66 66 (c) The class may be assigned the story, or part of the story, to study by themselves. Even little children can learn to spend the time alone profitably if carefully directed. This can be done somewhat after the fashion outlined by Hinsdale in his Art of Study. The teacher may ask the class, for instance, to open their books to The Fisherman and His Wife, and to read to her the answers to questions previously written on the board : 'Where was the fisherman ?" What did the strange fish say?" and "What did the fisherman do?' Later these answers can be copied from the book with letter cards or in writing. The class should also be taught to write unknown words on slips of paper. Teach them as soon as possible, however, to get the new word both from the context and by sound. The child with the longest list is not necessarily the most diligent one. Every experienced teacher knows how readily many children fall into the habit of asking for help instead of relying upon themselves. THE RECITATION It is well to have the children stand in a semi-circle, near the teacher and with their backs to the light. Standing is strongly recommended rather than sitting, for the child not only gives better attention while standing, but continual sitting will become irksome to him. The children should be required to look each sentence through before attempting to read it. Word calling should never be tolerated. Clear enunciation and pleasant tone should be required at all times. Many of the stories lend themselves readily to dramatic action. Children of this age are still in the objective world, and their instruction should be kept as concrete as possible. The dialogue form of The Primer furnishes the child everything necessary but action. In this First Reader he will often have opportunity to create both dialogue and action. Let these be made by the children themselves. Keep yourself and your suggestions in the background. SEAT WORK The class may be asked to fill in elliptical exercises with letter cards as, There was a fish on his ———.” The fish to the fisherman." 66 They may be asked to copy with crayon or pencil, Sarah Stillwell Weber's clever illustrations, such as the one on page 28, or to make original illustrations to show the fisherman's new home, with the running about. PHONETICS A thorough review of the short and long vowels is given before the child is asked to learn the digraphs. These are taught inductively after he has learned several words containing the same digraph. Phonogram and word and should manila paper cards of the kind suggested in The Primer would be of great value. The or India-ink on crayon letters can be made with oil be the size of letters on the board. On one side of the card print the phonogram and on the reverse a type word. In drilling, show one side of the card, for instance three and require the child to respond "th"; or require "shut." sh and The sound drills in the books contain only simple phonograms-reducing the mechanics to a minimum and therefore assuring a greater degree of perfection; and they contain only words to be found in the text. If additional drill is desired, the following device may be of service. It can be applied to any set of rhyming words. The teacher tells some little story, and, as the story proceeds, writes the italicized words in a column on the board for the children to read. For example: One day little May went out to play. In the field where she lay on the hay was a jay. He was very, very gay. For his song he asked no pay. To be happy was just asked little May. his way. "What do you say?" Drill not only upon the mechanics, but assure yourself that the children understand the meaning of the words they are sounding. There is but one test for this, the use of the words in original sentences. If the form and the thought of a particular word are fixed in the child's mind together, he has not only acquired that word but power to use it in gaining other words by analogy both in meaning and form. The phonetic drill should not take place during the reading lesson, but a a time especially set apart for it. THE CULTIVATION OF THE VOICE Keep the children's voices soft and flexible. It is to be deplored that often they become harsh and strained in the effort to fill a large schoolRemember that the room. Accustom yourself to conduct the lesson without a book and thus your hold your class to a high standard of enunciation. quality of your own voice will directly affect the voices of 112 class. |