The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-03-01
METHODS OF PRIMARY READING.
XI.
The Burnz Phonetic Method.
by WILLIAM NoETLING.


the New York School of Photography.
This, the latest Of the phonetic
methods, was published in 1902. The
author in speaking of her little book,
ThelStep-By Step Primer, says it els
so arranged that a little child or
foreigner can learn to read from it
easily, through analogy and by the use
of reason. The pronunciation of
each word is shown on the printed
face without at all changing the com.
mon spelling.
Letters, of course, are arbitrary
signs, but when their powers are once
learned they should furnish the key to
pronunciation. This we know they
do not do in ordinary English books.
One reason is because the twenty.six
letters are not sufficient in number to
denote the forty or more separate,
elementary sounds which compose the
words of the spoken language.
Another reason is, that the twenty six |
letters are not used with consistency.
The vowel letters have from three to |
seven sounds each, and interchange
those sounds, and both are often |
silent Prof. Marteneau says Learn |
ing to read English is the most diff |
cult of human attainments = and it |
is undoubtedly so, if learning to spell |
is taken into account.
"The Step-By Step Primer essays
TO do the best that can be done at |
present. 1t takes as basis the Anglo.
American alphabet of forty-two let
tiers, or combinations of letters, each |
of which denotes an elementary sound |
of the language. Every sound has a
definite representation, and no letter
or combination of letters, in the same
position, denotes more than one
sound.
"Since the short vowel sounds oc.
cur much more frequently than the
long, in English words, the letters
which denote the short are unmarked. |
an unmarked 0o,oel letter al,ouys
denotes ats short or second sound.
This plan reduces the number of
marked letters to minimum. The
snort sounds occur in the words first
shown in the Primer-words that the
child most frequently uses-therefore
no markings are required at the begin.
ming of study. The few necessary
connecting words can be pronounced
by the teacher or learned by the
word method until the lesson which
gives their sound is reached.
When letters in printed word
are silent-that is, really useless
they are put in hair line type. If a
letter is perversely used, its true sound
is indicated by smaH type placed
6eloso, and the pupil gives its sound
instead of that of the more prominent
letter; or, though rarely, the false
letter is set in different type, and
the true letter or letters put in par
. enthesis at the end of the word. Oc-
casionally, the whole word is respelled.
phonetically, and placed in parenthe.
ses.
SIN the Step-B Step Primer pho
netic truth is presented to guide and
encourage.
Instruction in reading should be
begun by showing the object, or pic
ture ofthe object, which is represent
ed by the subject word. Converse
about it. Mention four ways in which
person can let another know what
he or she is thinking of. First, by
showing the object; second, by show
ing picture of the object; third, by
speaking the name OF the object
fourth, by using marks, called letters,
which stand for the sounds of the
spoken word"
AS we'll observed in the foregoing
explanations, (I) the short vowel
sounds are not marked, this reduces
the number of diacritical marks; (2)
the silent letters are printed in hair s
line type; Cd where letter does not
have its usual sound, a small letter
representing the correct sound is s
printed below it and, in some cases, $
above it. Thus, small a is put under ,
the a and small under the s, in {
says, and the q is in hair line type. {
The method Is recommended by !
leading scholars and educators. DIR. {
VIM. I. Harris says: "It seems to
me that your device, if adopted,
would prove of great utility" i
Prof F. A. March, of Lafayette {
College, says: "Your Step By Step
Pronouncing Primer is certainly an
excellent book to teach the beginning
OF reading. - l hope to see it
IN the list of supplies for the New G
York Public Schools"
Melvil Dewey, Secretary of the v
University Of the State of New York. n
says: :" shall look for remarkably a
good results in teaching reading with {;
this primer"