be even
greater.
2. It is now recognised in Iraq that the Cambridge Lower Certificate is
a valuable qualification for students of English to have. The Certificate is
taken into account by the Ministry of Education in recommending students to
Universities in England, (letter No. 40939 dated 2,10.56) and by the English
Departments of the Higher Institutions in Baghdad in selecting candidates
for entry.
3. A good student is stimulated to harder study if he is working for an
external examination like the Cambridge Lower Certificate. Only the best
students of English should be allowed to enter for the examination; but all
the best students should be encouraged to do so.
4. Preparation. Students are prepared for the LANGUAGE paper in the
examination by their work in the secondary school on comprehension, precis
and composition, and by all the language study which they do in connection
with the literature books.
In the LITERATURE part of the examination ("Prescribed Books"),
the arrangements are slightly different from last year. Students will be
asked to answer questions on at least two books from the list. They may answer
questions from more than two books if they wish. One of the books set in 1957
is "Louis Pasteur". Students who are going to take the Cambridge examination
will have to study at least one other book from the list, privately outside
school.
The list of prescribed Books for 1957 is as follows. The first two
books on the list are specially recommended to Iraqi students. The first book
is suitable for girls.
(i) Shirley Darbishire, Young Nurse Carter (Chatto & Windus )
(ii) Rudolph Besier, The Barretts of Wimpole Street (Longmans, Essential
English Library.)
(iii) George Eliot, Mary Garth (O.U.P., The English-Readers' Library)
(iv) Sir Arthur Quiller Couch, Harry Revel (Dent, Kings Treasuries)
(v) Sanger, Seventy Years a Showman (Dent, Kings Treasuries)
(vi) A.G. Street, Farmer's Glory (Faber)
(vii) Evelyn Attwood, Louis Pasteur (Longmans, Lives of Achievement)
(viii) On the Air (Selections from "The Listener") (O.U.P.)
(The first, fourth and sixth books will be set also for 1958).
5. Dates of the examination. 25th June and 10th December, 1957.
The oral examination will be taken on another day, near to the date
of the written papers.
6. Entry. Entry forms should be obtained by post from the nearest
British Centre (see list below), during January. Candidates will then be
told the last date for sending in the completed forms, and the amount of
the fee to be sent with the forms (about one dinar). The fee cannot be
returned; but a candidate who for a good reason (e.g. moving to another
part of Iraq) does not sit for the examination on the date for which he
entered may, if he gives at least three weeks notice that he will not be
sitting, be given a voucher towards the cost of sitting at a later date.
7. Past question papers can be bought, and any further information
about the examination can be obtained, from the British Council, P.O. Box
No. 298, Baghdad .
8. The British Council Centres in Iraq are:-
Central - The British Council, P.O. Box 298, Baghdad.
North - The British Council Centre, Mosul,
South - The British Council Centre, P.O. Box No. 10, Basrah.
C.W. Morris
Specialist Inspector of English
15. 11 . 56
S.KH/20
⟦illegible⟧
Mr. Ph⟦illegible⟧ Riding, Ms. Muir,
I atte⟦illegible⟧ a copy of instruction⟦illegible⟧ of English sent by the Ministry
Education. You are requested to read the ⟦illegible⟧ carefully & keep your copy for which
please sign at the bottom of this letter. ⟦illegible⟧ 16/1/57
Directorate of Education of Baghdad Province / Center
Personnel Department
Number /: 1178
Date /: 14 / 1 / 1957
Very Urgent
⟦line⟧
To /
Administrations of all official, private, and foreign secondary and intermediate schools for boys and girls ⟦line⟧
We send you herewith a copy of Directives No. 15, requesting their distribution to the male and female teachers of
the English language in your schools, provided that the signature of the male or female teacher is taken upon receiving their
own copy, and the signature is to be kept by the school administration.
