TEACHING BY RADIO

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 335, 21 April 1928, Page 10

TEACHING BY RADIO

EXPERTS HEARD IN DISTANT SCHOOLS SUCCESS OVERSEAS In England and other European countries and America “Radio Classes’ 5 are very popular in the schools. The British Broadcasting Corporation has an extensive organisation for broadcasts to schools, which are supplemented by printed pamphlets and other literature arranged solely for the school radio classes, says the London correspondent of the “Melbourne Herald.” The literature published for the use of teachers contains instructive information concerning the type of receiving equipment to be used, the arrangement of the receivers in the class-rooms, and other items of advice. To provide an opportunity of tun-ing-in properly before the commencement of the school programme, a special tuning broadcast of five minutes is given. This enables the teachers to arrange the receiving set in the best condition for comfortable reception by the pupils. 5,000 Schools Listen-in It is stated that in Britain “school broadcasting has grown so rapidly of late that its magnitude is hardly realised by the majority. Some 5,000 schools are known to have receiving sets, and the actual number may be considerably greater. “Last year 80,000 ‘Aids to Study’ pamphlets were applied for—a figure which gives some idea of the magnitude of the ‘Wireless School/ In this way great numbers of children, often deep in the country, very much out of things, are coming under the influence of great experts and great teachers, and the life of the schools is enriched and freshened.” Most of the lessons are intended for the older children of elementary schools, but arrangements have recently been made for a special course for younger children. A number of the best stories from history and mythology have been put into simple language to be told weekly. Geography on the Air The courses of wireless instruction include lectures and lessons in elementary music, in history, nature study, languages and general literature. An Empire geography course was commenced last year, attention being confined to Canada and to western colonies. During the present term Australia, Africa and New Zealand will be dealt with, and later on India. Owing to the fact that numerous relay stations are installed in the provincial towns, and these stations are connected by telephone with the London station, it is possible for children in the schools in the most distant villages to listen comfortably to lessons and literature given by the highest authorities and the greatest tutors in the London schools. Doubtless there are limitations to the class of matter that can be covered satisfactorily by wireless instruction, but the success of the 8.8. C. School Classes shows that the new method is at all events a very desirable adjunct to the normal methods of teaching. In America In America, also, there are very many “Radio Schools,” as they are called. That is, ordinary schools equipped with. wireless sets for the reception of specially arranged lessons given by educational experts through the broadcasting stations. Many of these experts give their lessons in the ordinary way before their regular classes, but with a microphone placed in front of them so that words of instruction go through the broadcasting service to distant school classes as well. Recently, the National Broadcasting Company in New York arranged for Mr. Walter Damroseh, of the New York Symphony Society, to broadcast a short series of experimental lecturettes designed to aid in the teaching of proper appreciation of music. The Symphony Orchestra played items which were explained by Mr. Damroseh, and the broadcasts were arranged to take place between 9 and 10 a.m., eastern time. The reports of the experiments were surprisingly successful. It was shown that more than 100 schools in gTOP! SHOP IN SYMONDS STREET.

New York make provision for the reception of the special programmes over the air, and numerous schools in the Eastern States, and the Middle-West, and South, also made arrangements. The principal of one school in Ohio reported that more than 1,000 students and teachers in his school enjoyed the programme. In another case it was reported with high appreciation that 900 boys occupied the auditorium of a particular school, Vith 100 additional boys on the floor and 500 in adjoining smaller rooms. At the High School, Bayonne, 2,200 students and teachers followed the programmes with great interest. In Washington, D.C., numerous senior and junior high schools suspended their normal classes to give the students an opportunity to listen to Mr. Damrosch's lecture recital. The superintendent of schools reported that he had arranged for 16,000 high school students to gather in their respective school auditoriums shortly before the commencement of the programme. The highly-gratifying results of the experimental transmissions have encouraged ‘the Broadcasting Company to extend the education service, particularly in regard to musical study. COMB TO STMONDS STREET ON TUESDAY.