Educational screen & audio-visual guide (c1956-1971])

and it is not impossible, within the limits already indicated, that the student in a short time can be conversing simply in the language. Method is important here and the authors have wisely elected to use a pure aural-oral approach, giving the student ample time to repeat heard phrases and to respond to recorded questions. .'Mthough a translation and manual accompanies the recordings, it cannot be used except for students who have a facility for reading quickly and easily. Foreign language recordings must also be judged on the basis of speech. These represent superior enunciation and pronunciation and can be effectively employed in instruction on the junior high .school level and above in the introduction of the language and in the early development of a sizable vocabulary. Of course the speakers can be imitated to good purpose for proper speech. If the recordings are employed below the seventh grade the text material becomes less important and the recordings then must stand on their merits. In this instance rapid progress may not be possible — it may not even be desirable. But younger children can enjoy and profit from the aural practice. • ENRICHMENT MATERIALS (New York, N. Y.) offers four titles adapted from the Landmark Books. These include "George Washington: Frontier Colonel" and "The Santa Fe Trail," pressed back-to-back on disc 116. Each of these can be useful, particularly in the upper elementary and junior high school grades, in classes studying American History. Each of the recordings deals with the westward expansion of the American people. The recording of George Washington emphasizes his early journeys to the Ohio valley and his services in that area to the British expedition — particularly General Braddock. Students will learn something of the rivalry of the French and the British in pre-Revolutionary days and of warfare in the trails and forests of the then unexplored west. "The Santa Fe Trail" deals with a later period, of course, and recounts dramatically the trials and hardships encountered by the traders who, in 1822, made up the first wagon train westward from Franklin, Missouri. Included in this recording are mentions of the exploration of the Cimarron River, the Mexican War of 1846, and the Gold Rush just three years later. Junior high school students can enjoy and profit from hearing "Thomas Jefferson: Father of Democ racy" (ENRICHMENT), which is a dramatization of major events from the life of this American statesman. Beginning with Jefferson's political activities prior to the American Revolution, this recording relates his contributions to the framing of the Declaration of Independence and his service as President of the United States. This is an excellent recording which can be valuable for either student motivation to study and reading or for quick summary of the life of the founder of the University of Virginia. The reverse side, intended for somewhat younger students, is titled "The Vikings," and summarizes the explorations and settlements of Greenland and the American continent, led by Eric the Red and his son Leif the Lucky. Senior high school students can gain a new insight into Shakespearean drama through the recordings issued by THE SPOKEN WORD (New York) . Included in their recent releases are four, all of which are superior. These are performed by the Gate Theatre Players of Dublin. "As You Like It," "Much Ado About Nothing," "Taming of the Shrew" and "Twelfth Night" are the four titles thus far released. Each play is complete and can be heard with profit either by individuals listening alone for pleasure or study, or by groups listening together. The dramas are unchanged from the original, except for the deft and useful introduction of simple stage-setting sound effects. These recordings of complete Shakespeare plays represent valuable contributions to the recorded literature available to schools. * Equally valuable are several recent CAEDMON (New York) releases such as "The Ancient Mariner" backed up by "The Poetry of Coleridge" read by Sir Ralph Richardson. In addition to the title poem, "Kubla Khan," "This Lime Tree Bower My Prison," "Frost at Midnight" and "Dejection: An Ode" are heard. It is interesting that when Edison developed the first crude phonograph he spoke of developing a form of "written sound" which could be preserved and reheard. Francis Turner Palgrave, at about the same time, was so impressed with the beauty of some English poetry that he collected an anthology of particularly impressive works. These two arts have been combined in CAEDMON'S "Palgrave's Golden Treasury," which represents the work of many major English poets whose work was well known before the twentieth century. These include such giants as Arnold, Burns, Byron, Coleridge, Donne, Dryden, Keats \[arlowe, Milton, Shakespeare, Tenny.son and Wordsworth to name but a few. .'Ml in all fifty-four poems selected from Palgrave's original an thology are here reproduced in sounc as they were meant to be heard. This too, is an exceptional recording and can well be used in secondary schoo! record libraries as well as in othei collections for adults. Still in the area of English Poetr) we would like to draw to your atten tion "The Poetry of Keats," also pub lished by CAEDMON. Sir Ralph Richardson reads this recording, which includes "Ode to a Nightingale," "Ode on a Grecian Urn," "To Au tumn," "Ode to Melancholy," "When I have Fears That I May Cease tc Be," "On First Looking Into Chap man's Homer," "La Belle Dame San;: Merci" and "The Eve of St. Agnes.' We have not been able to give yoi the complete contents, but this selec tion can indicate the importance ol this recording in the instructional a: well as the pleasure listening program The poems are obviously carefulh and well selected and the_reading i: superior. Here, too, is a recordinf which can contribute much to the pleasures of study and at the same time increase both the speed and the intensity of learning for secondar\ school students as well as college stu dents and adults. We all recall the delightful "Ruta baga Stories" which Carl Sandburg created for his children. CAEDMON has produced a recording of seven ol these fascinating tales as told by the poet and author himself. It is difficull to assign such a recording to an) particular group except by saying thai it is delightful leisure listening foi children of all ages — and instructionally valuable in the elementary school for the opportunity it gives tc introduce children to Sandburg. The stories here recreated involve the fabulous trip to the Rutabaga Coun try and introduce such delightful places and charming people as thi Village of Cream Puffs, Hatrack the Horse, the wild Babylonian Baboon? and Googler and Gaggler. This one i^ really 'fun for all' and can be used in instruction for a variety of pur poses on several levels of learning. "Listen and Play the Piano" is an effort to offer direct instruction in music for beginners. C.^BOT, in pub lishing this record, claim no more for it than that through it some musical talents may be discovered. Hardly intended for school use, it may still be applicable to home situations and may be used in a supervisory sense tc determine specialized talents. 40 EdScreen & AV Guide — January, 1959