L& IS':^ .1<2S ir .mmmmm^ ifitmii^iasmm^rmiH: i»# # #t r»»» »< HOW TO TEACH TO READ AMOS M. KELLOGG N¥M YORK E. L. KELLOGG & CO. Chicago f)ow to Zcncb /iDanuals. Bo. 4. HOW TO TEACH TO READ THE TEN GREAT STEPS FULLY EXPLAINED By AMOS M. KELLOGG, M EDITOR OP " THE SCHOOL JoURNAl/' AUTHOR OF '' SCHOOL MANAGEMENT," "how TO TEACH BOTANY," ETC. NEW YORK AND CHICAGO : E. L KELLOGG & CO. TWO COPIES RECEIVE^. Library of CoBgrdt% ^ Office of the -^.J>^ THE "HOW TO TEACH" SERIES This series of books gives, in compact form, latest and best methods of teaching. They are written from the school-room standpoint and contain just the help the teachers most need. All are well printed, on good paper, fully illustrated and uniformly bound in flexible cloth covers. 25 centS each. .X^J- No. I — How TO Manage Busy Work. Kellogg 2 — How TO Teach Botany. Kellogg 3 — How TO Teach Paper- Folding and Cutting. 4 — How to Teach to Read. Kellogg 5 — How TO Make Charts. Kellogg 6 — How TO Teach Minerals. Tayne 7 — How TO Teach Birds. T^ayne 8 — How TO Teach Bugs and Beetles. 'Payne 9 — How TO Teach Fractions. Kellogg lo — How TO Teach Clay Modeling. Kellogg II — How to Teach Primary Arithmetic. Seeley IN preparation 12 — How to Teach Butterflies. 'Payne 13 — How TO Teagh Geography 14 — How TO Teach U. S. History 15 — How TO Teach Physiology 16 — How TO Teach Composition i7~How TO Teach Penmanship 18 — How TO Teach Spelling 19 — How to Teach About Fishes 20 — How TO Teach About Trees Latter Copyright, 1900, by E. L. KELLOGG & CO., NEW YORK. SECOND COPY, \ •^ © o Preface. Within the past ten years a great deal of thought has been given to the methods to be employed in teaching a child to read. It has been apparent that while children assuredly have learned to read, (1) that a great number have no pressing desire to employ themselves afterwards in reading. (This has necessarily attracted great atten- tion, for who has ever seen a child that has learned to talk that did not afterwards talk at every opportunity ?) (2) That many children are mentally stunted by the meth- ods employed in teaching them arithmetic is admitted, and this must be true also of those taught to read, for the methods employed are equdly defective. (3) That the directions given for teaching to read have been too gen- eral and vague. (4) That a clear philosophy of the mode by which written language is acquired is not usually pos- sessed by the teacher of children ; a routine is fixed upon and is blindly followed. It is not deemed best to present in this book the men- tal processes by which reading is acquired ; but a knowl- edge of them is believed to have a real value to the primary teacher. (1) There is here a presentation of the GREAT STEPS in the process of learning to read, with the reasons for them. (2) There are methods and apparatus proposed by which the desire for activity, (on which the intellectual salvation of the child depends), can be ration- ally employed in the field of printed words and produce practical results. 4 Teaching to Read. A very simple apparatus to aid in the process of learn- ing to read is proposed and will be found to be invaluable. (See page 6.) It is quite probable that many teachers will think they can teach to read just as well without any apparatus or tools. Let such remember that our present advancement in civilization is mainly due to tools or ap- paratus. What would the Kindergarten be without its apparatus ? An apparatus for teaching to read is just as necessary as are the ball, blocks, etc., in the Kindergar- ten. This has been recognized, and its use has been sys- tematized and adapted so as to be of extensive usefulness. MARKED LETTERS. A few diacritical marks are employed and their use taught ; they are the ones employed in Webster's diction- aries. The meaning of a mark over or under a letter is easily understood by a child as it is taught in this book. (See page 11.) Marked letters are of immense aid in reading. apron gives a ear gives c apple a Qgg - e arm a iron '' 1 awl a • ■ ink " i ox o spoon " oo oats o foot '' oo tube u oil '' oi umbre ;lla u ounce " ou bush u • 3oy " O)^ sing ng owl '' ow gem • g cent '' c General Directions. 1. No book is to be in the hands of the pupil ; the in- struction proposed here is preliminary to the use of a book. 2. The class (of moderate size) is to be seated around a table. 3. As the object is to resid printed words, printed words are to be employed ; not script, or blackboard print, or blackboard script. The whole attention is to be concen- trated on one form of words — the printed form. No capi- tals are to be employed in this first stage, except the capital I. Script may be employed later. There will be two elements in the method employed ; one concerns the arrangement and presentation of the knowledge to be acquired ; the other the personal attitude of the teacher towards the child. FIRST, (1) Employ objects and not a book. (2) Have the words concern life interests. (3) Have the " statements " express the child's thoughts and feelings. (4) Devise many employments (seat work) in visible language. (5) Devise and employ apparatus as will be needed. SECOND. (1) Take a personal interest in the statements of the little reader. (Think of the stimulus derived from the shouts of the onlookers in a base ball game.) 5 6 Teaching to Read. (2) Do not demand advanced thinking and reasoning, for the child has not arrived at a stage of mental develop- ment to employ these. (3) Do not have too many children in the class ; take them in sections if needful, so you may get them close to you. (4) Do not enforce a position of the body which de- mands effort and thought ; for this will diminish the amount to be expended on the reading. Apparatus for Teaching to Read. A careful reading of the principles stated will make it plain to that teach the use of visible language some ap- paratus is needed ; this consists of the following : 1. Twenty objects for each pupil and a box to hold the objects for each. 2. A small box to hold the names of these objects — one for each pupil. 3. Printed words and a box — a " word box " with parti- tions — one for each pupil. (See inside of first cover.) 4. Printed letters in a box — a "letter box" with parti- tions. (See inside of first cover.) 5. " Word-holder " material on cards and books. The " word-holder '' material, mounted on sheets of stiff paper with covers, furnishes employment for the little fingers before they have power to write. The pupils can " set up " words at their seats and at home and bring them for inspection. (See inside of last cover.) 6. Suitable pictures. 7. Objects to be brought in as lamp, glove, etc. Teaching to Read. 7 NOTICE. (1) The names of the objects, (2) the idioms — (sen- tences), (3) the similar words, and (4) the additional words are printed on sheets of stiff cardboard (see appen- dix), and can be cut out by the teacher and furnished to pupils ; other sheets can be purchased of the publishers. The box proposed for each pupil can be made and parti- tions put in by the teacher. The Great Steps in Teaching to Read. The Preliminary Step.— TeacA that things can berepre- sented by words. This is the first of the movements made by the teacher to introduce the child to a knowledge of printed language. This step is usually quickly taken ; most children have arrived at this stage of thought be- fore entering school. It is a foundation step ; on it the mental structure is built/ It is not taught by telling the pupils that things have visible signs. It must be actually shown.