Evening star., 1942-10-11
Spoken Word Stressed
In Spanish Classes
For i. ). Workers
Inter-Americun Center
Using New Technique
In Intensive Courses
BY HAROLD B. ROGERS.

BY HAROLD B. ROGERS.
Progress in giving Government
ofdcials active in Latin American
affairs swift, intensive instruction in
spoken Spanish and Portuguese may
lead to a complete revamping OF
language teaching in America. with
emphasis on the spoken word
This is the conclusion of DR.. Henry
Grattan Doyle, director of the Wash
ington Inter-American Training
Center, which has just concluded
two "cycles" of instruction, and to-
morrow will open it's third cycle, in
Government classrooms scattered
throughout the city. :
Admission to the center is re-
stricted to those on Government as
signments and is not open to the
public.
Instruction in foreign languages
IN American schools and colleges"
DR.. Doyle said, has usually been
confined to the development of read
ing skill and the inculca ion of a
more or less sound knowledge of the
grammar of the foreign language.
Students Like Method.
Speaking ability has been rela-
lively, though not entirely neglect
ed" he said. THE center has def
nitely set to work to counteract
this trend-as far as it's own classes
are concerned-by limiting its Ian
guage aims to the acquisition of
speaking knowledge, slight, moderate
or fluent, depending upon the apti-
tude of the student and the time and
effort invested
This system of beginning at the
first lesson to teach how to speak
foreign tongue has been found so
gratifying to those taking the new
courses, DR.. Doyle said, that the
center is working on the principle
of intensive study in this direction.
It believes that even if an official is
suddenly detached and ordered to
q Latin American post, he will have
acquired some language ability, how
ever limited in range and scope, that
will stand him in good stead.
Emphasizes Vital Needs.
Emphasizing the vital need fo-
foreign language knowledge because
of the war situation, DR.. Doyle de-
clared Americans must learn to
master languages not only for press
ing present needs, but for the post
war period when the United States
"will be involved all over the
world"
Teachers of modern languages
should teach the spoken word, first,
last and always" declared Dr. Doyle
referring to a recent recommenda-
tion from Yale University. ut is,
of course, true that there are three
ends toward which they should
strive-talking, reading and writing.
No single one of these can be
achieved, in any real sense, without
achieving the other at the same
time. But talking is the most i'm
portant of the three because the
average student-and it is with him
that teachers have most to do-will
never learn to read and write we'll
unless he is stimulated by the sense
OF satisfaction that comes with an
ever-increasing ability to talk"
Courses presented by the Inter
American Training Center will open
for their third cycle tomorrow in 18
different locations. Thirty-six
classes are being given in Govern
ment buildings to accommodate the
officials and employees there. Among
the buildings are the Department of
State, Commerce, Interior, Treasury,
the Library of Congress.
Other Courses Are Given.
The center, with it's headquarters
In the Library of Congress Annex,
was established by the Office of Co.
ordinator of Inter-American Affairs
through a contract with the Amer
lean Council of Learned Societies,
which administers the center. DR..
Doyle, the director, is on leave from
his post as dean of Columbian Col
lege of George Washington Univer-
sity.
In carrying out its purpose of
providing intensive training for
Army and Navy officers and other
Government personnel being sent to
Latin America on official missions"
DR.. Doyle said the centers program
in this third cycle has three prin-
cipal activities: Language training,
survey course on Latin America,
both general and special. and a
personal consultant service for
special cases.
The general survey will be opened
tomorrow night at the Archives
Auditorium, with the first of two
lectures by DR.. William Lytle Schurz
of the State Department., author of
the current book, Latin America"
He will speak on who Are the
Latin Americans?" He will be fol-
lowed later by Maj. Preston E.
James, author of book on Latin
America, and by DR.. Henry S. Sterl-
ing, both of the United States Of
flee of Strategic Services. They will
discuss the race and population dis
tribution and geography of Latin
America. A survey of transportation
problems will follow later
Course Is Restricted.
The language faculty for Spanish
and Portuguese is composed of care
fully selected experts whose native
tongue is either Spanish or Portu-
guese.
The Inter-A American Center" DR..
Doyle explained. lis not authorized
to provide training for possible fu-
ture jobs, but is restricted to appli-
cants whose present governmental
jobs are concerned with Latin
American matters.
Persons not actually at present
employed by the United States Gov
ernment are not eligible to take
courses under the center"