The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-03-18

mlAt: ueeply du1 AWFUL ".eiJ ILL
pressed; perfectly finished; neatly
struck by the proper organs; dis
tinct; in due succession and of due
weight Well, how are we to &C
complish this?
First of all, as it is conceded that
reading employs sense-perception
memory, concrete conception, and as
the pupil advances analysis, abstrac-
ton and imagination, the teacher
must know the best means of develop
ing these faculties. We ind that
exercise, wise exercise is the law Of
development here, as elsewhere.
So many methods in reading have
been advocated it is somewhat per-
picking to one, who has not studied
the subject exhaustively, to know eI-
actly which to adopt. Besides this
there are other things even more an
noying to the country teacher, the
Lexington county teacher-such
things as the lack of schoolroom
furniture, charts, blackboard room
and last but not least the short
school term.
It has been found best to begin
with the word method, using at first
only those words which are perfectly
familiar to the children. Too much
stress cannot be placed on the i'm
portance of making the first presenta,
tion of the word striking and vivid.
Get she prettiest objects possible, a
bright colored book, a live cat. a
pretty flower, shining pin, etc. Use
all available pictures, not forgetting
to make your blackboard drawing
with colored c-ayons. We all recog-
nize the power Of beauty in making
sense perceptions lasting. All this
will interest the child and fasten it's
attention with ''instinctive energy,
and We must learn early in our
course as teachers that the interest
felt by the pupil is our most efectual
help. It is so much easier for the
pupil to remember words presented
in this way. Adopting this method,
you are not likely to be placed in the
position I found myself not long ago.
After pronouncing quite long col
umn of words for one Of my youngest
pupils, I asked him to give the first.
Looking up innocently he said Il
done fordot."
After seeing that the child has a
concept Of the word, write it on the
board and have it copied. Some
times you find children who are not
able to do this, these may trace the
word with colored pencils or crayons,
or they may 60 on a hunt and see
which can find the largest number
of words like the one On the board
from a box which you must have
prepared.
Keep list Of known words in
sight, and have the children combine
them in as many ways as possible.
Occasionally, nay frequently, bring
in some new device. Get the chill
dren's curiosity excited, for this
gives powerful Impulse to the at
tention. The Teachers Scrap Book,
by that thoughtful primary worker,
Miss Bonham, gives some excellent
devices along this line.
If sufficient time is devoted to the
subject, children ought to learn from
thirty to fifty words in three weeks.
When they have learned this many,
or even before, begin teaching the
sounds of the letters. Teach the
consonants first beginning with S.
Before teaching all the conso-
nants, however, you may give the
short and long vowels. Works
lard's Synthetic Method, and Com
plete Phonetic Chart, will be found
wonderfully helpful in teaching these
sounds. Collections of songs are a
constant delight to the little ones.
Make your classes small and en-
deavor to have each child recite the
whole lesson. Close the recitation
lust as soon as the children show the
least sign of weariness; all over strain
weakens and often proves fatal to
future progress. Have lessons fire.
quent and short. So many devices
are given for busy work you will not
find it difficult to keep the little one
quietly employed between times
Failing in this, however, it is better
to dismiss them at once, especially if
the weather is pleasant.
You cannot afford to adhere to a
single book, there must be variety
here. Please do not understand me
to mean that you are to have several
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