Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1868-12-24
NO 81.

them. To this objection it is only nec-
essary to say, if we are convinced that
we gain by using TIE written method,
we have on!, to establish the custom,
and it will become IS necessary to have
. slate and pencil, a. it has been to
have 9 spelling book. To the second
objection it is enough to say that COM
parative quiet may be secured by a
thorough teacher, and in the beginners
even, such q spirit Of emulation may
be excited, that but short time will
change their rude, crooked marks. into
shapely letters.
This much at least should be done
with the most juvenile spoilers. They
should be required to write, or sprint
each word OF the lesson on their states,
before coming to the class. and if the
teseher will display the letters of the
alphabet on the blackboard If there
are no charts which can be used for
the purpose-it will soon be found that
the roughness in writing, and consc.
quently, the perpleyity OF correcting,
is fast giving way. The lesson must
| be short. to make sure OF the child :
being able to get through it, and the
writing will deta;n him long enough
on each word to learn to spell it.
| But We will not detain long on prl-
mary spelling. We go to pupils of q
medium grade. Here our ideas will
be best conveyed by describing les
son The teacher assigns 50 many
words, and when the time comes for
preparing the spelling lesson, each nts-
pll takes up his speller, slste and pea.
Gil, writes ont each word ~ he hn.is 1t
in his book, dividing it into syllables,
ann il he wants further study upon it.
studies 1t from his slate alone. WI en-
l Soe" w it'HatiSH' tHe clts> pfHig
their states and pencils only. After
exam n'ng, to see that each slate is free
from any part OF the lesson, the teach
| er pronounces each word, distinctly.
pansing for moment, that al! NAV
write it. When the lesson has been
written III this way. a slate may be tax.
en- from the head of the class and hand.
ed to the foot: leaving room for =
change Of states throughout the class,
so that no pupil has his own, to cor.
rect. The tea her may then spell each
word from the book, or designate some
one in the class to spell from the slate
he holds, the teacher correcting, at the
time, any errors in the spelliny. Each
pupil watches and affixes mark to any
misspelied words, which occur on the
slate he holds. It is important that
the teacher should Examine the correc.
tions, that no injustice is done any one
and also Is it important, that the mis-
soelled words are Immediately learned.
This exercise interests and employs az
at once, besides avoiding much OF tie
monotonv OF spelling.
An Improvement may be made on
this plan. by requiring the children to
make their own spelling lessons, from
few letters which are given them. :. D.
give them the word old, and requir.
! them to bring ten or more words, con
tanning this word in some part OF each
Tue lesson comes easily; Geld, fold, hold
he!.1.r, gold. golden, sco1a, scoIi;ng, sold.
thresAold, forstoa cnfoM, bsho'I. and could
be carried much farther if required
Or we take word, tor example aqs.
and require them to prefix syllshles or
words, until they have made a certain
number of words 5efte' st,N-as
many as they can find, and the lesson
comes; courage, postage, maaaSs, r,Ntoge
exp,essaae, cotfage, tonnage, carriage, &c
If in addition to this We u,ow them
to either prefix or affix, or 10Th, they
have wider range Of words, and out of
age. they bring manager, management, and
~'smaginy, and to almost all these words
they will both prefix and afiix and will
collect a list which would surprise vou.
|. This is turning work inso play, an aim
which should be always kept IN view
Not only does it afford amusement,
but il develops skill and ingenuity. In
teaching spelling as in teaching every.
thing, the teacher must abound in re-
sources, so that no one method be.
comes thrcadtarc, aud tiresome to tie
children. as
II al u the above methods have
grown tiresome. try another,.,'is one
perhaps. Make 4 list OF words on the
blackboard. common words, of mode
rate d.Neslty because they are to be be-
tore the class, anu allow them to make
sentences containing the words, and H.
iustrating their meaning. If the list
be something like this maize, sls;gh,
fsgs, nc, the sentences are easily made;
We walked through the field Of maize,
or Indian corn" We will have ride
in the sleigh" and Il will teign sleep
This last method hints at defining and
may be carried to considerable de-
gree Of exactncss and usefulness.
Additional aid tor the apelling class