* Specific directions will be found under " Typical Lessons." The word *^step" is used to express the mental ad- vancement effected, but it must not be supposed that it will be accomplished by one effort of the pupil ; there must be repetition; but it must be repetition with interest. It may seem to some wholly unnecessary to present ob- jects in order to teach their names ; but it must be remem- bered that the child learned audible signs by means of objects ; it will be the natural way to introduce him to visible signs by using them. * A missionary on one of the Sandwicli Islands wanted a chisel which was at the house ; he wrote, "I want the chisel " on a chip and sent it by a native. The missionary's wife took the chip, read it and Kave the tool. The native was overcome with surprise ; he showed the chip to others and told them what had happened. Thus they took this '' step," 8 First Step. Showing Objects and Teaching Their Names. — The end the teacher has in view in taking this step is to lay a foundation for a knowledge of the powers of the consonants. With this purpose in view, twenty objects are selected whose names begin with consonants ; by seeing and handling the objects and names, and pronouncing the names, the names become "keywords." The pupil will soon pass from the stage of looking at the word "doll" as a name merely; he will conclude (1) that all words beginning with d will begin with the sound with which he begins "doll;" (2) later on, he will learn that wherever d appears it will have the sound it had in "doll." THE TWENTY OBJECTS. The twenty objects here named have been selected as available, inexpensive, of small size and easily put away. The names of these objects will furnish TWENTY " CONSONANT KEY- WORDS." 6all gum lock qmll i;elvet whip cup Aole mat rope wax shoe doll jug nut silk i/ard /an key pen fop dnc On each of these objects a piece of "word-holder" is to be fastened where its printed name is to be inserted. This " word-holder " will be shaped as found on inside of last cover and can be made by the teacher or purchased of the publishers of the book, Messrs, E. L. Kellogg & Co. 10 Teaching to Read. By learning the twenty names of these objects and be- ing able to place the twenty names on these objects readily, the child really begins to read, that is to deal with visible signs of things. He learns the signs by seeing them on the objects ; soon he will recognize them when de- tached. He had before a concept of a ball and an audi- ble sign of that concept. He now has a visible sign for that concept. The ball can be easily made by winding string or yarn ; it need not be over an inch in diameter. The cup may be a tiny dolFs china cup. The doll may be a tiny china figure. The fan may be made by folding stiff manila paper. The gum is readily purchased at all stores and should be kept wrapped in its tinfoil. The hole may be one punched in a card. The jug will be the tiny affair found at all toy stores. The key will be any cheap trunk key. The lock will be cheap trunk or box lock. The mat will be a home-made lamp mat. The nut will be an English walnut, or an almond. The pen, any steel pen. The quill can be obtained in a stationery store. The rope may be a piece a few inches long cut from a clothes line, the ends fastened. The silk, a piece an inch or two square pasted on a card. The top, an ordinary wooden top to be bought in toy stores. The velvet, a piece an inch or two square pasted on a card. The wax, a piece of red sealing wax. The yard, a tape measure a yard long, purchased for Teaching to Read. 1 1 five cents per dozen ; they are often given away at stores. The zinc, a piece an inch square to be got at any tin shop. The whip^ a home-made affair ; one that can be doubled up readily. The shocy a dolFs shoe. It will undoubtedly be thought by many that as read- ing has been taught by means of only a book, the use of objects and other apparatus will be unnecessary. This is an illogical conclusion. The apparatus proposed is in strict accord with the processes by which the child learns naturally to employ signs. The advantages arising from employing it are very great to him. Second Step. Teaching a Number of Short Sentences. — The object of this step is to set the child to thinking with printed words. He has for several years thought in audible language ; he has not only learned to give the name "bread" to an object, but to say "I want bread." He has thus become a thought-using being and must be dealt with on that plane henceforward ; if not, his devel- opment will be arrested. Having learned to know the word "doll" in its printed form he is ready to think about '^ doll" in a printed form. In these sentences the tv/enty "key- words" will be em- ployed. (See Typical Lessons.) A mental step is taken in the appearance of a concept when a printed word is seen ; a further step is taken in the appearance of a thought when a certain collection of printed words is seen. He also learns to make sounds represented by these words so as to cause the concepts to appear in other minds. To think, we join a subject and a predicate. We see a "dog ;" we see him "run;" a mental connection or joining of the two concepts is made, we say " the dog runs." I see the word " man," I see the word " walk" next to it ; the concepts which these represent are mentally connected ; I have the thought "man walks." Thinking is an auto- matic mental process, a joining of concepts. To employ the child in thinking with printed words he is taught 12 Teaching to Read. 13 THIRTY SHORT INCOMPLETE SENTENCES. The following are parts of the most common audible expressions of the child, and hence are selected as a basis of the visible expressions he is to learn. I have it is a I see he has is this my ? does he see ? you have is this your ? does she see ? she has yes, it is do you ? has he ? this is oh see have you ? take where is the ? give me — — may I take ? seethe bring me let me take where is your ? I want the — is on there is that is your the — is by here is-^ — that is John's the — is in I have — and 1. But two or three of these are to be taught at a time. 2. To learn the first, select from the " word-box" the words ^* I have a ball," and put them down where all can see them, at the same time holding out the ball ; point to the words and hold out the ball. (See Typical Lessons.) So employ the twenty names already learned ; these thirty idioms, when completed with the "key words" already learned, will give 600 sentences. 3. About thirty more words are taught by these sentencesc Third Step. Teaching More Words. — As ability to recognize 100 or 150 words is needed before a book is put in the hands of the pupil, about 75 more words will be gradu- ally taught. These will be mainly : (1) Of pupils in the class ; as John. (2) Names of objects seen and handled : as lamp. (3) Names of objects seen or in pictures ; bs ehair, fence. (4) Names of qualities ; as red. (5) Names of actions ; as walk. (6) Some connecting words ; as of. It will not be necessary that each pupil should possess the objects employed in the step, but objects should still be em.ployed. They will handle the '* glove," or see the " lamp/' put its printed nam_e on it and set it aside. (1) This gives a reality to the printed word (nam.e) and takes it out of the mist that tends to surround it ; (2) it immensely aids in learning the word ; it gives great pleasure which is the great end of learning to read and must accompany the process. 2. Common objects brought in. lamp cap wheel pail box bell book glove cloth watch leaf • flower paper sugar mug meat bread cake X4 water milk Teaching to Read. 15 3. Common objects in pictures. chair head girl tree horse foot finger stove cat man hand table trunk dog woman plate boy bird fence wagon 4. ^ Well-known qualities. black blue red orange yellow green white p*arple crimson pink sweet rough big round hard sour smooth little square soft 5. Common actions. run go eat talk strike walk come drink read hop rise smile fall touch cry Bit laugh take look pull 6. Connecting words. in by on and with Learning the Words. To teach the first set of words (names of pupils), pin a piece of *Vord-holder " to the sleeve of each pupil ; in it put the name of the pupil neatly printed. To teach the second and third lists, put a " word-holder *' on each object or picture ; exercise the pupils in putting in the proper words. Some of the fourth list will be objectively taught, the rest exemplifiedo The fifth list will be exemplified. (See the Typical Lessons for methods.) In words of two syllables as paper^ do not use the term "syllable," Bay this word has two parts; and in making the word put it in two parts. Fourth Step. Analyzing the << consonant" key words for the in- itial consonant.