The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-09-24
THE PUPILS FIRST YEAR AT SCHOOL.

derson, 8. G..
THE PUPILS FIRST YEAR AT SCHOOL.
EDITOR TEACHERS COLUMN: In
compliance with your request, and in
answer to numerous inquiries from teach
ers, ne will give our own experience IN
teaching the "word-method." This will
include an outline of what We usually
expect little pupils to accomplish during
their first year in school. We do not
claim that our plan is the best, but it has
given very satisfactory results in the
"Home School," and may perhaps work
we'll elsewhere. No method or plan
should be adopted outright simply be-
cause it has been successfully used in one
school. The motto for teachers should
be "adapt rather than adopt"
Some of the questions asked are as fol.
lows: Should print or script be taught
6rst2 How long should the pupil be
confined to reading from the Chart
alone? When is spelling introduced?
When is writing commenced? &c. We
will answer all these from our own expe-
rience.
We have always taught print first, for
the reason that We wish as early as pos
sible to place reading book in the hands
of the little pupil and teach him to use
it. As he will find print in his reader,
We think 1t best to teach printed form
first, 30 there need be no confusion in his
mind when he discontinues the chart
and takes up the reader. The chart we
use is "home made;" we made it to
accompany Swinton's Primer, which was
the little book we then used in teaching
BY words. We hare since made change
in the book used for this purpose, Of
which we shall write later. Now as to
the time. The first class we ever taught
were kept on the chart for four months;
later We zeduced the time to three
months; last term our little class were
given readers at the end of two months,
and now we have taken Two little ones to
try using the reader at the first, without
any chart-lessons. We think it mis-
take TO keep up the use of the chart too
long. Chart-lessons should be simply a
starting point. This is especially true in
most of our un graGed country schools,
when one tescher has charge of pupils of
all grades. Much more may be accom-.
plished by giving the little pupil reader
as soon as he is able to use it. A good
plan is to let him have "word hunt"
teach him word on the chart and then
give him book Of any kind, and let him
find that same word as often as possible.
The little folks enjoy the exercise. One
caution we would give to all-"go
slowly" especially at frat. The first
twenty words are usually the most diff
cule to teach, and We are always we'll
satisfied if the little pupil learns this
number thoroughly during the first
month-one word day. The second
month the work will be less difficult and
double that number may. be easily
learned. Do not be satisfied if the child
only knows the words on the chart; he
must be able to recognize them anywhere
he sees them. Therefore ne repeat, do
not hurry. Drill on each new word until
the child knoaus it, and review daily on
the ones already learned. Of course all
little ores will not make the same pro-
gress; all We may cay has reference to
the average child of six or seven years.
At present, after the little pupil has thor
oughly mastered thirty or forty words,
we give him "Harper's First Reader"
This little book suits the purpose admi'
rably. The type is large and very dis
tinct, the illustrations are attractive, and
all new words introduced are placed at
the head of the lesson for preparatory
drill. A little later in the course SPELL
ing book is introduced. And now comes
up the oft repeated question: "When
and how does the child learn the letters?"
This we cannot really answer; the truth
is, we don't know. This, however, does
not alter the fact that he has, in some
way, learned a great many of them,
either from their sound in the words, or
FROM hearing others spell. Children are
naturally inquisitive aud learn much
from hearing others. We usually have
to teach the names of some of the conso-
nants, those less frequently used. The
spelling book used in our Home School
is Part I. Harrington's Graded Speller.
This begins with very simple words, and,
side by side, the same word is given in
script and in print; so that just here, we
think, the script form is more easily
learned than at first. Later, in the same
little book. the words are used in SEN
.ences, which are also shown in both
forms. Still farther on words only are
given, and the pupil writes sentences
using them.
Now as to writing and drawing which
we think is of equal Importance. Begin
these at the very first, with the charities.
sons. We teach the little ones first to
make figures, and with this work begin
simple number-lessona this is for slate
work. On our homemade" reading
chart we have simple combinations of
numbers up to ten, which We teach with
the word lessons. Now as to writing, we