Transcriber's Notes

1. Cover-page modified by the transcriber.

2. Typographical errors and hyphenation inconsistencies were silently corrected.

THE SUMMERS READERS

MANUAL

FIRST LESSONS IN READING

BY

MAUD SUMMERS

FRANK D. BEATTYS AND COMPANY
NEW YORK

Copyright, 1908, by
Frank D. Beattys and Company
New York
THE DE VINNE PRESS

CONTENTS.

PREFACE.

The Summers series of Readers consists of a Primer, a First Reader, and a Second Reader, closely articulated for the purpose of teaching beginners to read, and a Manual of Instruction intended to give teachers a full knowledge of the elements involved in the process of learning to read, and definite, practical guidance for daily classroom work.

The whole purpose and essence of reading is the communication of ideas. It is the thought—the impression—rather than the form—the expression—which gives value to what is read. With this fact in mind the subject-matter has been chosen with special reference to primal social activities in history and contemporaneous society significant of the race development, as the securing of food, shelter, and clothing. But this subject-matter must touch the child personally if it is to be of value in learning to read. It must appear for him in the form of action, rhythm, stories, observation, plays and games, if the symbols of reading are to be fraught with meaning for him. What is of interest to the child, and what is of value to society, have both been kept in mind in selecting and arranging the literature of childhood used in this series of readers.

This Manual of Instruction provides for three half years of work. Foreign children, or those of slower development, will require a longer time. In that event, the lessons in the Manual will suggest the order, not the time.

In learning to read, two lines of work are to be developed at separate periods each day. Reading lessons and Phonic lessons in orderly sequence are given in the Manual of Instruction.

Helpful suggestions for this series of readers have come from many sources. The author wishes to acknowledge especial indebtedness to Edgar Dubs Shimer, Ph.D., District Superintendent, New York City, for valuable criticism; to Grant Karr, Ph.D., Teacher of the Principles of Education and Director of Observation in the Training School for Teachers, New York City, for suggestions concerning the statement of the unity of language; to Miss Alice H. Damon, A.B., Supervising Principal of the Primary Department, State Normal School, Potsdam, N. Y., for assistance in preparing the Manual of Instruction; and to Miss Caroline A. Yale, Ph.D., Principal of Clarke School, Northampton, Mass., for the use of the chart of consonant sounds.

Part I.

LEARNING TO READ.

1. The Fundamental Principles in Learning to Read.
2. Elements of Reading:
(a) The Thought Element.
(b) The Symbol Element.
(c) The Phonic Element.
3. Methods of Teaching Reading.
4. Summary.

1.

THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES IN LEARNING TO READ.

Language Defined. Language is the conventional means by which man communicates his thoughts. It is a complex unity composed of thought and symbol, spoken or written. Because it is the means by which different minds are identified in thought, it becomes an essential factor in social organization.

Symbolism. In a wider sense all means of social communication, material and pictorial expressions, as well as spoken and written words, may be called language. Thought, through symbol, to thought, is the whole social process of language, spoken and written, for every meaning has a symbol and every symbol has a meaning.

The Problem in Learning to Read. The problem in teaching reading is to bring the symbol and its meaning into vital unity in the mind of the learner. Hence it is necessary that the teacher distinguish clearly between these elements. When the thought and the symbol have become so united that each is essential to the other, the problem of learning to read has been solved.

Fundamental Principles. There are three chief fundamental principles involved in the process of learning to read, namely:

First. Images. The thought aspect of language depends upon clear and vivid images. This is so important that unless children have such images they cannot master the symbols which represent them. One purpose of nature study, handicraft, and art is to give children these images.

Second. Wholes to Parts. In acquiring knowledge the mind moves from the vague whole to the parts and then back again to the clarified whole. An understanding of the parts gives a fuller meaning to the whole. The mind analyzes in order to reach a better synthesis. When we wish to make known to a child a coat, for instance, we do not show him separately the sleeves, the lapels, the pockets, the buttons. We hold up the whole garment and say, "Here is a coat." It is necessary to do the same in teaching reading. Give the child first an image of the whole situation which he is to think himself into, and then come to the details to make the whole clear.

Third. Self-Activity. The child is an active, creative agent, vitally concerned in adjusting himself to his physical and spiritual environment. Self-activity manifests itself in some external form, which in language is the symbol of the self-active thought. Success in teaching reading depends upon the amount of self-active response the symbol awakens in the thought of the child.

These three fundamental principles, namely, clear and vivid images, whole situations, and self-activity in the form of response and interest on the part of the child, should be kept in the foreground in teaching reading.

2.

ELEMENTS IN LEARNING TO READ.

Since language is composed of thought, symbol, and sound, the main elements to be considered in learning to read are the thought, the symbol, and the phonic elements.