— It will be new to the child that ft word can be separated into parts. Analysis is one of the great powers in education ; here it make its appearance in teaching to read. It must be applied with pedagogic sliill. Note that analysis is taken up, not because it has an immediate usefulness which was the case in learning the printed name of an object, (See the Typical Les- sons.) By directing his attention to one element, as the d in " doll," he learns its name (sound) and concludes that all words bsginning with d begin with that sound ; and fur- ther, that wherever d appears it will have the sound it has in *'doll ;'' and, finally, to have the sound of d on his tongue whenever he sees the letter. All of this will come about by skilful teaching= s6 Fifth Step. Teaching 17 Vowel << Keywords." — Here is begun a preparation to overcome one of the great obstacles in learning to read — the several different sounds of each vowel as "a " in "face " and " a " in " fat/' etc. To over- come this, certain words will be taught, which will become "key words." In some of these words the letters will be marked ; then, in all the preliminary reading, these letters will have the same marks. The pupil sees that the a in "apron" has a short line over it ; he knows the sound of this a and concludes that where the a with such a line over it occurs it will have the same sound as in apron, and so of the rest. (See Typical Lessons.) For a use apron For e use ear " a " apple it e « ^gg " a " arm u \ " iron " a " awl • ■ i6 i "ink " " ox ii 00 " spoon " " oats <* 00 " foot " u " umbrella U oi " oil " u " • bush • ii ou " ounce " u " tiibe ii oy " boy " ng" sing ii ow " owl " g " gem if c " cent • 17 Sixth Step. Analyzing the Vowel Key words and Teaching Sound Marks. — Thia is another of the steps in analysis ; it will prepare the pupil to enter the field of words alone. In analyzing the " consonant keywords " there are no marks to be regarded, but there v;ill be marks over or under the vowels. (See Typical Lessons.) Seventh Step. Teaching to Form Visible Words From Sounds » — They have already learned what sound is represented by b and what sound by a ; the teacher will now teach them to combine these. This is the employment of synthe- cis in reading. This is the step that enables the pupil to make words himself. It is the step that was probably taken first by the Egyptians ; carried from Egypt by the Phoenicians, it gave a prodigious impulse to civilization ; Greece felt it in an especial manner. (See Typical Lessons.) 18 Eighth Stepo Teaching to Recognize Resemblances Among Words* — This step applies in reading a power the child already possesses. As before said, the child comes to school with considerable knowledge and considerable mental power. The teacher must avail himself of this knowledge and power. This step brings the printed word before the child as a thing of itself, as an object ; he compares it to another object.* This step will gradually introduce him to 200 new words. Words Resembling the ^^ Consonant Keywords." Special note. These words are not to be learned as were the '* keywords" and '' additional words ;'' they are to be used to train the eye to recognize likeness in words. ball wall call tall fall hall cup sup pup doll pell fan man tan ban can ran gum mum sum hum hole pole dole sole tole mole jug pug mug lug rug hug lock rock sock dock pock hock mat rat hat bat sat cat *To a child, the giraffe is a long. necked tiger, a mule is a long eared horse. Having been taught that a certain bird was a goose, a child called ducks ^^ small geese,'' ^9 20 Teaching to Read. nail pail hail sail nut hut but rut pen hen fen men rope hope mope pope silk milk top hop mop sop wax tax lax yard lard hard whip ship tail wen pop fail ten fop For methods of teaching and using these words. (See Typical Lessons.) Words resembling the "additional words." lamp tamp samp vamp bell sell well tell fell leaf sheaf neat heat peat seat beat cap sap pap book look nook took hook flower glower bread tread dread cake make rake sake take pail bail fail hail mail box fox milk silk foot boot toot root man pan ran hand land sand boy toy fence pence hence head lead finger linger table fable tree free cat hat sat mat pat rail Teaching to Read. 21 dog Jog hog bog cog cap lap map nap pap black stack clack ■ blue flue glue red Ned fed pink mink rink sink link rough tough big pig rig fig gig little tittle round sound found pound hound hard lard yard soft loft kind find bind mind run fun sun tun walk talk balk rise wise set met pet let net go lo no so eat peat heat meat drink prink fall pall ball call take sake bake make rake talk balk calk walk read mead lead book nook hook look took hop pop sop top and sand band land tap wig get For methods of employing these words, see Typical Lessons. Ninth Step. Teaching Regarding Silent Letters and Substitutes. — This step requires good judgment, nice tact, and peda- gogical skill. The usefulness of the diacritical marks is perceived by the adult ; they are of no interest to the child because he cannot see their usefulness. He must learn their use as he learns the use of birthmarks on kittens or chickens, to enable him to make distinctions. Silent letters may be shown by using italic letters, or marking v>ut with a slanting line ; substitutes may be put underneath. In this step the pupil is exercised, (1) in analysis, tak- ing up the elements of words ; (2) in reasoning, using equivalents, a=:b, therefore use 6 in place of a. (See Typical Lessons.) Tenth Step. Teaching to Manage New Words — The child is soon to go out into the field of new and unknown words. He has clues to guide him but does not know wholly how to employ them. Until he has made a good deal of progress (1) the vowels will be marked, (2) substitutes used (see 9th step), (3) silent letters crossed, (4) hyphens used. This step is an employment of all the preceding steps. 22 Typical Lessons. General Suggestions.— 1. The teacher will have the apparatus referred to on page 6 — the words, the objects, the " word-holders," the pictures, and the letters. 2. She should practice until, like the printer, she can read print upsidedown. 3. The number in the class should be limited to six, for it is not easy to hold the attention of a large number of young children. 4. The lesson is not to be over ten minutes in length. 5. Seat the pupils around a table, two opposite, two at the left and two at the right, so they can give their whole selves to the matter in hand. 6. At the first they must be impressed with the feeling that they are to be very happy. Do not attempt to tell them of the importance of learning to read ; they cannot understand that. A clear idea of the entire procedure must be in the teacher's mind ; not only the ten great steps in the process of teaching a child to read, but also the innumerable other little steps, so that the process be- comes an inclined plane rather than a series of steps. (The term steps is rather misleading ; the term seems to imply that after the first step is taken the child takes it no more ; but in reality he takes it over and over. Then again, the teacher in one lesson often employs a part of one step, a part of the next, and so on ; one lesson may thus jnvolve several of the steps.) 33 24 Teaching to Read. So that instead of "steps" it is better to look at the processes as ten different kinds of work ; as ten different parts of a great work. 7. Plan for much seat work with words ; this is to fairly immerse them in visible language. After a lesson of ten minutes at the table, rest them by some physical training, then have some occupation with printed words. Four, six, eight and even ten lessons may be given each day, with rests between. One of the best, and always pleasing, is to give a small picture and let them "set up" a story about it in the word-holder. Encourage this in all ways ; thus printed or visible language becomes as natural as audible language. The "word-holder" books, with the words set up by pupils, may be taken home to show what has been done at school ; they will give occupation at home. Caution. Realize at the outset you are to move from the field of audible words into the field of visible words, and therefore talk as little as possible; let the pupils talk as little as possible ; turn the whole mental force on the printed words. THE TEN STEPS— RECAPITULATED. Having shown that things have visible signs, 1. Show 20 objects and teach names for " consonant key-words." 