⟦signature⟧
Director of Education of Baghdad Province
Center
A copy to /
General Inspectorate of Education / Your letter No. 84 dated 10 / 1 / 1957
Secondary Education Personnel / For follow-up
Signatures
Mr. Milne : ⟦signature⟧
Mr. Riding : WAR
Ms. Muir : ⟦signature⟧ John Muir
Qais / 13th of it
Directorate of Education of Baghdad Province / Center
Personnel Department
Number / 1178
Date / 12 / 1 / 1957
Very Urgent
⟦line⟧
To /
Administrations of all Secondary and Intermediate Schools for Boys and Girls, Official,
Private, and Foreign ⟦line⟧
We are sending you herewith a copy of Directives No. 15, requesting their distribution to the teachers
of the English language in your schools, provided that the signature of the teacher is taken upon receiving
their specific copy and that the signature is kept with the school administration.
⟦signature⟧
Director of Education of Baghdad Province
Center
10 / 1 / 1957
A copy to /
General Inspectorate of Education / Your letter No. 84 dated 10 / 1 / 1957
Secondary Education Personnel / For follow-up
Qais / 13th thereof
NOTES FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH IN INTERMEDIATE
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS (15)
INSTRUCTIONS TO TEACHERS OF ENGLISH No. (8)
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
(GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE)
THE CROSSWORD PUZZLES.
The different books in the English Syllabus are chosen for different purposes:
The Oxford English Course is for the basic study of the language. The Writing
Books are for the teaching of handwriting. In the Intermediate Classes, the
Supplementary Readers are to widen the students' knowledge of English. Each
of these books must be used for its proper purpose. The time spent on each must
be decided according to its importance in the whole scheme. In planning their
work, teachers should remember that the basic language teaching of the Oxford
English Course is more important than any other part of the work; the Oxford
book has priority over all other Books.
The Crossword Puzzles must not be taught like the Oxford Book or the
Writing Books. They must not take up more than a very small part of the time
allowed for English. Crossword Puzzles should never take up the whole of
a lesson period.
Crossword Puzzles are not easy to make, but there can be great pleasure in
solving them. Many teachers of English have not had this pleasure in their own
language. In the Teacher's Notes to Book One of the Oxford English Course
for Iraq (Western Asia), pages 168 to 170, explanations are given of the making
and solving of Crossword Puzzles. Teachers of English who will use Puzzles
should study these pages.
Crossword Puzzles can be very difficult. In the Western world, large prizes
are often given by newspapers for the winners of Crossword Competitions. The
Crosswords in use in our schools, however, are very simple. Their purpose is to
give the pupils an opportunity of revising, in a fresh and interesting way, what
they have already learnt. They are a means of revising language knowledge, not
of teaching it. In the Crossword books used in schools, the vocabulary of the
puzzles is carefully graded; so is the difficulty of the clues and the amount of work
in each .
The clues in the Crossword books are based on exercises in Books One and
Two of the Oxford English Course for Iraq (Western Asia). Most of these
exercises are discussed in Chapter III ("Classroom Exercises") of The Teacher's
Guide (Pages 147 to 204). The following types of exercises are to be found
represented in the clues. Reference is made here to puzzle numbers in
Progressive Crossword ⟦Puzzles⟧ for Iraq, Part One, used in the 6th year Primary:
1. Meaning of words, e. g.
Paper, Pencil; blackboard, ⟦line⟧. (chalk) 15
Sun, dry; rain, ⟦line⟧, (wet) 19
2. Opposites, e. g.
Black, white; wet, ⟦line⟧. (dry) 21
3. Consecutive Words, e. g.
a. Numbers: One, ⟦line⟧, three. (two) 1
b. Days: Sunday, ⟦line⟧, Tuesday. (Monday) 19
c. Pronouns: I, my, mine; ⟦line⟧, our, ours. (we) 26
d. Adjectives: New, newer, ⟦line⟧. (newest) 26
4. Sounds, e. g.
Hat, at; hit, ⟦line⟧. (it) 16
5. Different Words with the same Sound, e. g.
To, ⟦line⟧, two. (too) 10
New, knew; no, ⟦line⟧. (know) 25
6. Grammatical Differences, e. g.
a. Singular and Plural: I, we; he, ⟦line⟧. (they) 1
b. Masculine and Feminine:
Mother, father; daughter, ⟦line⟧. (son) 30
c. Short Forms: He is, he's; I am, ⟦line⟧. (I'm) 6
d. Verbs: Cutting, cut; running, ⟦line⟧. (run) 3
I draw, he ⟦line⟧. (draws) 3
come, came; ⟦line⟧, went. (go) 13
(2)