THE THOUGHT ELEMENT.

The Purpose of the Thought Element. The problem of elementary reading is to establish a permanent association between the written or the printed symbols and the thoughts which they represent. The thought is all-important; it is the vitalizing element in learning to read. In learning to talk the child associates the meaning with the spoken symbol; in learning to read he associates a thought content with a sight symbol. The strength of the association depends in each case upon the worth the thought has for the child; hence the great necessity of giving especial attention to the thought element in learning to read.

Action Sentences. A sentence is the unit of language and the life-giving factor in the process of learning to read. It is important, therefore, that in the beginning the child should form the habit of grasping sentences. In the first reading lessons it is necessary to find subjects which interest the child and furnish clear mental pictures. Children are interested in actions. They like to move and will read for the purpose of performing an action. Action sentences appeal to all children, because that which a child does makes a deep impression and involves large self-activity.

Nursery Rhymes. Children are so influenced by rhythm that it is impossible to train them aright without giving due consideration to this form of expression. There are many interesting complete rhymes and poems that are valuable for reading lessons. In content the poetry of childhood should contain familiar images, tinged with enough of mystery to give that subtle mingling of sense and nonsense which stirs the imagination of the child and also relates him to the actual world in which he lives. The Mother Goose melodies fulfil these conditions, but it is the rhythm far more than the thought that attracts the child. Have the children learn the rhymes by ear and recite them with no thought other than that they are to be enjoyed. Incidentally, they will afford valuable exercise in pronunciation, articulation, and tone modulation, if the teacher is careful about these matters, for children are great imitators. Later the children will read these rhymes and poems with great pleasure, thus associating a valuable thought content with its printed symbol in a way that will make the association abiding.

Stories. Children express in action, and ultimately in character, the influences which they receive from stories. Therefore, stories containing true and good ideals should be selected. Children appreciate and love what appeals to the best and the highest in them. Nursery rhymes, fables, fairy lore, and classic myth should be used. They have nourished the race, and will also feed the soul life of the individual child. The outer form varies with the age and the country, but the inner meaning is of the spirit and will outlast the centuries. Every teacher should, therefore, carefully cultivate the art of story-telling. It is far better to present a story orally than to read it from a book. If it is told, the teacher can adapt it to the needs of her classes, and by the magnetism of voice, eye, and personality awaken an abiding love for good literature. At a later period the child will enjoy reading these same stories in the reading books of the first and second grades.

Observation Lessons. Observation and description should precede reading in the early lessons. The teacher may write on the blackboard simple sentences based upon these observations and descriptions. Anything in the environment of the home or the school which interests the child should be utilized. Encourage the children to observe their household pets and to tell the other children about them. Whatever the child makes in the time devoted to handicraft, or observes in the nature lessons, or plays in the recreation period may be used as material for reading lessons. Color is so intimately connected with the emotional life that its value and importance should be recognized.

THE SYMBOL ELEMENT.

Use. All thought which rises to the plane of self-consciousness is communicated by means of a material, a pictorial, or a lingual symbol. The thought element and the symbol element are two sides of the same thing, namely, language. They form the impression and expression of language, and hence of social communication and identity.

Kinds of Symbols. There are two kinds of symbols which must be mastered in learning to read, namely, the vocal and the graphic, appealing respectively to the ear and to the eye. These symbols are made by the voice and the hand, and are recognized by the ear and the eye. They must always be regarded in the light of that which they represent in connection with elementary reading, whether used in receiving or expressing thought. This thought must be kept clearly in mind in silent and oral reading, in word repetition, and in word drill. It will aid also in the spelling and the phonic work of the children.

THE PHONIC ELEMENT.

Definition. The phonic element deals with articulate sounds and the letters or the symbols which represent them. Here, as elsewhere in learning to read, the unity between meaning and symbol—impression and expression—must be kept clearly in mind. The spoken symbol implies training in pronunciation, enunciation, articulation, inflection, and all that makes for clear understanding and agreeable oral expression of thought. Ear and voice, eye and hand, are tools which must be trained to work with automatic perfection as the means in communicating thought.

Purpose. The purpose of the phonic lesson is the association of a sound with its written or printed symbol, so that the child will be able to get and to express the sound when the symbol is presented to him. The sight symbol and the sound symbol should be so thoroughly associated that immediately upon the presentation of either one of them the other will appear in consciousness.

Ear and Voice Training. It is of the utmost importance that children be given a broad experience with sound in the way of ear and voice training exercises for a few weeks before the formal study of phonics is begun. These exercises may be carried on in connection with the thought development in learning to read and in the music work. In the nature work the children should be trained to listen to bird note, insect hum, and other sounds of nature. Story-telling is most helpful in this ear training. It should begin in the first grade and continue through the entire elementary school period. The reading of poems aloud should be a regular part of the school program, not only to stimulate the imagination, but also to give the enjoyment that comes from the cadence of rhythmic language and to train the ear to make fine discriminations. Ear training and voice culture are so intimately related that it is impossible to cultivate one without cultivating the other, for they sustain to each other the vital relation of impression and expression.

