The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-02-21
SUPPLEMENTARY aEAnlhe.
Plausible Methods Prs.=.ssi f.u Ths Consider
tfon q %<ssk.Pn.

ion:
Observation, conversation, reflection
md reading are the four sources Y
through which man obtains an educa- a
ion. Reading embodies two ideas. a
and expression. Orthoepy t
.reats of accent, articulation. syllab ica-
lion and pronunciation. Expression IS
The Interpretation and presentation or
thought. Orthoepy treats Of the letter 2
structure of words and expression OF :
the thought expressed by words.
In the teaching of this subject Two
questions present themselves-hoW to I
teach reading and what class OF reading s
to teach. The stquestion can be an '
swered with comparative ease, Word.
sentence, phonic, object and electric
are all plausible methods for teaching
the child how to read. The second
question commands the attention OF
our thinking minds to-day. What to
read in school is a question but recently
asked. Formerly the pedagogue
thought his work done when he had
satisfactorily solved the question OF
think our work but half begun; for,
when the child has accomplished the
art of reading new world is opened
up to him-a world on the one hand,
which, if followed, means degeneFa-
tiOn, craze for that trash which cor
rodes humanity, an upsetting of honor;
character. virtue, aye even mind and
reason. While on the other hand this
question, if rightly solved. means cul-
ture and enlightenment in the
great, the good, the beautiful, 'lmpos-
ing new duties of unselfish living, and
exciting high ideals through high ex-
| amples."
Again this question becomes vastly
more intricate when we stop to con-
| h0 nf
| the English language. Instructors IN
| the foreign tongues have not the
abundance of subject matter from
which TO choose. Thus having an in
exhaustible supply of material from
| which to draw, 1 would urge that you
select not the good, not the better, but
the best, the pOrest waters from the
| we'll of the English undehled;" obtain
the highest possible standard of Eng
| Iish composition, the masterpieces OF
our language and employ them as your
supplementary reading.
The amount of supplementary
reading used in our schools does or
should depend upon two things.
1.-the efficiency of the text book used and
the enthusiasm Of the teacher. Ii the
teacher has been wise and considerable
in selecting text book, his need of ad-
ditional reading viii not be SO great as
under the opposing circumstances De
cause his reader has been prepared
with a view to alternating this difficulty.
If the teacher is thoroughly 1mbued
with the spirit of his work, he Will
throw new light upon old subjects. he
will impart to the seemingly dry and
LirPsome selections new life. He
will, in fact, by always bearing cheer
full countenance, a helping hand, an
open heart, an indescriba5le magic
power ever inviting pupil to seek aid
from him, an untiring zeal enkindle
both the selection studied and the lndl-
vidual studying.
The aims of supplementary reading
may be briefly summed up as the fol-
| lowing:
The occasional introduction of some
new. attractive selection prevents mo-
notony and stimulates enthusiasm.
The child, having completed his reader
| and again commencing 1t, retract1ng
the same old path as it seems him,
, soon becomes just we'll enough &C
Quainted with the succession OF words
that he cannot repeat them without the
assistance of the text book and yet
seems to think that he.knows the les
: son assigned him without further
study. consequently when this pupil at
t temptS to recite. he shutters and stuIn-
] bles through the lesson making a
2 miserable failure. With each succeed
1 ing recitation the child continues to
read more poorly, not because he
/ does not know his lesson, but because
j he knew it too well for ordinary read
! ing purposes. He loses all interest IN
, it and finally, all patience, resulting in
the manifestation of rebtllious spirit
o This difficulty is avoided by the
: casual presentation of some novel,
> choice composition, thus instigating a
: new enthusiasm and arousing the
, latent energies of the child.
1t tests the conceptive and assimula
e tive powers of the child; that Is 1t tests
e the ability of the child as to the i'm
g mediate recognition of words anc
f thoughts. and the Interpretation ant
expression of this thought.
1t awakens an interest in the happen
ings of the day. If the supplement- is
n of local nature. the inevitable result
I is the arousing of enthusiasm In loca
8 affairs; of a national character, the
consequence is more interest in Ma
!. tional events; if an historical, bio
graphical, scientific or literary char
r acter, it terminates in an awakening o.
zeal in the line of history. biography
e science or literature.
d Having thus briefly noticed the aim
of supplementary reading, the question
naturally arises "Of what shall thl
IS reading consist?'' Tofnlly answer thi
II question is impossible. The ways ant
!, means are almost limitless. the suppl
IL inexhaustible. A part of the following
e | have tried and know to be practica
e BILE; other teachers have tested ant
IS vouch for their utility.
For primary grades the following
! plans are almost invaluable. In al
- work, make constant use of the black
r board. If the teacher rightly employ
J. this important factor no additions
ii reading or apparatus will be needed 70
70 primary grades. Second, reconstruC
r the lesson. Employ either no ne'
words and express new thought by
new combination of old words, or e1
press the same thought by new cou
% bination of words previously studied
D. thus by either method making use c
at no words foreign to the child's Unite
.e vocabulary. This may be effected b
oral or written work, by instrut
at tor or by individual class worl
il, Third, introduce pamphlets especial.
st prepared for use OF these children
a Among others might be mentione
d st. Nicholas. - school Days. - ''Th
I'd Fountain '.School World and ''OU
1T Little People," Fourth. interest th
re Individual in narratives becoming h
age and mental development. tn
nc following are good; Little Men an
ed Women "Aesop's Fables. !" ''Thre
ed Red Riding Hood"
le For the intermediate grade. woul
: recommend the Introduction of certai
10 magazines and periodicals designe
re for use in this grade. Lay particuls
lie stress upon the memOriZing of gems {
re- thought, both in the form of prose an
: poetry. Teacher and pupil should /
H. alert and active selecting the best an
Nv only the best. Further, use sue
ee pamphlets as the one entitled ''Ou
at line Series of Classics for Children.
II. The use of this pamphlet is urged fl
as two reasons. First, because it fulfil
he the Office for which it is intende1
e. and second, giving only extracts.
h timulates a desire to know NOR
:. which, if properly guided by tn
81 teacher terminates in the child's reat
n. ING the whole Certain PAMPHLETS al