7. Abbreviations, e. g.
In the morning (a. m.) | 17
December (Dec.) | 17
Number (No.) | 17
8. The use of Prepositions, e. g.
The teacher is -- the room. (in) | 3
Go -- the window. (to) | 3
The cat is lying ⟦line⟧ the table. (under) | 12
The cup is -- the table. (on) | 6
9. The use of Articles, e. g.
Open --- door, please. (the) | 3
⟦G⟧ive me -- orange, please. (an) | 16
A boy; -- apple; a cat. (an) | 8
She is eating -- egg. (an) | 17
10. Practice in Sentence Patterns, e. g.
Go to bed, -- you are tired. (if) | 22
Don't stand up; please --- down. (sit) | 23
We go to the doctor when we are ---. (ill) | 24
John is happy; -- is Jack. (so) | 25
Is today Monday -- Tuesday? (or) | 26
11. Elementary Conversation and Question Forms, e. g.
"Have you a pen ?" |
"Yes, I ⟦line⟧. " (have) | 2
"What's your ⟦line⟧ ?" (name) |
"Jill." | 6
"⟦line⟧ the time, please ?" (What's) |
"It's five o'clock." | 11
"How --- are you ?" (old) |
"I'm twelve." | 30
(3)
If the solving of Crossword Puzzles is to be of value to your pupils, the
pupils must solve them, not the teacher. The pupils must not merely copy them
from the blackboard. Pupils often do not realise the value of Crossword Puzzles.
They do not understand that it is the effort of thought and memory that goes into
solving them that makes them worth while. Pupils are sometimes anxious merely
to get the answers by the easiest means, so that they copy them into their own
book from an old book used in a previous year. This is useless and must be
prevented. In order to avoid it, teachers are advised to keep the Crossword
books themselves, only giving them to the pupils when they are to be used
immediately, say during the last ten minutes of a lesson period. The pupils may
then be allowed to finish a puzzle at home, and perhaps solve one more.
The books should be returned into the teacher's keeping the next day.
It is advisable not to use the Crossword books at all before the mid-year
holidays in February. All the puzzles should then be completed by the ⟦pup⟧ils
by the end of the school year.
Enclosed with these Notes is a copy of the Solutions to Part One of "Progressive
Crossword Puzzles for Iraq", used in the Sixth Primary Class. Please do not
allow this to get into the hands of your pupils. Its purpose is to enable you to
make sure that your answers are correct.
December, 1955. C. W. Morris
Specialist Inspector of English
(b)
254
10/28
887
10/1/1956
Directorate of Education of Baghdad Province / Center
Textbook Warehouse
Number -
Issue /:
Date /:
To all Directorates of Secondary and Intermediate Schools
The Directorate of Education informed us in its letter No. 42706 dated 10/15/1956 regarding the two English
books mentioned below, which have been taught for years, that they can be utilized as additional
exercises to be solved by students according to the instructions that the inspectors will provide you with. Distribute what you have of them ⟦line⟧
as follows, with the priority given to other textbooks, and inform us if you need additional quantities.
⟦signature⟧
For the Director of Education of Baghdad Province
Center
1- The book "Code Word Puzzles Part 1" / to be distributed to second-grade intermediate students
2- The book "Code Word Puzzles Part 2" / to be distributed to third-grade intermediate students
A copy to -
Textbook Warehouse Supervisor / for Secondary
Qais / 22nd of it
Directorate of Education of Baghdad Province / Center
Secondary Warehouse
Number / 27925
Date / 22 / 10 / 1956
⟦illegible⟧ 258
⟦illegible⟧
To all administrations of secondary and intermediate schools in the province
Subject / Cancellation of Golden Earth books
The Directorate of General Education informed us in its letter numbered 4246 and dated
14 / 10 / 1956 that the book (The Golden Earth) scheduled to be taught
in the first intermediate grade will be cancelled in the next school year
Therefore, please return the surplus of your needs to the secondary book
warehouse immediately.