Phonic Facts. The question of the exact number of elementary sounds in the English language is still unsettled. This Manual is based on the belief that there are forty-five elementary sounds in the English language, twenty vowel sounds and twenty-five consonant sounds. The difficulty in mastering the phonic element in learning to read English is greatly increased because some of the elementary sounds are represented by two letters, as th in thin, ea in head; and some sounds are represented by two or more symbols, as e in her, u in turn, and i in firm. It is neither necessary nor desirable that little children should learn all the equivalent symbols; nor is it considered wise to give to children all of the forty-five elementary sounds. Forty is the number taught in the phonic lessons of this Manual. Use has determined the order of presentation.

1. Vowel Sounds. The vowels are always pure sound. They express the emotions and are the rhythmic, musical element which gives language its beauty. There are many equivalent spellings for the twenty elementary vowel sounds in the English language. Those most frequently used are found on page 113; the others will be learned unconsciously as the child develops. See page 113 for a scientific arrangement of the vowel sounds.

2. Consonant Sounds. The consonants limit and define sound. Of the twenty-five elementary consonant sounds, ten have no vocal quality whatever. They are commonly known as breath sounds—f, h, k, p, s, t, ch, sh, th, wh. With the exception of h, every one of these breath sounds has its corresponding vocal sound:

See p. 112 for a scientific arrangement of the consonant sounds.

3. Phonograms. In all the phonic lessons used in this Manual a phonogram is the symbol of a sound group, usually composed of a single vowel sound combined with a single consonant sound. For example, ing in s-ing is a phonogram, but in see-ing it is a syllable.

Diacritical Marks. Useless phonograms are a burden rather than a help; therefore the child should learn only those which he actually uses. For this reason it is not advisable to use diacritical marks during the earlier stages of learning to read. They make the symbol complex and cumbersome, and at the same time their need and great value do not become apparent until the child begins to use the dictionary, say, in the fourth school year. In the earlier stages of learning to read, symbols acquire meaning by being constantly associated with their respective sounds and thoughts. Habits of pronunciation are formed by always attaching the same sound values to letters and groups of letters. When a child forms an image of a word burdened with diacritical marks, he must later form an image of the word without these. When children are taught to look for diacritical marks their imaging power is centered upon the markings of the words instead of the thoughts for which these words stand; hence it takes longer to get the thought, and as a consequence they are apt to be slow readers. Rapid readers are usually thoughtful readers, because they have the power to grasp quickly a large number of words and to interpret them in mental pictures.

Phonic Drill. Phonic drill and reading are distinct processes and should be taught at different periods of the day during the first two years of school. The purpose of the elementary reading lesson is to associate permanently the thought and the symbols which represent it, so that the thought can be gained from the written or printed language. The purpose of the elementary phonic lesson is to associate permanently sounds and the characters which represent them, so that new words can be readily recognized. Both processes are necessary in teaching reading, but phonic lessons should be relegated to a subsidiary place so that they may not become an impediment to the main purpose.

Phonic Method. In the phonic method sight words are analyzed into their elements, which are then combined in new relations to form new words. These new combinations of familiar elements in new relations are recognized again and again, until the association grows permanent, and so new words are acquired. Consonant sounds are recognized as initial, final, and medial. Next the phonogram element is analyzed into its vowel and consonant sounds. By means of familiar symbols the child has the power to pronounce new words. A knowledge of individual symbols is the foundation upon which the sight recognition of words rests; hence the necessity of rapid and varied drills.

The method suggested in this Manual for phonic lessons is as follows:

1. Separate sight words into their consonant sounds and phonograms.

2. Separate phonograms into their consonant and vowel sounds.

3. Associate these sound elements with their symbols.

4. Combine the sound elements to form new words (Phonic Synthesis).

5. Teach initial and final syllables as phonograms.

3.

METHODS OF TEACHING READING.

Methods of learning to read are the result of bringing the different thought, symbol, and phonic elements into combination and active co-operation. The process is organic and all these features must be kept in mind. There are two kinds of reading, silent and oral.

