Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-02-14

method, it is lost in the remote
depths of antiquity. The Chinese
have used it for more than 1000
years. From the very nature of
their written language, they can use
no other method of learning to read,
since with them every symbol rep
resents word.
In first lessons in reading, such
words should be selected as are ia
miliar to the child and constitute
his daily vocabulary. By the aid of
blackboard and with the objects
or their pictures drawn upon the
board, or with the improved reading
charts and primers, skilful teacher
can, in few months, have a class of
children trained to recognize at
sight several hundred words in print
or in script. 1t is important that the
pupils be taught the entire contour
Of a word and to reproduce the
word on slate, blackboard or paper,
until they can recognize the word as
readily from its form. as they can
the object, or action, or picture
which it represents. Nouns and
verbs are more easily taught than
other words because they contain
an appreciable meaning even when
standing alone. Other words are
best taught in groups with nouns
md verbs. To the initiated it is
wonderful how little use beginners
have for the names of the letters. A
little pupil who could read intellt-
gently in any first or second reader,
was once asked the name of the lei
ter d. She replied, Il don't know
what you call it by itself, but it is
part Of dog, and ifyou will give me
pencil and paper I'll make the rest
of dog for yeu."
After pupils have learned many
words, sUme hundred, more or less,
they begin of themselves to note re-
semblances and differences. They
are then prepared for the first les
sons in the analysis of words, that is,
ior phonic and literal spelling, At
this stage, it is easy and natural to
drift into the phonetic and alpha
bette methods. In fact, it soon be-
comes necessary for the pupil to
learn the powers of the letters and
of their combinations, that he may
be enabled to find out for himself
what to call the new words as they
arise in the successive lessons. But
it is insisted upon, that in primers
and first readers, the word-method,
pure and simple, gives the most sat
lsfactory results. By its use, we
avoid all the difficulties arising
from the irregularities and anomalies
Of English orthography, or more
properly, perhaps, English kako-
graphy. Ii the English language
were like the German, or the Span
ish, so written that the letters uni
yersally retained their respective
powers, the Phonetic Method which
prevails in Germany. would likewise
be best in America.
1t is claimed that children taught
by the word-method read more free
", more intelIigently and, therefore,
more naturally, than those taught
by the a B G method. For the for.
mer, do not fall into the wretched
habit of naming the letters before
calling the words, but have learned
from the outset to associate the
name with the form, so that the one
instantly suggests the other, just as
well-known photograph suggests
the name ofan acquaintance.
While pursuing the word method,
by reproducing the words upon
states or paper, beginners are en-
gagged in the most profitable of
spelling exercises, and imbibe the
only correct idea of English spell.
ing, that is, to spell words from
their looks, as printers do. But
since this paper is already long
enough to fill the allotted space,
what is to be said of oral and writ
ten spelling must be deferred till
another time.
Occasion may hereafter be taken
to show that people have become
good readers, who were taught the
A B G method; but in spite of the
method rather than because of its
merits. The consciousness of every
fluent reader tells him that he rec
ognizes words, as he does his friends,
by their general appearance, form
ane face, and not by the names OF
the letters that compose them. A
pupil who has been taught to spell,
must forget spelling that he may
learn to read.