2. Teach 20 short pattern sentences — " idioms." 3. Teach additional words. 4. Analyze words in step 2 to isolate the initial letter. 5. Teach 17 words for " vowel key-words." 6. Analyze "vowel key- words" and point to sound marks. 7. Teach to make visible words from " sounds." 8. Teach to recognize words from resembling known words. Teaching to Read. 25 9, Teach as to silent letters and substitutes. 10. Teach pronouncing new words. Apparatus for the Reading Class. Teachers may make their own apparatus ; all the words used will be found in the appendix to this book, printed on stiff paper. These may be neatly cut up by the teacher, boxes and word-holders made. If there are ten pupils to learn to read, ten sheets of the words will be neededo These sheets contain. !• The consonant key-words. 2. " idioms. 3. " names of common objects. 4. " vowel key-words. 5. " resembling words. The names of the pupils in the class will be printed on cards of the same width as the other words, this can be done by each teacher. First Lesson. PRELIMINARY STEP. To Unfold that Things have Visible Signs or Names. Teacher. — How pleasant it is to be here around this table. We are going to have a nice time. In that box are five things ; John, you may open it ; I will not look ; on each is a card ; you may take out the card and give it to me. I can tell by looking at the card which of the five things you took it from. You took it from the orange. How do you suppose I know ? Because this card has the word *' orange" on it. Hand me another card. You took that from the block. Taking the orange the teacher asks : What is this ? "An orange." But its name can be printed ; see, this is its printed name. You can learn to tell its printed name. This will exhibit the aim and method of the first les- sons. The object will be to impress the idea that the name of an object can be written or printed as well as spoken. The thought may be presented in several ways objectively. 36 Second Lesson. FIRST STEP. Objects Represented by Words — On page 6 twenty objects were proposed as available to impress twentj^ words easily upon the memory. Each pupil will have a set cf these objects. Each object has a piece of the word-holder pasted to it to hold its name. The teacher presents but one object at a time ; shows how the name can be taken out and put back. Teacher. — (Giving the pupil an object.) What is this ? "A ball." Yes, here is its printed name. I will put the printed name on the ball. Other objects will be shown and their printed names exhibited. The pupil then takes the K)bject and its printed name and joins them. The names are removed and he joins them again and again. Teacher. — Here is a tiny "cup" for each ; there is its name. You may take the name out. Turn the names over and shuffle them about. Now turn them back. Who can put the right name on the cup ? Here is a " doll" for each ; there is its name, you may take it out ; take out the names of the ball and the cup. Shake them in your hands. Who can put the right name on the doll? on the cup? on the ball ? SEAT WORK. Giving the pupils as many objects as the teacher thinks best with their names, they go to their seats and affix the names ; they are removed, shuffled together and affixed again. The pupils should have a box and be taught to put the objects neatly in it and to care for them. 97 Third and Fourth and Other Lessons. FIRST STZ?. Succeeding lessons will introduce the remaining ol>- jects ; the lessons will be short — not ever ten minutes in length. Avoid wearying the chDdren. A great deal will have been accomplished when the pupil can look at the twenty printed cards and pronounce the words on them. Having handled the object, having put the name on it, he has a clear understanding of irhat the word means; it is not a misty som.ething, it is a real thing ; by handling the object and speaking and handling its name his comprehension is made up of tactual, visual and audible elements. Note. — It is weU in pronouncing tie words ball, doU, etc., to dwell on the initial ccnsonant. SEAT WORK. Objective work with words is wholly indispensable for many pupils. A few, probably, inheriting an aptitude, will remember the word from seeing it once, but the majority need bodily impressions ; this they obtain by handling ths wori At their seats the pupils can take off the namea, put them in a heap ; then, picking up an object, they select its name and slip it in the *^ word-holder." The teacher can devise many games with the object.^ and words. She holds up the "top," for example, and they hold up the name, etc. 28 Seventh and Eighth Lessons. Thinking with Visible Words. — The teacher having parts of certain sentences printed on cards takes the ball in her hand and says. *' I have the ball." Then she takes the doll and says. " I have the doll." She puts the ball into John's hand. " What can you say ? " ^'I have the ball." But this is a use of audible words to express a familiar thought. Her effort is to teach them to employ visible words to express this thought. She selects the words "^^I have" and putg them in the word-holder, and adds the word ball. "Look at that ; that says *I have the ball.'" She takes out the word "ball" and taking the "doll" in her hand asks, "What can I say now ?" "I have the doll." "Yes, now I put the word 'doll' in the word-holder. Look at it ; what do the words say ?" The pupils catch the idea; the words "I have" are given to each of them ; they put them in the word-holder. The teacher asks each to take the" key," for example, in his hand. "Now find the right word and put it in the word-holder. What do the words say ?" " I have the key," etc. SEAT WORK. The pupils take the idiom "I have" to their seats, and after some physical exercise, busy themselves with putting in words to complete the thought. They are allowed when each word is placed to say aloud the sentence formed. 29 Ninth Lesson. Another Idiom. — The next idiom to be taught will be ** Where 13 ?" This the teacher undertakes to shad- ow by action. They are assembled and she looks in one place and then in another. " What would I say if I should speak ? " ''Where is something?" "Yes, here are the words 'Where is.' Put them in your 'word-holder; each may put in a word. John^ what is yours ? " "Where is a doll." "What isyour'sMary?" "Where is a top." It is not best to undertake all the idioms proposed in this step before proceeding to the next. The twenty idi- oms may be divided into four parts; first teach these four. I have . Where is ? Here is . See the . SEAT WORK. It is a law of childhood not to give the attention to one thing but for a short time. Do not, therefore, let them go from their lessons to their seats and continue word- work; interpose something different for ten or fifteen minutes. Then by various devices interest them in look- ing at and handling printed v/ords. For exan:ple, let some one take the words belonging to the twenty objects and put them on the objects at haphazard and let the pu- pil rectify any errors. Do not make the use of printed words distasteful. 