Silent Reading. Silent reading is the personal, individual way of getting thought from the printed page. The teacher must lead the pupil to see that the sentences have meaning. From the very first the teacher should never lose sight of this fundamental principle and should train the child into the habit of interpreting the printed page into mental pictures. A good method of conducting the reading lesson is the following:

Let each child read the entire lesson silently to get the thought (whole to parts). When the child does not recognize a word and cannot get it from the context or the sound elements, tell him what it is, in as simple a way as he would be told about a new object in the home. When he has finished reading the child may show that he is ready to give the thought. The teacher requests a pupil to give in his own language what he has just read. It will then be seen how vivid his images are of what he has read and how fully it has appealed to him. At the same time, his expressing it in his own words will exercise his self-activity. It is not wise in the beginning to correct imperfect language to any great extent, for the reason that the child's attention is liable to be diverted from the main thought to some detail of the medium of expression. This is disastrous and will tend to make him unnatural in both his thinking and feeling. It destroys his appreciation for the whole, blurs his images, and takes away the chief motive for reading.

In learning to read the child begins with the image of some story, which he particularizes and clarifies by the thoughts in the sentences and the ideas in the words. He masters the word elements in this way, as a unity of meaning and symbol, which gives significance to the sentence and to the story as a whole. Thus the power of getting thought from the printed page develops.

Oral Reading. Oral reading is the process of interpreting thought from the printed page and imparting it to another by means of the voice. Silent reading should always precede oral reading, so that the child may get the thought before he attempts to give it. Silent reading is the power to translate the words into thoughts or emotions. Oral reading goes a step further and gives these thoughts and emotions audible expression and awakens them in another. Silent reading is a necessity; oral reading is an accomplishment. Oral reading is another way of telling a story. It implies the ability to awaken one's thoughts in another's mind. It lacks the freedom of expression usual in story-telling, for it demands power to interpret and transmit thought almost simultaneously.

There are many ways of conducting an oral reading lesson. Two methods are given for illustration:

These methods differ only in the breadth and scope of the image of the whole that the child is to think through at one time.

Freedom of expression usually accompanies the reading of interesting thought. The child will usually use natural, clear tones in reading, as he does in talking, if he understands what he reads. Many children read poorly because they neither understand nor feel any meaning in the words. Both gesture and language will be spontaneous if prompted by right thinking and right feeling. The dramatic presentation of a story, however crude, becomes a great aid.

Word Repetition. Many repetitions of words, phrases, and sentences are necessary in mastering the symbol. It is quite possible to have a repetition of words with an ever-changing variety in valuable thought. This variety holds the interest of the children and at the same time accustoms the eye to the repeated symbol. The symbol elements in the action sentences, observation lessons, nursery rhymes, and stories must be repeated many times, but, to preserve interest in them and to increase their meaning, the greatest care must be taken in the selection and the presentation of the thought element. If the teacher of elementary reading can master this part of her work, her success is well-nigh assured.

SPELLING.

Notion and Purpose. Spelling is a finer analysis of the process of learning to read and hence involves all the elements of learning to read. The problem in learning to spell is to associate permanently the smallest symbols of the word, the letters, oral and written, with their appropriate meanings. In oral spelling the impression is received through the ear; the expression is by means of the voice. In written spelling the impression is received through the eye; the expression is by means of the hand. Because written spelling occupies a much larger place in life through the need of communicating ideas by means of writing, it should receive more attention in language teaching than oral spelling. The training of the eye and the hand is, therefore, more important in learning to spell than the training of the ear and the voice, although oral spelling sometimes helps by bringing in the auditory and the vocal memory to assist the visual and the manual. In the beginning children should learn to spell by writing, not as a drill in penmanship, but for the purpose of calling attention to the form of the word.

Elements. Spelling is a complex and difficult art and requires (a) training in elementary sounds and their symbols, or phonic drill; (b) training of eye and hand in forming the letters of a word, or written spelling; (c) training of ear and voice in naming the letters of a word, or oral spelling. Sound, form, and name of letters must be inseparably associated, so that they will become necessary elements in the vital combination of symbol and meaning in the word.

Method. In the method pursued the teacher writes Sing., for instance, upon the blackboard, with capital letter and period to indicate that it is the expression of a complete thought. The teacher then erases the word and requests the children to write it. Review this word at the next lesson and add a new one. Next the teacher writes I can sing. Can you sing?, and similar sentences, upon the blackboard, and proceeds in the same manner. As the work progresses the children should image a new sentence at each lesson, and in addition should be able to write from dictation several review sentences. In the early lessons the children should write at the blackboard, or use unruled paper and soft lead pencils with dull points. A clear image of the symbol will aid the child in writing it. This makes it essential that the teacher write a legible hand.

Word Drill. Drill upon the words learned is necessary to mechanize ear, voice, eye, and hand in the reading process so that the child may be left free to attend to the subject-matter. Have the children pronounce, write, and spell the unfamiliar words found in the reading lesson. Insist upon exact pronunciation and a natural, pleasing modulation of the voice. Later the children should use these same words in spoken and written sentences. After children have learned the names of the letters, both oral and written spelling should be used, since they are correlative processes. Oral spelling often deepens the impression and makes the image more permanent.