⟦signature⟧
And Director of Education of Baghdad Province
The Center
Copy to :-
Directorate of General Education / Supplies - reference to your letter above.
Secondary Warehouse
Kadhim / A
50
Directorate of Education of Baghdad Province:
Center / Personnel:
Number /: 4271
Date /: 2 / 9 / 1956
Administrations of all official, private, and foreign secondary and intermediate schools
Enclosed you will find ( ⟦line⟧ ) of the set of five instructions numbered 16 - 20, requesting that
a copy be handed to the English language teacher (male/female) in your school, while keeping a copy for the school administration,
provided that ⟦illegible⟧ the signature of the teacher (male/female) concerned is taken and kept by them to act
accordingly ⟦line⟧
⟦signature⟧
Director of Education of Baghdad Province
Center
Copy to: -
General Education Inspectorate / Your letter No. 2793
dated 2 / 9 / 1956
Qais / 18
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
ENGLISH INSPECTORATE
NOTES FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH No. (16),
“COMPANIONS” TO THE ENGLISH BOOKS.
The new Oxford English course for Iraq is planned according to modern methods of teaching English as a foreign language. Therefore it is essential that teacher’s should follow exactly the methods of the Oxford Books, as set out in the Teacher’s Notes.
In the Fifth Secondary class, students are required to read real, living English. This is an important part of their studies.
One of the most important points of the modern method used in the Oxford Books is that all the words and sentences are learnt in English only. This is done so that there shall not be any confusion between English and the mother-tongue of the pupils. This method may seem rather slow at first, but if it is properly carried out (as explained in detail in the Teacher’s Notes), it leads to better results than any other way. Correct English words and sentences are impressed on the pupils’ memories by constant practice and repetition. The pupils begin to express their thoughts directly in English. If this were well done, then we should no longer hear so many of the common mistakes which are due to translation from Arabic. The pupils must work hard to memorise the English words and sentences, but as a result they will speak and write correct English.
Unfortunately, some teachers have been so misguided that they have privately published books, called “Companions” or “Guides” or “Assistants” which destroy the work of the good teachers and hold back the pupils from learning English well. The teachers who publish these books cannot be thinking of the good of the pupils or the improvement of English teaching. They have some selfish motive for their bad work. No one who wishes to improve English teaching in Iraq can think well of them.
The first bad thing about these “Companions”, “Guides” or “Assistants” is that they translate the English words of the Oxford Books into Arabic. These translations are not always correct, but even if they were correct, they would still be bad, because they encourage the pupils not to learn English, but to try to speak and write English by first expressing their thoughts in Arabic and then translating. The two languages Arabic and English are so different that only advanced scholars can attempt translation, and if pupils try to translate, they will make many common errors.
The second bad thing about these “Guides” is that some of them give the answers to the exercises. The answers to the exercises are printed in the Teacher’s Notes, but not in the pupils’ Book. The whole purpose of an exercise is that the pupil must think about what he has learnt and make an effort to remember it correctly. By this thought and effort his knowledge grows, just as the muscles of the body grow by physical exercise. If the pupils find the answers to the exercises without any effort, then they are of no value to them.
The third bad thing is that these books usually contain mistakes in English, so that pupils who study them will learn wrong things. In one “Assistant” one hundred and thirteen mistakes in English have been counted. Forty-one of these are mistakes in spelling and punctuation, of which twenty-nine are perhaps printers’ errors—but pupils will learn wrong spelling from printers’ errors just as easily as they learn right spelling from their teacher and their books. Much more serious: the remaining 72 mistakes are examples of bad or incorrect English. Some may be called correct grammatically, but they are seldom or never used in spoken English. Some go exactly against what is taught in the Oxford Books. The worst are serious grammatical mistakes. No one can have confidence in a book which contains such mistakes..
There are very few teachers in the world who can write a textbook in a foreign language and be sure that it is entirely correct. And a book that is not entirely correct, and is not in the best interests of the pupils and the schools, ought not to be published.
