River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-05-15
PRIMARY READING.

Believing that there is as much time
wasted upon reading, through faulty
methods, as upon any other branch,
we submit something ror the consider
alton of teachers who think that read
ing around twice." twice each day,
especially in the three lower classes.
We ask all who have not already done
so to adopt the plan, and give it fair
trial. 1t is not "Our method. alone.
bat the method of all who teach child
as much reading i'll one year, as we
learned in seven. Perhaps one third
of the teachers last winter practiced
the essential parts. We have seen its
workings, and results, and have salts
fed ourselves that the method is de-
rived from a thorough knowledge of
the child's mind. Let us suppose a
teacher has class in the second read
er of Harper s or the new Graded Sc
ries, and that the members can write,
and that each can read his own writ
ing. The method for the third read
er will be the same. In the first read
ing class, the members may be oblig-
ed to print for few weeks, whether
they are instructed by the word, or
alphabet method.
l. Assign lesson, varying from "a
to p of a page.
2. When a lesson has been assign
ed, it is sometimes profitable to read
it to the class once, while they follow,
but neper, 7leuer, tell them the pro-
nunciation of words, individually, be-
tween recitations.
3. Instruct each member of the
class to write upon his slate, before
the next recitation, the whole, or part
of the lesson assigned, and bring the
same to class. (The writing of few
hard words amounts to little.)
4. When the class is seated for rec
itation, it is well to spend from one to
three minutes in Analysing the lesson,
with a view to ascertaining if the
words of the book convey any idea to
their minds. Have them tell the story
in their own language.
5. Call upon each member to read
one or more sentences from his slate,
or the slate of his neighbor, if the
writing is plain. Require each SEN
tence to be read until it can be read
without hesitating upon the words,
and let this re-readlng be done (if re-
quired) before the individual who
could not call the words at sight, sits.
The reading of verse many times,
with intervals during which others
have read, is nearly valueless. This
point is vital. Printing, without they
read it from tie states, Is compare
lively of little value.
6. Correct briefly, yourself, the err
rors in capitalizing, punctuation, and
| paragraphing, or allow the pupils to
exchange states. and correct each 9TH
ers errors. There should be few or
none, in short time. Praise the best
| work.
7. Have each pupil read sentence,
a paragraph, or several. from the text
book, neuer allowing him to sit, until
the sentence is we'll read, that is. the
words are called readily and correctly
at sight. THE teacher should, in the
early stages of the first reader, print
the entire lesson upon the board, and
the reading. after the states are DIS
posed of as above. be from that, in
stead of the text books, --chiefly.
Reason,- the attention is more easily
/ heidi
8. If the class does not use a spell
| ing book nor have separate recitations
/ in that branch, the members may
spell by redding from tie States the
most difficult words. as selected by the
ieacl. er. One or two may. for change
! write upon the board instead Of states.