30 Tenth Lesson. THIRD STEP. To Increase the Vocabulary of Visible Words. — Having taught four idioms the teacher will begin the teaching of the seventy-five to eighty words additional to the key-words. (See page 14.) After teaching ten of these teach four more idioms ; then ten more words. Use objects. — The teacher will bring in these ten ob- jects : a lamp a glove a bell a pail a cap a tube a book a box a wheel a shoe The wheel will be supplied by one of the boys ; the tube can be borrowed at a tinshop, use a toy pail and infant's shoe. The teacher will place the printed name "lamp" beside the object and so of the rest and then ask : "Who can do that ?" Picking up the cards she hands them to a pupil who makes a trial. Eleventh Lesson. SECOND AND THIRD STEPS. The pupils will employ themselves on the idioms and the new words. The process will be substantially this : Each pupil will have a stout card four or five inches square on which some "word-holder" has been pasted. Each will select an idiom, as "I have," and add a word, as "lamp." The teacher examines the sentence; the pupil reads the words and points to the object or handles it to assure the teacher that he understands. This is a very pleasing occupation. Twelfth Lesson, SECOND STEP. Four More Idioms — Teach next the idioms He has . Here is . You have . Give me . John holds a shoe in his hand. "What can you say ? Tell me." If he hesitates the teacher will say : " He has a shoe" and give them the words "he has." The teacher may give them exercises in describing (1) her acts. She may strike on the table,~-they will say, "you strike," "walk on the floor," "look at a book," etc. (2) Or they may describe the acts of a pupil who will whistle, sing, etc. But these are not to be put into writ- ten form. They are for general educative purposes. 32 Thirteenth Lesson. SECOND AND THIRD STEPS. The four idioms of the seventh lesson and the ten words in the tenth lesson will be learned by some groups of pupils very quickly ; but it may be that more than three lessons will be needed. Observe the rule not to ad- vance if there is doubt and darkness ; let a clear light be on their path. Go over the words and idioms learned in new ways. Lay the ten words on the table face down. Get the attention ; turn over one quickly and let the pupils name the word. Place all the objects on the table and lay the cards in- discriminately on them. Ask : " Who will place the cards correctly ? " PLAYING WITH PPJNTED WORDS. 1. Supposing the thirty words have been learned, the teacher will put down a picture of a boy ; they put beside it the word ^'boy." In a similar way this entire list will be employed. boy bird table cat dog trunk girl horse wagon man woman stove house tree chair 2. The pupil puts down a picture and she selects the name. Ail this is done to make visible words perfectly intel- ligible, and to familiarize them with them. SEAT WORK. They will place the right word next or upon the pic- ture. 33 Fifteenth Lesson. FOURTH STEP. Analysis. — Looking forward the teacher puts some of the twenty objects before her, and, forming her mouth to say '^fan," asks: "Who can tell which one I am going to pick up ? Look at my lips.'* By similar exercises their attention is turned to the first element of the "consonant key words." She proposes that a pupil shall attempt to utter a word and tells him which it is. He starts to utter "ball,'' for example; having formed his lips to utter 5, she says, " you were going to say " ball." Thus all the twenty "key words" come up for partial phonic analysis, — only the first element is separated. A further step is to lay down the word "fan" and while she dwells on the "f," to point to "f" and say, "that is the sound of that letter," and so of the rest. A further step is to point to the "f" and ask, "What sound has that ?" and so of the rest. Sixteenth Lesson. SECOND STEP. Idioms. — These idioms are studied : I want . Bring me . It is . Have you ? Put down the idiom "I want," and a word as "doll," and let a pupil take this up and put down a word as "wheel," and read it. Give each the idiom and let each construct sentences, 34 Seventeenth Lesson. FIFTH STEP. Vowel key -words. — The teacher desires to teach the following list of words and will bring objects and pictures; to teach "arm," "ear," and "foot" she will draw upon the pupils themselves. apron apple arm awl ox oats umbrella bush tube sing gem ear iron ink spoon foot oil ounce boy ow l cent THE OBJECTS. To teach "apron" use a child's apron, pinning a "word- holder" to it. To teach "arm" use a pupil's arm ; so with "ear" and "foot." To teach "ink" put some ink in a small clear glass bottle ; on this fasten a "word-holder." So proceed with "oats" and "oil." as 36 Teaching to Read. To teach *'ox" use a picture on a stiff card; to this fasten a ''word-holder." So with "bush." To teach ''tube" use a piece of paper rolled into a tube. To teach "ounce" use a piece of lead that is shaped like an ounce weight, in which "1 oz." is cut ; the matter will be explained to the pupil ; an ounce weight may be borrov/ed. Note that the short sounds of the vowels are unmarked. The pupils will not need these objects permanently, nor to own a set as in the case of the objects represented by "consonant key-words." Each should handle each object, put the proper word in the "word-holder," and thus be impressed that a reality is represented by each word. After a few lessons they will be able to deal with the word intelligently when the object is absent. The objects may be wholly in the possession of the teacher. Only one set will be needed. THB METHOD. The teacher takes up the "apron," for example, and shows the word "apron," she fastens a piece of "word- holder " to it and gives each the word ; and so proceeds with the rest. Then the words are taken away and put on the table ; the teacher then shows the "apron" and asks for the proper word to go in the " word-holders." Then one shows the "apron" and asks for the proper word to go in the "word-holder." Nothing is said about the diacritical marks until the words are perfectly learned ; this being accomplished she makes that a SUB-STEP OF THE FIFTH STEP. The teacher putting down the word Spron says : *'Look at that first letter; what do you see over the Teaching to Read. 37 a? Is there not a 'flat cap' over the a in your word? Say the word 'apron' three times. How do you begin that word?" "You may lay down the word ear. Tell me about that word." "It has a flat cap too." "Yes, over the e ; say that word three times. How do you begin that word ?" "You may lay down the word ITOn. Tell me about that." "It has a flat cap too." "Yes, over the i. Say that word three times. How do you begin it." "Put down the word oatS. Tell me about that." " It has a flat cap too." Yes, over the o. How do you begin it. S^y it three times." "Put down the word tubc. Tell us about that." "It has a flat cap too." "Yes, over the u. You may say that three times. How do you begin it ?" It will not be necessary nor wise to spend time in talk- ing about the sounds at this stage. Pointing out the "flat cap" and giving the sound, and causing the mind to asso- ciate the form and sounds is the correct thing to do at this stage of the child's knowledge. He will soon catch the idea that whenever the flat cap appears the a under it is to have the same sound it has in ^'apronJ^ And so of the others. The teacher must exalt the word in the child^a mind; that causes it to become a "key- word," Eighteenth Lesson. SIXTH STEP. Analyzing the vowel key- words. — The teacher de- signs the vowel key-words for a special purpose. She wants her pupils to know that the a in "apron," the a in '''arm" have different sounds. They give them different sounds but do not know it ; nor do they really know they are using an a. They have only analyzed the consonant key- words enough to know that "f" in "fan" has a peculiar sound and what that sound is, and so of the rest. It is not best to tell them that a has four sounds; that would be a mistake. Holding: up the "apron" she asks them to put down its name. "Look at me when I say 'apron.' Now put down the word ' apple.' Look at me when I say 'apple.'" She thus arouses the idea in their minds of a difference between the sound of a in "apron" and the a in "apple." In future lessons she v\al] develop this, now dim percep- tion of a difference, into the power to separate the a in each of these words and give its phonic name. Just now she is satisfied to have planted the seed of a knowledge of the different sounds possessed by the same letter. Taking_up each of these words, she gives the first sound as a and asks "What word am I going to say ?" "Apron." "There is a word with this sound in it — U. What word is that?" "Bush." So she proceeds with the others. 