“Companions” of all kinds are forbidden in schools, and pupils should be discouraged from buying them, for their own good. This matter is referred to in “The Teaching of English in Iraq: Aims and Methods” (Notes for Teachers of English No. 14), in Section 5—Vocabulary, and Section 6—The Use of Arabic; and in Ministry of Education Circular No. 10/2/S/800 dated 13/4/1955.
C. W. MORRIS
Specialist Inspector of English
12. 12. 1955
⟦illegible signature/mark in red ink⟧
Ministry of Education
General Education Inspectorate
Inspectorate Distinction
Number 431
Date 27 / 4 / 1955
Subject: Regarding textbook summaries
To all specialist inspectors
We list below a copy of the letter from the Directorate of General Education (Directorate of Curricula and Textbooks)
Numbered 10 / 2 / S / 800 and dated 13 / 4 / 1955 regarding the subject indicated above, requesting
review of it and taking the necessary measures to monitor this matter.
General Education Inspector
Copy to:-
Directorate of General Education / Directorate of Curricula and Textbooks
Inspectors and Inspectorates of Education in the Provinces and those in charge of inspection / for review and action
accordingly.
Copy of the letter
Recently, many summaries of prescribed textbooks have appeared,
prepared by official and non-official teachers for the purpose of selling them to students as a supplementary book alongside
the prescribed textbook. Since the primary goal of these summaries is material profit, unfortunately,
without regard for the students' scientific, cultural, and educational needs, and since purchasing them is a material burden
on students that is unjustified, they will also lead to encouraging a spirit of dependency among
students and narrowing their scientific horizons.
We have noticed that these summaries are often devoid of pictures, maps,
and illustrations that are essential for understanding and absorbing the material in the most complete way.
Furthermore, these brief summaries inevitably encourage students to memorize and recite the material
without understanding.
Accordingly, a circular must be sent to all primary, intermediate, and secondary schools in your districts
prohibiting their entry into schools or encouraging students to acquire and promote them, provided that the teacher of
the subject himself carries out monitoring and enforcement.
Director of General Education
Signature
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
ENGLISH INSPECTORATE
NOTES FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH No. 17.
HANDWRITING
As stated in Section 10.3 of "The Teaching of English in Iraq: Aims and
Methods", the teaching of neat, clear handwriting is an important part of the work
of the teacher of English. Teachers should always insist upon neatly written work
and well-arranged exercise books. They should do all they can to see that
the handwriting of their students does not deteriorate as they go up the school.
Students cannot develop and maintain a good standard of handwriting unless
they are taught to write and their errors corrected. This is just as true in the
Intermediate and Secondary School as in the Primary School.
In the Primary School the foundations of good handwriting should be laid.
The pupils are taught to make the shapes of the letters clearly and accurately, and
to space them properly. Progressive Writing Books One, Two and Three are used
for this. This work must be continued and developed in the Intermediate School.
Teachers of English in the First Intermediate Class are requested to make
a thorough study of the Progressive Writing Books. On page 10 of Book Three
a beginning is made in joining the print letters. Teachers of the First Intermediate
Class should guide their students in developing their handwriting from this,
insisting always that they should follow the method of joining shown in Book Three.
Students will naturally begin to make their own individual modifications in their
writing. This should be permitted, provided that the proportions of the letters,
as given in the Progressive Writing Books, are carefully preserved.
Many English people write in a print script, sometimes partly joined,
sometimes with all the letters separate. But the majority of people who write
English use a flowing hand, usually fully joined and usually with loops. It is
not essential, however, that a flowing hand should have loops, or that all the letters
should be joined. Some of the letters may have loops, and some not; some letters
may be joined, and some not. The important thing is that the writing should
be easy and quick to write and easy and quick to read, and should look neat on the
page. In order to make sure of this, students must be guided in making changes
in their writing, and the fundamental letter shapes and proportions must be kept.
It is hoped that a new Progressive Writing Book Four will shortly be ready
for use in the First Intermediate Class. This will give the students further
guidance in making joins, and will make suggestions for the later development of
loops if teachers and students wish to use them.
C. W. Morris
Specialist Inspector of English
16. 1. 56