THE ALPHABET.

The alphabet should be taught in serial order, because of its use in reading card catalogs, dictionaries, etc. The alphabet characters have been learned in the phonic drill by associating the sounds with the letters as the children require them to master words, but not consecutively. The A B C's, however, in their old-fashioned significance, should be a part of the child's knowledge when he enters the second grade.

SUMMARY.

In the process of learning to read, certain elements are brought together and associated in vital organic unity in accordance with broad general principles. These the teacher must keep constantly in mind if she is to succeed. Reading, like all language, is a combination of thought and symbol. The thought gives the meaning and is the reason for reading, while the symbol is only the tool and instrument of the thought. Care must be taken to see (a) that the child forms clear images of what he is reading; and (b) that he obeys the fundamental law of mind of proceeding from wholes to parts. By holding these principles in full view and giving the thought element the leading place, the symbol and phonic elements will fall into their proper place in accomplishing the purpose of elementary reading, namely, the association of the symbol and its meaning in a vital unity.

Part II.

FIRST HALF YEAR:
FIRST STEP.

Two lines of work are to be developed at separate periods each day.

EAR TRAINING EXERCISES.

Directions. 1. The purpose of ear training is to familiarize the child with the elementary sounds in the language, so that he may have accurate sound images before associating them with the corresponding symbols.

2. Give the sounds of the letters, not the names. Teach the letter-names later in the Phonic Lessons. Give the sounds softly but distinctly. A loud, harsh voice makes purity of sound impossible.

3. Cultivate the attentive ear in children. Teach them to hear, and then to image, the song of the birds, the patter of the rain, the sound of the wind, the hum of the bee, the puff of the locomotive and other familiar sounds.

4. The rhymes and poems are suggestive, not final. The teacher may choose others if they better meet her need. Those selected from song literature have a tone quality that will interest children and prove helpful in training the ear. Read the poems aloud in a well modulated voice, with clear articulation, that the children may become sensitive to the beauty of the human voice.

5. Ear training should precede the formal study of phonics for a few weeks. The exact time required cannot be arbitrarily named, because it depends not only upon the ability of the class but also upon the teaching power of the one in charge. From six to eight weeks, with daily periods ten or fifteen minutes in length, will accomplish good results.

I.

Consonant sounds are taught by phonic analysis of words, and not by any artificial device. Ear training exercises are helpful as a preparation for this work. Let the first sounding be done by the teacher and have the children perform the actions as she slightly separates the sound elements. In this way the ear soon becomes accustomed to the formation of words from their phonic elements.

Ex.:

Caution. There should be no abruptness about such an exercise. The slight separation and the gentle prolonging are sufficient to keep the children listening and interested. Avoid giving to separate consonants, sounds which they do not possess.

II.

Slow Pronunciation of Names. Children are interested in their own names; if they pronounce these slowly they will begin to distinguish sounds. The teacher first pronounces her own name as the children watch, making prominent the initial sound. She then calls upon different children to pronounce their names. Ex.: A child named Mary says: "My name is M-ary," emphasizing the sound "M." Another says, "My name is R-obert," emphasizing the sound "R," etc.

III.

Singing Games. The old-fashioned singing games, such as "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush," "London Bridge," "Looby Loo," etc., will delight the children and are excellent exercises for ear training. (See Folk Songs and Games by Marie Ruef Hofer.)

IV.

Phonic Game. What is it? A child acts as leader and stands in the front of the room. The children in their seats question him until the supply of rhymes is exhausted. Ex.:

Leader: I'm thinking of something that rhymes with top.
Child: Is it chop?
Leader: It is not chop.
Child: Is it hop?
Leader: It is hop.

Object. Grouping of words with like phonograms and final consonants.

V.

Phonic Game. Guess. Ask a child to leave the room. Children in their seats choose a word. When the child returns he either acts out the word he has in mind or describes it. Ex.:

Action.

We are thinking of something that rhymes with bat.
Is it this? (Child guessing puts on a hat.)
No. It is not hat.
Is it this? (Child guessing pats his head.)
No. It is not pat.
Is it this? (Child guessing says Meow.)
Yes. It is cat.
Is it a pretty color?
It is not red.
Is it something we sleep in?
It is not bed.
Is it a boy's name?
Yes. It is Ned.

VI.

Phonic Game. Hide and Seek. Teacher gives the first rhyme. She then calls upon a child to give a rhyme using the same initial letter. This child then calls upon another child. Continue in this way until the rhymes are exhausted. Ex.:

I am in run.
I am not in Sun.
I am in rug.
I am not in bug.
I am in rose.
I am not in nose.

Object—Grouping of words with like initial consonants.

Caution—Be careful to articulate the initial and final consonants distinctly.

