Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-02-21
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
No. w.
SPELLING, AND How TO TEACH IT.


In discussing the methods oi
teaching beginners to read, the sub
ject of spelling was more or less in
volved. To spell orally, is to name
in order the letters of word but to
spell in writing is to build a word,
that is, to make the letters and COM
bine them so as to produce the cor.
rect form. Il is maintained that the
names Of the letters have little to DO
In any case, and IN many cases
naught to do, with the sounds de-
signed to be indicated and that il
Is, therefore, more philosophical TO
regard the form Of the written word
in its entirety as but kind of pic
ture of the spoken WORD, and thus,
by continually associating the one
with the other, So interlink them
that either will instantly suggest the
other. The curiosity and memory
of beginners is vigilant and active,
and it is easy for them in this way
to acquire the knowledge of several
hundred words in fact, of all the
words in their daily vocabulary, or
which they are likely to find in the
first or second readers. This knowl-
edge will serve as an excellent foun-
dation for subsequent exercises in
word-building, or written spelling !;
and, especially so, if the pupils have
all along been permitted to form all
new words with letter-blocks, or
print them on states, paper, or
back boards. This system of written
spelling should be continued. Pu-
pills should be required to copy unus-
ual words IN reading, in geography,
in history, in arithmetic, and in
other branches, as well as the words
of the spelling lesson; for it is only
in this way possible to have the
forms, the looks Of the words indeli-
bly, impressed upon memory 3 tablet.
Also. all recitation IN spelling should
consist largely, If not altogether, in
written exercises. Words, clauses,
or entire sentences should be dictat-
ed, and the pupils required to write
them upon states or paper. In this
way the minds of pupils VIII be
tiained to form mental pictures of
the words, while their hands at the
same time reproduce these forms IN
writing. What more could be de-
sired? 1t is sometimes claimed that
oral spelling teaches the proper di-
vision of words into syllables. But,
if desirable, in written spelling, pu-
piis may likewise be required occa-
sionally to separate the syllables by
hyphens; and they may be, taught
always to do so when words are di-
vided at the end of line. Even in
oral spelling, pupil viii endeavor
to form and hold in mind picture
of the word as he has seen it in the
book, especially if the grouping of
the letters be unusual, or at variance
with the combinations ordinarily
used to represent analogous sounds.
The blind learn to spell with greater
difficulty than the deaf, because
spelling can be more naturally ac-
quired by sight than by sound.
Ifthe English alphabet were per-
feet, thar is, if each elementary
sound were denoted by a distinct
character indicating the position of
the vocal organs required for its ut
terance, and if each letter represent
ed but single sound, and the same
grouping invariably indicated the
same succession OF vocal elements,
then spelling might be readily and
accurately learned by sound as well
at by sight. This is practically the
case, to some extent, in German and
Spanish, and, consequently, in those
languages, pupils devote but a few
months to photographic exercises,
before they are able to spell any
word they may hear pronounced.
But in England and America, years
are devoted to the study of orthog-
raphy, and even then results are un-
satisfactory. In the Civil Service
Examinations in England some
years ago, out 1912 failures, 1866
candidates failed in spelling; and, it
is said, that the documents prepared
by the Prime Ministers show that no
one of them could passed those ex-
aminations. English photography is
the opprobrium Of English scholar
ship, and the greatest hindrance to
education and to. the spread of the
English language. Millions of dol
lars are spent annually in printing
silent letters. Millions more are
spent in trying to teach children to
spell and yet there are nearly six
millions of illlterates in the United
States. This will inevitably con-
tinue to be the case so long as the
mass of educated people hold to
their conservative views and resist
the introduction and spread of spell
ing reform. As the .case now is,
good spelling is a rare and costly ac-
complishment, and stress is laid on
it as the sign of thoroughly edu-
Gated person out of all proportion to
its real value.
The Anglo-Saxon language was
reduced to writing in Roman letters
by missionaries who converted the
people to Christianity. The letters
were used nearly with their Roman
values, and new characters were
added for sounds unknown to Roman
ears. After the Norman conquest
chaos came upO.. the spelling. Many