3« Teaching to Read. 39 These exercises train their ears and inform them that certain letters have certain sounds, and that certain sounds are represented by certain letters. (This state- ment they cannot understand in this form and the teacher does not try to have them.) Nineteenth Lesson. THIRD STEP. Idioms. — The teacher takes the up remainder of the twenty idioms. Has he ? The is on the . The is by the . The is in the . She gives a boy a book and asks : *^ Has he a book ? What did I say?" ^^Hasheabook"? *^Now see me say it with printed words," laying down the words, "Has he a book?" You may put down these words." When this is done, she takes away the word *'book" and says, ''What other word ean we put there ?" The pupil suggests " dog." "That is good, put that word down ; read it. Now each of you may select a word and put in the place of ' dog/ What is yours, Henry ? What is yours, Mary ? " She puts the "zinc" on the "ball" and says: "The zinc is on the bail." Now see me say it with printed words. She places the words and they imitate her. "That is real nice. Now take off the 'zinc' and put the word away. Henry, put something else on the ' ball ' and see if you can say it." Henry puts the "pen" on the "ball," and puts the ^.Tord "pen" in the sentence and reads it. Twentieth and Other Lessons. THIRD STEP. Additional words. — Several lessons will be given to introduce the words on page 10 into idioms. Caution. — Do not go too fast ; do not make learning to read a burden. Show either the objects of their pic- tures and then the word. In the case of colors, show a piece of black paper or silk and then the word ; thus introduce it ; let the pupil see something "black" and handle the term "black." So exemplify "red." "Hear these words, *I have a black paper.' Show me those words." So of "red," "blue," "green." In this way introduce a few new words, usually four at a lesson. Then review the work already presented. (a) Take up the consonant "key-words." Put down one after another quickly and let them name them. (b) Take up the vowel "key- words" in the same man- ner. (c) Take up the additional words in the same manner. (d) Take up the idioms. (e) Take up the consonant "key- words" and practice on the sound of the consonants thus : Holding a word as *'key" in the hand say, "Who can tell what word I have — saying k-k-k repeatedly. Do this with all the consonant " key-words." It draws attention to an element — applies analysis to words. 41 Twenty-Fifth Lesson. FOURTH STEP. Analysis of the consonant key-words. — The analysis of the consonant *' key-words" has already been begun ; now another step is to be taken. The teacher, holding the word ''ball " in her hand, asks some one to tell her what word she has, uttering b-M, over and over. You have ''ball." "Yes, you knew that because I made the first sound in "ball." What is that sound ? They give b-b-b. This is an important step. It is a step in phonic analysis. The teacher puts down the letter b and the word "all," and then pushes the b away at the distance of a quarter of an inch, at the same time saying 6-aZ/, which they imi- tate. In a similar way she will take up each of the consonant " key-words," but not all in one lesson. The pupils from this catch the idea that each of the con- sonanti has a sound. The teacher impresses this idea by saying b-all, etc., which they imitate. They catch the idea that the word " ball " is not a solid thing, but may be split into pieces — that one of these is b. The separation of 6 from all (b — all) decidedly helps the pupil to separate the b from the all in sounding these parts. d3 Twenty-Sixth Lesson. SIXTH STEP. Analysis of vowel key- words — The analysis of the vowel " key-words'' has already been begun ; now another step is taken. The teacher taking the word "apron" in her hand asks some one to tell her what word she has, uttering a-S-a? over and over, dwelling on the a- You have " apron/' ''Yes, you know that because you heard the a soundo What is that sound ? " They give a-a-a. The teacher puts down the word a-pron — separates the a from the other letters — thus a-pron and then pronounces it, putting a stress on a ; this they imitate. In a similar way she takes up ''ear," "iron," "oats," and "tube." The other vowel "key- words" are taken up at other lessons. The teacher must bear in mind that pho- nic analysis is the difficult part of teaching to read, and proceed with great care, patience, and ingenuity. 413 Twenty-Seventh Lesson. SEVENTH STEP. To synthesize vowels and consonants. — The teacher lays down b. "What sound has it?" She waits for them ; if they hesitate she says 6-6-6, over and over. She puts down a and waits for them ; if they hesitate she says a-a"a., over and over. Placing them aninch apart she points to one and says 6 / pointing to the other she says a ; this she does several times, they imitating. Moving them nearer to each other she continues to give the sound of each ; when close b-a is spoken as one word. Putting down another 6 she says : " Give the sound." Then she puts down Q, at the distance of an inch to the right ; if they hesitate she says e-C'C and they imitate. She pushes the letters nearer, saying the sounds 6-e ; 6-e, over and over, lessening the distance until the sounds are joined as in be. Thus she proceeds with i"6-U- This reveals a clue to them for pronouncing words,— the great problem for the child who is learning to read. At later periods she will show how to write 6 with a, e, i, 0, u. Then she will proceed to b-a-n; b-e-n. All the vowels shQ uses will be marked except those having short sounds. Here will be seen the importance of having trained them to dwell on the initial consonant in the consonant key-words. Also of the value of the employment of dia- critical marks when the words aprOIl ear, etc., were first given. 44 Teaching to Read. 45 The entire lesson should not be taken up with teaching to unite sounds, because it is the difficult point in teach- ing to read. Parts of several lessons will be needed be- fore they can write the letters b-i-t, b-e-t, etc. In most of these combinations the child finds no objective thing represented. It is merely an exercise in combining sounds ; phonic gymnastics. Having done enough in synthesis to have them get the idea of combining the sounds of the letters, work on the other steps will be taken up. Twenty-Eighth and Other Lessons, EIGHTH STEP. Words Taught by Analogy-— The teacher puts down the word *^fan;" she takes up the/ and puts a i in its place. " What is it now ? " (TaUo) She takes up the t and puts an m in its place. " What is it now ? " (Man.) She now tells them to put down the word fan, and un- der it "tan," ''man/' etc., and calls attention to their re- semblance to "fan." Then " hole " is put down and the h taken up ; if no one suggests a letter the teacher puts down Q,p; some talk follows. Then the p is taken up ; if no letter is sug- gested she puts an m down. Then "mat" is put down and a similar process is followed. Thus they learn (1) of the similarity of words (2) by knowing how "mat" is pronounced, they know without trying how " rat " is pronounced. (3) They begin to give attention to the form of words — they are really learning to spell. This will be a pleasing occupation. The idea which the teacher wishes them to catch is (1) that some words are very much alike, just the same except the first letter; also (2) to train the eye to note the differences in words — the important thing in spelling. In this way the attention is called to the forms of words. This step will be taken up with the others in succeeding lessons. 46 Thirtieth Lesson, EIGHTH STEP. Drilling on Word-Forms.