harles Dickens 12-1870) glish lesson at Dotheboys le could not but observe how silent and sad the boys all eemed to be. There was none of the noise and clamour fa schoolroom; none of its boisterous' play, or hearty mirth. The children sat crouching and shivering' ogether, and seemed to lack the spirit to move about... After some half-hour's delay, Mr Squeers reappeared, and he boys took their places and their books, of which latter Commodity' the average might be about one to eight learners. A few minutes having elapsed, during which Mr as if he had a perfect Squeers looked very profound, apprehension of what was inside all the books, and could say every word of their contents by heart if he only chose to take the trouble, that gentleman called up the first class. Obedient to this summons there ranged themselves in front of the schoolmaster's desk, half-a-dozen scarecrows", out? at knees and elbows, one of whom placed a torn and filthy book beneath his learned eye. This is the first class in English spelling and philosophy, Nickleby,' said Squeers, beckoning' Nicholas to stand beside him. We'll get up a Latin one, and hand that over to you. Now, then, where's the first boy?' Please, sir, he's cleaning the back-parlour window,' said the temporary head of the philosophical class. 'So he is, to be sure,' rejoined Squeers. 'We go upon the practical mode of teaching, Nickleby; the regular education system. C-l-e-a-n, clean, verb active, to make bright, to scour¹o. W-i-n, win, d-e-r, der, winder", a casement. When the boy knows this out of book, he goes and does it. It's just the same principle as the use of the globes. Where's the second boy?' Please, sir, he's weeding the garden,' replied a small voice. GLOSSARY rough 2 sincere happiness 3 bent and shaking with cold 4 a reference to the books passed 5 6 figures made by farmers to frighten birds 7 with holes in their clothes 8 very dirty 9 indicating to 35 10 clean vigorously 11 Squeers' misspelling of window 12 pulling out the unwanted plants 13 Squeers' misspelling of botany 14 assistant 15 vaguely 16 pull water up from a hole in the ground 17 stop 18 large pans 2 What do the boys there look like? 3 What does Squeers make the boys do when they have learned to spell a word? 4 What four tasks does Squeers make various boys do? 40 45 Reading How is the atmosphere of the classroom at Dotheboys Hall different to a normal classroom? 50 To be sure,' said Squeers, by no means he is. B-o-t, bot, t-i-n, tin, bottin, n-e-y, noun substantive, a knowledge of plant learned that bottinney means a knowle goes and knows 'em. That's our system, do you think of it?' 'It's very useful one, at any rate,' answe 'I believe you,' rejoined Squeers, not rer emphasis of his usher". Third boy, wha 'A beast, sir,' replied the boy. 'So it is,' said Squeers. 'Ain't it, Nickleby? 'I believe there is no doubt of that, sir, Nicholas. 55 'Of course there isn't,' said Squeers. quadruped, and quadruped's Latin for everybody that's gone through the gram else where's the use of having gramma 'Where, indeed!' said Nicholas abstracte 'As you're perfect in that,' resumed Sq the boy, 'go and look after MY horse, down well, or I'll rub you down. The and draw water up", till somebody te off", for it's washing-day tomorrow, a coppers¹ filled.' From Nichol Dickens' works Dickens was one of the most prolific author century. His works, including some of the b in the English language (Oliver Twist 1837-3 Nickleby 1838-39, David Copperfield 1849-18 published in serial form in magazines, and tours of Britain and the US earned him huge novels are populated by memorable, often from all social classes, and many of his wor social inequality of Victorian England. The text In the novel of the same name, 18-year-old Nickleby's father has died, and Nicholas, hi mother are dependent on the dead man's bi uncle has secured him a job at Dotheboys poor boys in Yorkshire run by Mr Squeers. Links 5a, 8a Your analysis 6 What details in the text show that: a. the school has no money? b. Squeers is uneducated? GWhat is Nicholas' reaction to Squeers' tea How does Dickens show this? 7 What serious message does Dickens inter this scene? Why, then, does he make it a hum Contemporary links How are today's classrooms and teaching from the classrooms and methods of 100 year 9 What do you think makes a good teacher?​