Sunday February 7, 2010

First aid for grammar

Specially for schools: Subscribe to Star-NiE and receive this time-tested grammar book The New First Aid in English!

FOR the longest time, Amelia Tan, 14, of SMJK Union, Penang, was the only child in her class who knew what a papoose meant. “And just where does it live?” asked this reporter to test her. “No! No!” she exclaims in an octave higher. “That’s what you call a native American Indian infant.”

Thanks to her tutor, and The First Aid in English (as it was then called), Amelia made her mark by attaining one of the highest distinctions in Malaysia when she sat for the University of New South Wales English Assessment Test at the age of 12.

“I started learning to read with my English language tutor at the age of two. When I turned five, she introduced me to her mother’s tattered version of The First Aid in English,” she said.

Amelia Tan

“I found the book interesting. There were many strange idioms and phrases which she read out to us. There were good examples in the book which helped the six of us (in class) understand (the context) better,” continued Amelia, who actively participates in essay and public-speaking competitions conducted at school.

The second edition of The New First Aid in English by Angus Maciver is currently in paperback, and spots a bright turquoise and white cover. The title will most surely bring back memories for the many of us who swear by the book as a sure-way to master English grammar.

“My mom says that this book is the reason I ended up in The Star!” exclaimed Victor Cheong, assistant manager of the Marketing Services Department at The Star. Cheong is excited that The Star’s NiE (Newspaper-in-Education) programme is distributing The New First Aid in English with its school package.

“My mother used it when she was in the Penang Girls School. It built the basis for her English foundation. She mastered the language with this book,” he said.

So convinced was Cheong’s mother, SK Seow, that the book would be a boon for her son, she scavanged book stores throughout Penang to get a hold of one.

“We finally found a copy on Penang Road. Mine is the 1978 edition,” he announces proudly.

Seow took pride in personally coaching her son with the aid of the book while he was in primary school.

“We passed it down to one of my cousins who then used it for reference,” said Cheong, who made it to the top 2% in the 1989 Year 12 Australian High School Tertiary Entrance Examination in the English language subject.

“I credit the book. We have people who can’t even string a sentence together these days. The communication syllabus isn’t all that effective,” he continued.

Vijaya Lakshmi, recalls using The First Aid in English at the beginning of Year Four in the Convent Teluk Intan, Perak.

Vijaya Lakshmi in her 50s, says the book has a whole host of features to pique interests.

“This was our bible in the primary school!” recalls Vijaya Lakshmi.

“In the 1960s, this was a compulsory text book in mission schools,” she added.

“Students were taught the basics: singular, plural, collective nouns, proverbs and so many more. It’s an extremely comprehensive, solid book. Everything you need to know about grammar is in there. We were drilled everyday.

“These days, you hear highly qualified professionals saying things like, ‘I thinks, I thanks ... and you just feel like giving them The First Aid in English, saying, ‘Here, read this!’” exclaims Vijaya, who is currently deputy director of health (management) of the Penang State Health Department.

“My children did not use this book in school as English was just one subject among many. The book ceased circulation and was no longer in use in the classroom.

“But I passed this book to my children and they used it for reference.

“As a government officer, I would strongly recommend that they bring this book back into the system,” she laments.

Veerbalakiran, who has been teaching English for 32 years, remembers the book fondly.

“The book was introduced by my teacher and used as a supplement then. This was the basis of writing proper grammatically correct sentences,” she says.

“Today, I use this book as a reference mainly for sixth formers and the good classes in Form Five. It’s effective with high proficiency learners. Students from premier schools or whose first language is English can use the books on their own,” she continues.

Convinced of the product, Veerbalakiran made copies available to her daughters, twins Smita and Sarita Sharma. Smita, who is working towards a PhD in Philosophy, especially liked the proverbs and idioms she learnt from the book.

Under their mother’s guidance, the twins learnt to incorporate idioms, similes and proverbs into their writing style.

Before the Communicational Syllabus was introduced in the 1970s, followed by the KBSM English Language Syllabus in the 1980s, The First Aid in English built the language foundation of many students at the primary level.

According to publisher, APD Singapore Pte Ltd, The New First Aid in English is widely used in Singapore. Lilian Koe, general manager of APD says that the books are sold by the thousands yearly as it is a “hot” item among students in Singapore.

By 2012, the Education Ministry aims to enhance the command of the English language, in particular the grammar component, among teachers and students.

Veerbalakiran, for one, lauds The Star’s move to bring back The First Aid in English.

“It’s better to start with the teachers, as even the older generation of teachers may no longer have a copy of the book. Always start with the teachers,” she says.

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