— Most of the words learned up to this time can be used to suggest other words differ- ing from them in the initial letter. These words are not to be learned (memorized) as was "doll," "arm," etc., for the reason that no use can be made of them as yet. They are to be used to drill with, but too much drill must be avoided. This exercise should take the form of play ; it is a sort of baseball with letters ; it causes nimbleness in pro- nouncing. Put down "ball," for example, and then taking away the 6 quickly put down the A, and demand the name of the new word at once. Rightly managed this is an ex- cellent exercise. 47 Thirty-First Lesson. NINTH STEP. Diacritical Marks. — Diacritical marks were begun in the sixth step ; they have appeared in all the lessons after that step. The *' flat cap " over the five vowels has been referred to. This has served to give the pupil the idea that a mark over vowels is to be looked for ; that it has importance. ''The 'flat cap ' over an a tells you the sound is — (the teacher gives a long)." The rest are shown in a similar manner. The teacher takes up the "vowel key- words," now they have become familiar with the marks over the vowel, to show them that these marks have a meaning. Having the word apTOIl before them she asks : " How do you begin aprOll.^ Say it three times. How do you be- gin arm ? Say it three times." Thus all the "vowel keywords" are taken up. A further step. She puts down laCC (the a is marked). " See the flat cap over the a ; tell me how that sounds. Yes." If this is made clear in this word they will "catch the idea" and be able to sound the word paCC, raCG, etc. And in a similar way the sounds of the other vowels will be taken up. A part of every lesson will be the preparation for Seat Work. At their seats the pupils will express themselves by using printed words, either filling out idioms, or inventing sentences. It will be a good plan to put all the idioms on a large sheet of manila paper and suspend it where it can be seen. This is an exercise in spelling 48 Thirty-Second Lesson. NINTH STEP. Teaching About Silent Letters. — The teacher puts down such a word as pail." "We don't use the i in this word ; we say pa-l not pa-11, that is the reason we use another kind of i; it is a silent i, that is, it is not sounded." She puts down the word hail. "We do not sound the i in this word. Do we say ha-ll .'^ No. That i is a silent i." She illustrates the idea in "home," "pipe," etc. (The final e is usually silent, but they need not be told this ; they will see it and thus know it.) 49 (< Thirty-Third and Other Lessons. NINTH STEP. Use of Substitutes.— The teacher gives the sentence, John has a book." Read it. See, I put a z under the «, because you say Kaz. When you see a letter under another, then you know you are to use the one underneath. She gives further illustrations. The teacher puts down ''John walked.'' "You say 'wakt,'so I put the letters Wakt after — John walked, (wakt)." She puts down " John talked" (takt), and proceeds in a similar manner. A^ofe. — Let the teacher proceed here with the greatest care as this is one of the difficult things in teaching reading. Do not attempt to be exhaustive ; only bring up such words as the pupil is to use now, not next year. " Sufficient unto the day are the difficulties thereof." It is quite possible it will not be best to introduce this second class of words until books are taken up. A SUMMARY OF PwESULTS. The teacher's main aim is to give the pupil power to natne the words he sees. The steps taken have aimed to reach this end naturally, gradually, and surely. By employing them the pupil has learned : (1) That an object, as ''doll," is represented by a vis- ible word. (2) That the word '' doll " begins with a certain sounds a d sound. Teaching to Read. 51 (3) That all words beginning with d begin with the same sound that '* doll " does, (4) That d everywhere has the sound it has in " doll." (5) That the sound of other letters is shown by marks over or under them (except short vowels). (6) That combinations have the same sound in all places, as all in "ball," "tall." (7) That some letters of words are silent, as I in "doll." (8) That sometimes a different letter is needed than is really employed, as z instead of s in " has." (9) That many words have two or more parts, as pa-per. The first five of these points will be made clear by suitable lessons founded on the keywords . ' The sixth will be made clear by drills on the resem- bling words — See page 62. The seventh is learned by its being pointed out by the teacher; after experience the pupil finds a uniformity prevails in this matter : (1) one I is marked silent in " doll ;" he will conclude it will be in ball, fall, etc. (2) The e is marked silent in "face ;" he will conclude it will be in "pine," " time " — in all words where it is at the end. The eighth touches the edge of the difficulty the pupil is to encounter in employing written language. Hence the importance of his using letters, of forming words out of letters with his hands. The seventh and eighth will be of importance in his voyages among new words. The ninth has been exemplified by using a hyphen in all cases where there were two syllables. The teacher will not use the terms " syllable " or " hy- phen." She will say, " That word has two parts. Some words have two parts, don't they?" Later when the 52 Teaching to Read. word "walking" is used the teacher will give the word "playing," asking where the "joining mark" is to be put. Thu3 the idea will arise that a hyphen precedes ing. Do not teach a rule concerning the "finale," or "in^r." The pupil has not arrived at the rule-learning stage yet, but he is in a stage where he can draw some conclusions. Training to Name Words at Sight. TENTH STEP. In each lesson after the key- words have been learned, there must be a little time spent in naming words at sight. In teaching to read, as in teaching to play cro- quet, there must be " drill." The great point is to make the "drill" interesting and profitable. It is important that the pupil attack the word at sight — does not study over it. He must, in the beginning, acquire the habit of "see and say." SINGLE INITIAL CONSONANTS. Show the word " ball," take away the b and interest them to see what you will substitute ; quickly put w and let all shout the word "wall. There must be animation ; it must be made play. In a similar way proceed with "call," "tall," etc. The object is to give the pupil power to name these words instantly at sight ; this habit will follow him in all his after reading. DOUBLE CONSONANT INITIALS. It is noted by teachers that pupils often find it difiicult to start off with words that begin with two consonants. There are only about twenty such combinations ; the teacher will need to drill the pupil upon these as in the case where the word began with one consonant. *bl, *br. blame bland bleak blend blind blink hlow breed blue brace brass bread brine brink broke brow bring Those with a * have been exemplified in the third step, so that only five or six remain to be learned* S3 54 Teaching to Read. *ch, cl, *cr. change chance cheese chest chime chin churl claim clam clean clef clim6 clif/ cloak clot club crape cram creak crest crane crop crust *dr cry drape drat dream dreg drone drip drop *fl,fr. drunk flame flax fleece fleck mght flip float flap flute flux frame frank free fret fright Mil froze frog *gl, *gr. glaze glass glean glen glide glit-ter gloam gloss glue glum graze grass green grelZ grind grin grown gross grub pi, *pr. plate plat pleat plot plum.e plus pray prank probe prong prime prink prune s 5h, sk, si, *sm, sn, sf ), *sq, ^^st, *sw. shame shalZ sheaf shelZ shine ship shone shop shut skilZ skulZ • slate slat sleep slept slime slink slope slot slut Teaching to Read. 55 o smack smear smelZ smith smut snap snefr snipe snip snot(7 snob square snub squalZ squib th. thane than then *tr. thin their trade tripe trip trade truth trod triisa try *wh. whale what wheel wr. whelp wrap • TRIPLE CONSONANT INITIALS. spr. spray sprat sprite str. sprint strait straw street thr. strut thread thrust through thine UTTERING DOUBLE CONSONANT INITIALS. The teacher shows a piece of blue paper or cloth ; they compose '' blue." " How does