The sentences of a theme must not only be related to the theme subject-i.e., conform to the principle of unity-but must be coherently related, growing out of one another and bearing to one another some such relationship as that of sequence in time, cause and effect, etc. Gouin insists that the words "and then" are understood after each sentence. This principle of coherence is an essential element in the method and is psychologically sound. Connected sentences are more easily remembered than disconnected sentences or words because, first, they have meaning; and second, each sentence is in a setting and helps to recall every other sentence with which association by contiguity has been established, just as one line of poetry helps to recall a contiguous line. The sentences are short and simple, so that only one idea is presented at a time. Thus, the meaning of the sentence, "I push back the covers," may be demonstrated by action; the pupil can associate with the act only the one meaning expressed in the sentence. Were the sentence complex or compound, a wrong meaning might be got out of the dramatization.

Gouin sets up the verb for emphasis by repeating it in the column at the right in his theme examples, because "the verb is the living center around which, in the phrase, gravitate all nouns, whether subject or complement, with all their train of prepositions and adjectives." To put it simply, the verb is emphasized because the meaning of a sentence expressing action may be made

clear by performing the action. The other elements of the sentence are then pointed out by later analysis.

The procedure for developing the theme includes eight processes:

1. The teacher performs the act and speaks the sentence-e.g., "I open my eyes." The first appeal is therefore through the ear, and the association established is directly between expression and idea.

2. The pupils perform the act and speak the sentence. This supplies a supplementary association between the idea and the spoken words of the pupil.

3. The teacher performs the act, speaks the sentence, and writes or prints the words on the board. Some teachers permit pupils to read these sentences as developed in a text. This gives another form of association-i.e., idea, spoken words, written words.

4. The pupils perform the act, speak the sentence, read it from the board-again a triple association.

5. The pupils copy the sentence.

6. Pupils write the sentence from dictation 7. The pupils write the sentence from memory. 8. The teacher approves the efforts of the pupil at all stages by encouraging him in such words as "Good," "That's right," "Try again,' "I like that." Such expressions Gouin calls "subjective language." The purpose of subjective language is to speed the pupil on and at the same time to teach him the meanings of expres

sions which cannot be objectified and dramatized. The complete development of a theme usually takes three or four lessons.

DANGER OF DOGMA IN METHODS

The Gouin theme method is valuable in so far as it is based on sound principles, and no farther. It is not a universal formula for the teaching of language, and when used without an understanding of the truths on which it is grounded it becomes even more mechanical and formal than other less attractive methods. By way of summary, it may be said that the Gouin method is sound when it insists, first, that language is best taught through a content couched in unified, coherent, serial language; second, that sentences of this content must be understandable for the pupil by direct association through objectification or dramatization; third, that sentences must be short to prevent confusion; fourth, that themes must be short to facilitate memorizing.

The Gouin method of theme construction has been widely used and generally adapted to meet special requirements. Such adaptations have usually been rebaptized, so that, unfortunately, to people unfamiliar with the basic Gouin method each adaptation becomes a new discovery. The most widely known of such adaptations are the lesson leaflets published by the Association Press, the leaflets published by the Ford Motor Company, and the recent bulletin, Teaching English to Non-English-speaking Selectives, issued by the office of the Provost-Marshal General.

On the whole, these themes are constructed in the light of sound principles of method. But the same fatal tendency to apotheosize the form and to lose sight of the reason back of the form is evident in all of them. For example, in the Ford leaflet series, English for Ford Men, Lesson No. 1, "Looking for Work," is drawn up as follows:

works...
.....John works for the Ford Motor Co.
asks......He asks Mike, "Would you like to
work for Ford?"

says......Mike says, "Yes, can you get me a
job?"

answers..."I will try," answers his friend.
asks......John asks the boss of his depart-

give.....

ment:

"Can you give my friend a job?" asks.. The foreman asks, “Is he a good

man?"

answers...John answers, "Yes, he is a good

worker."

think....."I think I can use him," says the
boss.

writes.....He writes a note and says:

give.......“Give this to your friend and tell

him

come......To come to the employment office
to-morrow."

goes.....
....Mike goes the next day to the Ford

shows... leads.

works.

He shows the note to the watchman.
The watchman leads him to the em-
ployment office.

takes off..Mike takes off his hat and sits down.
comes.. ...The employment officer comes to

him.

shows.....Mike shows him the note from the

boss.

It is apparent that no good pedagogic reason exists for such an arrangement of sentences, and it can only give an inexperienced teacher the belief that somehow this artificial formulation makes instruction in English easy. These sentences cannot be dramatized; if they can be understood without dramatization there is no need for the form of a theme. The setting off of the verbs at the left, the chopping up of an otherwise perfectly good paragraph, are hocuspocus. The sentences are not coherent; a pupil who forgets what the second sentence is, is not helped to remember it by going back to the first sentence.

Experience in using the Gouin method has demonstrated that it is extremely valuable with beginners when teachers and pupils cannot understand one another in English. The method then serves as a means of communication between the pupils who understand no English and the teacher who does not understand the language of the pupils. The universal language of action, made effective by the mimetic powers of the teachers, is a temporary substitute for verbal expression and a means of teaching new language forms by association. Very shortly, however, when pupils are able to speak a little English, the need for objectifying becomes less urgent and pupils make themselves understood in the little English at their command. English is now used to give greater command of English, and objectifying is resorted to only on occasions when the pupil's command of English is inadequate. The highly