PREFACE. THE lessons in this reader are purposely short. Primary pupils lose interest in long lessons. A series of nature lessons stimulates observation upon the mystery of growth. This series is supplemented by another on children's pets, toys and games, with individual lessons upon holidays and other topics of interest to children. Reading about plant and animal life gives the child an interest in planting seeds, in watching roots, the development of blossoms and fruits, and in observing the habits of animals. A spirit of kindness and courtesy pervades these lessons, that politeness and generosity may be unconsciously acquired. The first quarter of the reader is written to parallel primer work, thus saving, where necessary, the price of an extra book. Effort has been made to keep the work carefully graded, yet spirited and interesting. The best primary teachers agree that a reader should contain subject-matter which is instructive as well as entertaining, and it has been the aim of the author to present such matter clothed in simple, terse, and attractive language. Suggestions on Teaching Reading. 1. In reading, the child should be taught — 1. To cultivate pleasing tone, and grace of manner; 3. To read silently for the thought; 4. To read orally for the best expression of thought; 5. To review, in his own language, the ideas thus gained. 3 2. TONE. Pure tone (reflecting apparently from the chambers of the head above the upper part of the mouth) should be persistently cultivated. 3. NEW WORDS. New words and phrases should be mastered in blackboard drills before a pupil attempts to read them in sentences. 4. SIGHT WORDS. The more difficult words in primary lessons may be pronounced at sight. No attempt to spell them need be made. Words requiring substitute spelling to denote their sounds should be given as sight words. Many, any, pretty, color, said, etc., need not be spelled by sound. Primary pupils should see only the correct forms of words. 5. SPELLING. Too earnest attention can hardly be given to spelling, both by letter and by sound. 6. PHRASING. Arranging words in sense-groups is called phrasing: adjectives, conjunctions, prepositions, etc., should be grouped with their related words; as, a leaf, the house, the old cat, my new top, Mary and John, a ball or a top, seven years, under the flag, around the house, etc. Blackboard exercises in phrasing should be given after new words are learned, and both before and after new lessons are read. The child should recognize words in groups. 7. PHONOGRAMS. Frequently recurring combinations of letters may be noted daily in the preparation of each new lesson, and read from the blackboard; as, ow, ou, oi, oy, ch, eh, ch, th, th, sh, wh, zh, ng, ly, ing, ed, er, es, ness, est, ight, etc. These drills may be called pronouncing lessons. A child exclaims, "Oh, yes! I can pronounce that. That is an 'ing' word." "This is an 'ight' word." "There is a 'ly' word." 8. SCRIPT. The child should read readily both printed and script forms. The script lessons herein given are intended primarily as reading lessons. At the option of the teacher they may be used as models for copying. 9. WORD LISTS AS A "DICTIONARY." In the early grades, each pupil should make his own little dictionary, i. e., write all new words in a note-book. He arranges these from the initial letter, and marks the sounds. He says, "I must write 'bell' on the 'b' page, 'house' on the 'h' page," etc. 10. REVIEWS. (1) From these words let the pupil "make up" review lessons- sentences and short paragraphs of his own composition. These may be read in class at given times. (2) The teacher should keep like lists and write many blackboard reviews from them. (3) Review and review and review known words in fresh combinations. Here is the pith of primary instruction: 1. To learn new ideas definitely and to gain strong impressions of them. 2. To review known ideas in varied combinations. All rights reserved. LILLIAN H. PICKEN. |