it begin? Say it three times" (bl-bl-bl). "Put down Ur The teacher adds a. "Say that." She takes up the a and puts down C. " Say that." Then long i is given ; then long u. Then hr is taken in the same way, and so of the rest : el, eh, cr, etc. The other vowels are added ; it becomes a drill on the bl, with the vowel to help. Next the table i3 taken in hand. The teacher places 56 Teaching to Read. " blame " on the blackboard, putting a " flat cap " on the a and crossing out the 6, and they " say " its name ; and so of the rest ; a few at a time. Note. — The power to combine these consonants will not be needed at this point, but will be when the field of new words is entered upon. To read, the pupil must "see and say" at once; to give power to do this the'teacher drills to utter at sight single and double consonant combinations. Beginning to Read. A class of pupils may receive several short lessons like those suggested each day ; as language is objectively presented they will not be mentally fatigued if employed in a class eight times, each exercise being not more than ten minutes in length. A good foundation will be laid by taking the course outlined in the ten steps for under- taking reading. The pupils will now be able to proceed somewhat systematically. SUGGESTED LESSONS. The teacher presents a "ball" and a "box" and gives sentences like these which they read ; or she asks pupils for sentences which they "set up." Suppose one pro- duces No. 1, they all read it ; then they read that pro- duced by No. 2. Here will be seen the value of small classes ; all can see what each " sets up." These lessons employ the "idioms" and the words they have learned ; several hundred sentences can be formed. It is a ball. I see the ball. Do you see the ball ? Where is the ball ? It is on the box. Have you a ball ? Yes, I have a ball. Oh, see the ball. Who has the ball ? Who has the box ? Give me the ball. Give me the box. Put the box on the ball. S7 58 Teaching to Read. The teacher presents a "cup" and gives sentences like these, or they compose them. Here is a cup. Do you see the cup ? The cup is by the ball. Have you a cup ? Put the cup on the box. Put the ball in the cup. I want the cup. John wants the cup. In this reading as few spoken words are used as pos- sible. The cup is placed on the box and a pupil selects and sets up such words as he chooses and the rest see them; they speak them ; this is reading. USE OF SCRIPT. Having got the pupils on their feet, so to speak, the teacher may use the blackboard, still presenting objects, using diacritical marks, the hyphen, substitutes, and crossing out silent letters. She will take as '* subjects" from three exercises: — 1. The objects named by the consonant key-words. Appendix A. 2. The objects named by the vowel key-words. Ap- pendix B. 3. The common objects. Appendix C. The two examples just given will show the kind of sentences to write. The pupils may next be allowed to use a suitable primer or reader ; but only in the class. But far better than the reader will be cards on which suitable sentences are printed about objects that are before them, as lamp, glove, etc. On these and in the primer the vowels should be marked. For seat work they will still use the words and Teaching to Read. 59 letters found in the word box and letter box. In using a reader or the cards there should be a drill on new words before reading is attempted. If there is halting on a word the teacher should not fret or scold, or say, "Spell it." 1. She should be sure the powers of the consonants and vowels are known. If not, turn to the key-words and work upon them. (See App. A. & C.) 2. See that the vowels are properly marked. 3. That substitutes are put underneath. 4. That silent letters are marked out. 5. That the syllables are indicated — this may be lone by a perpendicular line if there is no hyphen, as '*'pep | per." 6. A number of words will be presented with out anal- ysis — such as the, my, and. 7. Some irregular words must berespelled, laugh (laf), tough (tuf), cough (cof), dipped (dipt), locked (lokt), laughed (laft). 8. A number of words will take u iunder them but need to have that sound modified by the teacher^s voice ; as in her, bird, firm, third, girl, veil. 9. In a number of words in which a is followed by r the a has a slightly different sound from the a in "apple" because of the r, as in bare, dare, chair, there. These points are referred to here to urge the teacher not to increase the number of diacritical marks ; the minute differences will be learned by the ear and not the eye. The ten steps properly taken should lead the pupil to venture out quite boldly into the sea of words before him ; if those words are properly chosen and properly marked. Suppose "through" is to be one of the new words ; the teacher puts u under the last four letters and asks them to "say the word." If they hesitate, let 60 Teaching to Read. her turn back to the word " thread," and drill rightly upon it. No scolding, fretting, or reasoning is needed. If there is trouble with this there will be with other con- sonants. There has been a neglect of associating sounds with forms. Appendix of Words. (A) The Consonant Key- Words. 6all cup doll /an ^um Aole jug key look mat nut j?en quill rope silk fop i;elvet t^ax j/ard ;2;inc whip shoe fAread (B) Incomplete Sentences. (Idioms.) I have He has Take the He has Have you ? Let me You have May I ? Here is She has Does he see ? Oh see — — I want Does she see ? See . That is Do you see^ ? I see That is your Where is — — ? I have a— and a- It is a Is this my ? There is a Yes, it is a The — is by the — The — is on the- This is a The — is in the — The — is by the- (C) Common Objects. (Brought in.) lamp cap wheel pail box bell book glove tube watch leaf flow-er pa-per sug-ar mug meat bread cake wat-er milk Common Objects. (In pictures.) chair head girl tree horse foot fin-ger stove cat man hand ta-ble trunk dog wom-an plate boy bird fence wag-on Weil-Known Qualities, black blue red or-ange yel-low green white pur-ple crim-son pink sweet rough big round hard sour smooth lit-tle square soft 6i 62 Teaching to Read. Common Actions. run go eat talk strike walk come drink read hop rise smile fall touch cry sit laugh take look pull (D) The Vowel Key- Words. (ip-ron ear t-ron oats tube ap-ple egg ink ox i^m-breUa arm foot oil bush awl spoon ounce Resembling Words. Note Specially. These words are not to be learned like those in Appendices B and C, they are to be used to train the eye to see the likeness in them to other words already known and from this be enabled to pronounce them. See page 19. (1) Resembling the Consonant Key- Words. ball wall call fall aU cent tent went sent bent doll poll fan pan tan ban ran gum mum sum hum rum hole pole dole sole mole jug pug mug rug hug lock rock sock dock hock mat rat hat cat bat nut hut but cut nit pen hen fen ten men rope hope mope pope lope silk milk top hop mop sop pop wax lax t^ax whip ship Teaching to Read. 63 (2) Resembling the Vowel Key- Words, «rm farm harm warm awl bawl pawl ear tear near fear year ^gg beg peg leg ink wink link rink sink oats boats goats ox box fox Ml bi^U pull oil boil toil foil soil spoon loon noon soon moon ounce bounce (3) Resembling the ! Additional Words. lamp samp vamp bill sill will till fill leaf sheaf meat heat peat seat beat cup sup pup book look nook took hook flower glower * bread thread dread cake make rake sake take pail bail fail hail mail milk silk box fox foot root soot man pan ran can tan hand land sand boy toy fence pence hence head lead finger linger black slack clack 64 Teaching to Read. blue flue glue red Ned fed bed pink mink rink sink link rough tough big pig rig fig gig little tittle round sound found pound hound hard lard yard soft loft kind find mind bind wind run fun sun bun dun walk talk balk rise wise set net pet let met go lo so ho no eat peat heat neat feat drink prink fuU pull bull take sake bake rake make talk balk calk walk read mead lead look nook hook took hop pop mop top fop cry fry try puU bull full end send lend bend wig yet 3.219 r