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The Urdu alphabet 9 II. Theoretical considerations Basic principles Physical and psycho logical factors l III.

Method Classroom equipment Stages of instruction Numerals and arithmetic 2O ILLUSTRATIONS AND CHARTS Specimen handwriting of pupils ..

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7 Letters of the Alphabet I. Consonants .

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Vowels ..

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I2 The human brain diagrammatic ..

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l6 Drawings for finger practice Fig. A.

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2I Class wall-charts on long vowels Fig. B.

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n 2I Word-picture charts - I. Long Vowels .

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Short Vowels 26 Revolving disc for classroom 2 Symbols or signs used in Urdu 3 Numerals FOREWORD My plea for bringing this brochure to the notice of readers interested in adult education is the shamefully low percentage of literacy in India, which has a direct bearing on the health and prosperity of the country as a whole. 1 I be lieve that literacy campaigns should be extensively organised and zealously carried on till the blot of illiteracy is removed.

This conviction has urged me in my effort to evolve a quick method of teaching Urdu to adults. During 1929 and 1939 I carried out experiments in teaching on selected groups of adults of different social grades, and by learning a great deal from the pupils themselves realised their needs and perfected the method which is the subject of this brochure.

In 1929 and again in 1939 His Highness Nawab Hamidullah Khan of Bhopal graciouslypermitted me to carry out these experiments in the State Central Jail, and expressed satisfaction at the results achieved with the perfected method on the second occasion.-During 1936 and 1938 I was encouraged to test the method in the Doon Public School by Mr.

A. E.

Foot, the indefatigable Headmaster of the school. Very soon after the opening of this school in 1935, Mr.

Foot had planned out a scheme of adult literacy amongst the employees and he whole-heartedly fell in with my proposal that I might supervise the work of the Urdu section of the adult classes. I thankfully acknowledge that the facilities offered to me by the Headmaster and the school Adult Education Committee, unstintingly and without reservation, were in a large measure responsible for developing and improving the method.

In 1937, at the suggestion of Dr. Zakir Husain Khan and Prof.

M. Mujib of the Jamia Millia, Delhi, and with the co-operation of the Maktaba Jami, a brief note in Urdu on the rationale of the method and a primer were published.

1 Between 1911 and 1931 the percentage of literacy in India increased from 7 to 8, only. Those interested in the progress of literacy should consult the comparative graphic-chart in Laubachs Tontirds a Mftrtitr World.

Sec specimen handwriting of one of the pupils given opposite p. 7.

In 1939, two continuity readers, viz., Koe a and Kisan were also brought out.

I am glad to know that the Literacy Committee of the U. P.

Christian Council have in mind to bring out shortly a Hindi version of these two readers. Several of my friends have expressed the opinion that a detailed note on the method, in English, would be instructive to many of those interested in adult literacy.

At thesame time, after reading Dr. Laubachs excellent book Towards a 1J fertile World I thought it worth while to lay before those conver sant with English an alternative method which can claim to be a shorter cir cuit than the one he has suggested for Urdu.

I am indebted to many of my friends, specially to Prof. Nayyar Laique Ahmad of Bombay, Prof.

M. Mujib of Delhi and Mr.

K. K.

Mchrotra of Allah abad University, who have helped me with valuable suggestions and advice in the compilation of this brochure. Prof.

A. H (less)