A LIST OF RHYMES AND POEMS.

The teacher may read the following rhymes and poems to the children in connection with the Ear Training Exercises.

The Melodies of Mother Goose.

Song Literature from the Modern Music Primer.

Song Literature from Small Songs for Small Singers.

"The Drum," by Eugene Field.
Book: "Poems of Childhood."
"Who Stole the Bird's Nest?" by Lydia Maria Child.
Book: "Child Life," (Selections) John G. Whittier (Ed.).
"Robert of Lincoln," by William Cullen Bryant.
Book: Whittier's "Child Life."
"The Clucking Hen," from "Aunt Effie's Rhymes."
Book: Whittier's "Child Life."

PRELIMINARY BLACKBOARD LESSONS.
(Time, about eight weeks.)

Directions.1. This Manual contains thirty Preliminary Blackboard Lessons. The purpose is to associate thought and symbol. These preliminary lessons anticipate the first twenty-nine pages in the Primer but do not exactly reproduce the text. By means of the blackboard work the pupil accumulates a small initial vocabulary which enables him to read the lessons in the Primer with no fear or uncertainty of the text.

2. There is no exact limit to the number of Preliminary Blackboard Lessons that should be taught. Those given in the Manual indicate the order of development, not the time. American children will master the lessons given in from six to eight weeks. Foreign children will require a little more time, since they must learn to associate thought with both the spoken and the written symbol. When children read lessons written on the blackboard with ease, put the Primer in their hands.

I.

The teacher writes the action sentence Run. on the blackboard in a clear, distinct hand. The initial capital and the period at the end are consistently used, so that from the beginning the children are accustomed to them. After writing the word the teacher expresses the action by running. If her dignity will not permit her to do this, she may bring in a child from the second or third grade and ask him to perform whatever action is indicated by the word written upon the board. The word is not spoken at this time; the child discovers the meaning from the action. The whole purpose of the teacher is to associate the thought expressed by the action with its written symbol. Let this word remain on the board; write it in a larger hand near the place where the word was first written. Again let the teacher or child perform the act. Select another board; write the word in a smaller hand. Again express the thought in action. The class will watch this with deep interest. Some member of the class will soon associate the written word with the action, and will stand upon the first round of the ladder leading to the interpretation of thought from written symbols.

The reason for writing the word in a larger and a smaller hand, and especially in different places on the blackboard, is to prevent local association. Then, too, the change of place will intensify the child's interest and attention.

Make the reading lesson short and repeat it at intervals during the day. If fifteen minutes is the time set apart for reading, divide this into three five-minute periods. The lesson period should be lengthened as the work advances.

On each succeeding day, and in the same manner, teach

Teach one word a day and review those previously taught. Write the words on the blackboard a number of times arranged irregularly, and have frequent short drills upon them.

These four verbs, Run, Hop, Jump, and Sing, have been found by practical experience to be very good ones for the beginning lessons. They will occur again and again in the later stories about animals and pets. They are also used in the stories about the plays and games which children delight to reproduce in the reading lesson.

V.

REVIEW.

Three methods of presenting a reading lesson are suggested:

A

1. The teacher writes an action word on the blackboard.

2. The teacher asks a child to perform the action.

3. The child looks at the blackboard and reads the word.
(This is the beginning of oral reading.)

B

1. The teacher asks a child to perform any action he chooses.

2. The teacher asks another child to tell what the first one did.

3. The teacher writes the action word on the blackboard.

C

1. One child tells another what action to perform.

2. The child performs the action.

3. The teacher writes the word on the blackboard.

Many devices will suggest themselves to the progressive teacher if she clearly understands that the purpose of the lesson is to associate the thought with its written or printed symbol. If the child, after observing a word written on the blackboard, expresses the thought in action, he shows that he has read it.

VI.

and.

The teacher writes sentences like the following on the blackboard:

Endless combinations may be made with these words, giving constant change of thought while repeating the words. It is quite possible in this way to have word repetition with variety of thought.

Each time a sentence is written on the blackboard the process is as follows:

Some children grasp the sentence form as unconsciously as they do the word form. If they fail to do so, teach the use of the capital letter.

Vary the lesson by introducing the names of children in the class, thus:

VII.

I can.

The phrase I can is next introduced. Write upon the blackboard the sentence I can run. Read it to the children. Have a child perform the action and then read the sentence aloud. Proceed in this way with other action sentences. Group the sentences in various ways and have frequent reviews.

The reading process consists of three steps:

After teaching the sentence as a whole, it should be analyzed into words. For instance, ask a child to pass to the blackboard and point to I can as many times as he finds it written. Point to run, etc. This may be varied by asking a child to underscore or erase the words that are alike.

VIII.

Rover.

Household pets, anything and everything that is familiar to a child and in which he is interested, will serve as material for reading lessons. Rover is a universal name for a dog and hence is arbitrarily used for illustrative purposes in these lessons. If Dash happens to be a better name known to the child, use that. Sentences like the following will suggest themselves:

IX.

Kitty.

Kittens are a never failing source of interest to children. At a suggestion from the teacher the children themselves will give sentences like the following:

The teacher writes these sentences upon the blackboard as they are given to her by the different children. She then calls upon other children to read them. A child may pretend that she is Kitty and dramatize the action. This dramatic instinct is universal in children and should be recognized throughout the school life.

X.

You.

The question form is easily learned and should be introduced in the early lessons. Combine familiar words in new relations:

Write upon the blackboard in a vertical row several I see sentences. Have the children read them. Erase I see in each sentence, leaving Rover, Kitty, you. Again, place several I see sentences upon the blackboard. Erase Rover, Kitty, you, leaving I see, I see, I see. Erase I, leaving the single word see.

Continue in this way with the phrases I can see, I have, I like, I love.

Children are interested in home life, therefore introduce the words father, mother, brother, sister, baby in the early lessons.

Teach the articles a, an, the in connection with their nouns in order to secure natural expression.

Review these words in new sentences which combine familiar words in new relations. Ex.:

XVIII.

Children are interested in their own names, hence they will quickly learn to associate the spoken name with its written symbol. Write upon the blackboard the sentence, Catch the ball, ——. (Teacher, supply the name of a child in the room.) Erase the name and replace it with a different one. Continue in this way with other names.

Ex.:

XIX.

From this time on it will add to the interest if the sentences are so connected that they tell a story. The following method has been found helpful:

Suppose a bird has been observed. The children have something to say and this serves as material for a reading lesson. First one child and then another expresses his thought about the bird. The teacher writes the easiest of these sentences upon the blackboard, the result being somewhat as follows:

The teacher asks the children to read silently the entire story. As soon as each child is ready he may rise and turn his back to the blackboard. He then gives the thought in his own language.

Ex.:

Call upon different children to express the thought, and accept any condensation of language which shows this power. The purpose in asking the child to interpret the whole story in his own language is to show that he has the thought.

The children are now ready to analyze the story into sentences. A good device is to cover the story with a curtain provided for the purpose. Raise the curtain and ask the children to observe, let us say, the third sentence. Cover this and ask a child to give the exact language.

Ex.:

The blue bird can sing.

If he cannot do so, raise the curtain again and let him observe. Continue in this way with the other sentences, showing them to the children in an irregular order. The purpose of this is to show that the children not only have the thought as a whole, but that they know the words in each sentence.

By this method children are trained to read groups of words at a glance. They observe the sentence as a whole, image it as a whole, and read it as a whole. Comprehension of the thought leads to freedom of expression. In consequence, pupils will not be heard pronouncing disconnected words in unnatural, artificial tones.

The development of the lesson is as follows:

First: Children observe and express.

Second: The teacher writes this expression on the blackboard. When a story of three or four sentences is complete the order of interpretation is as follows:

First: Children observe and image. (Silent reading.)

Second: Each child in turn expresses the whole thought.

Third: The children read each sentence. (Oral reading.)

Color appeals to all children. Frequent use of it should be made in describing birds, flowers, and animals in the first reading lessons. The following are suggestive lessons containing such words as big, little, pretty, and adjectives of color.

Vary the work at this point by teaching the word are and putting some of the stories in the second person. Children will enjoy reading or talking to an imaginary Rover or Kitty.

Ex.:

XX.

SUMMARY.

With this limited vocabulary the teacher is able to formulate many sentences.

XXI.

Write upon the blackboard descriptions given by the children of grandma, father, mother, baby, or other members of the family. This will train them to observe closely and to image clearly. (Proceed as in Lesson XIX.)

If necessary, let several development lessons precede the story in order to emphasize certain aspects of thought or particular words.

1.

2.

XXII.

Let each child describe his own home. Write one of these descriptions on the blackboard, somewhat as follows:

XXIII.

In the language lesson show pictures of the home life of children of other lands. Have the children observe, image, and describe these pictures. Later, write a description of one of the pictures on the blackboard as a reading lesson.

1.

2.

Whenever it is necessary, precede the story with one or more development lessons.

XXIV.

Select a little girl with bright dress and attractive coloring to stand before the class. Ask the children to observe, and then to close their eyes and image the child. Tell the little girl to step into the dressing room or behind a screen and have the children describe her. Express from the image, not from the object. The teacher writes the description on the blackboard, somewhat as follows:

1.

2.

Omit the observation and write upon the blackboard a description of a boy or a girl in the room. Supply a name and have one of the children locate the boy or girl. Ex.:

XXV.

Nature lessons, handicraft lessons, playthings, games, and everything which appeals to the interest of the children may be used as material for the reading lessons. Ex.:

XXVI.

Let the girls having something brown about them impersonate brown birds. Ex.: Brown eyes; brown ribbons; brown dresses. Have them read the sentences silently and then perform the action. By a gentle movement of the arms the birds are represented as flying.

Let the boys having something black about them impersonate blackbirds. Ex.: Black shoes; black clothing; black eyes.

Adapt the following lesson to suit the conditions by changing either the name or the color. Ex.: If there is a little girl in the room with a red ribbon whose name is not Mary, substitute the real name.

XXVII.

Experience proves that a rapid and easy way for children to learn to read is by means of nursery rhymes and simple poems. The method of presenting a rhyme is as follows:

Have the children learn the rhyme by ear and repeat it aloud. Write the rhyme Two Little Blackbirds, on the board. (See Primer, page 23. In order that recognition may take place when the same rhymes are seen in print, carefully copy the arrangement of the text as found in the Primer.) Draw a pointer slowly under each line as the children repeat the rhyme. Do this several times until they begin to associate the spoken symbol with the written symbol. Children will soon recognize the elements most prominent.

After teaching the rhyme as a whole, analyze it into parts. Write lines, phrases, and words in different places on the blackboard. Have the children observe, image, and find these in the rhyme. Ex.: Two little blackbirds; upon a hill; one was named; fly away; come again.

Ask a child to find all the words that are alike. Ex.: Jack; Jill; named; fly; come; again; etc. Ask another child to find and name all the words he knows. Let volunteers find lines, phrases, and words called for by other children who see them. In some such way as this every symbol can be brought to the child's consciousness.

When the children are familiar with the words comprising the rhyme they are ready to read sentences and stories using these same words in new relations. Keep the rhyme on the blackboard for reference. When in doubt about a word let the child find it himself by repeating the rhyme until he reads that word.

A summary of the steps involved:

1. Memorize the rhyme in order to acquire the thought.

2. Associate this thought with the written symbols.

3. Separate the rhyme into sentences, phrases, and words.

4. Combine these parts in new wholes; that is, in new sentences and stories.

One essential principle in learning to read is that the thought shall be familiar and interesting. The purpose of the elementary reading lesson is to associate old thought with a new symbol.

This same rhyme may be modified and used as a game. Select two children with blue ribbons, dresses, suits, or neckties, to impersonate bluebirds. Substitute their names and write the rhyme on the board as follows:

Have the two bluebirds read the words from the blackboard, run to a corner of the room, and stoop down to dramatize the words "sat upon a hill." At the words "fly away" the little birds run around the room with outstretched arms to imitate the flying motion. At the words "come again" they should return to their original position. This exercise gives repetition of words with variety of thought.

XXVIII.

Memorize the rhyme. Children like to express thought in action, therefore when memorizing the rhyme let them hold imaginary babies in their arms and gently rock them to the rhythm of the words.

Write the rhyme on the blackboard. Write the lines, phrases, and words elsewhere on the blackboard. Let the children observe these and find them in the rhyme. Rock-a-by; In the tree-top; When the wind blows; When the bough breaks; etc.

Find the words that are alike, baby; cradle; when; the; will; etc.

Action Sentences Based on the Rhyme.

Write upon the blackboard the sentence, Bring me the doll. Have the children read it silently. Ask a child to perform the action, and then read the sentence aloud. Continue in this way with other action sentences.

A real doll and cradle may be used and the following sentences be expressed in action:

Teach bring, put, make, and other new verbs as sight words and use them in preliminary development lessons.

Ex.:

Kindergarten Finger Play furnishes excellent action upon which to base the use of the word make. Ex.:

XXIX.

See-Saw. (Primer, page 24.) Children like to recite to appropriate action. Rhythmic movement may be taught with the "See-Saw" rhyme as follows: While repeating the first two lines sink to a squatting position and rise again two times. While repeating the second line bend alternately to the right and left three times. Repeat these motions with the third and fourth lines.

XXX.

The Transition from Script to Print. It is impossible to give a fixed rule stating the time when the child should pass from the blackboard script to the book. This varies with the age and ability of the pupils. The observant teacher knows when to place printed material in the hands of the child by the readiness and ease with which he reads from the blackboard. It will be necessary to write the first lessons in the Primer on the blackboard for the children to observe the resemblance between that which is written upon the board and that which is printed in the book. Every primary teacher should write a clear, legible hand.

Note:—"The Old Woman and Her Pig," "The House that Jack Built," or other nursery rhymes involving much repetition of language, will be found helpful for supplementary blackboard lessons.

Part III.

FIRST HALF YEAR: SECOND STEP.

1. Blackboard Lessons and Primer.

2. Phonic Lessons: