New Iberia enterprise and independent observer., 1916-09-02
SPELLING.
Paper written by Mt. Carmel

Sisters for the "Catholic teach
ers lnstitute' at New Orleans:
Is knowledge of our own Language
important? Are. the efforts, the enc
the enthusiasm on the part of both
teacher and pupil requisite to insure any
measure of success, applied in the proper
channel when directed toward the cul
tivation of Orthography pupils
knowledge of English
A child's knowledge of his own
Language, is necessary: This applies
directly to the teacher and pupil. TO the
Classroom How many poor pupil
finds his grade difficult; fails to do cred
liable work, because he does not under
stand the Language! This may be
found especially in our country schools
where the child enters the school
room with but vague idea of the Eng
lish Language. When looking on the
chart, this poor child will not read
hat. derby; but will tire his little
"chapeau." Here is work for the teach
er! Here is the foundation.
Oh. build it well
Few lessons make SO great demand
upon the teachers attention. the
spelling lesson. Even IN the elementary
matter of pronunciation and meaning
words, there are sometimes, strange
lapses of knowledge on the part of the
teacher. One is never too brilliant to
make bosom friend of the Dictionary;
so let US prepare our work; so that when
we enter our class rooms and are
greeted by the many smiling faces,
lifted to ours to see there-Knowledgc
Wisdom and Truth, we stand equipped,
drilled to answer in flowing Language,
ny question; to express clearly and
definitely-the right word in the right
place; the exact shade of meaning, the
correct pronunciation. The teachers of
the Lower Grades" build the foundation
for the lofty edifice of the higher
grades.
The English Language is very difficult
in its Orthography; but the practical
value of Spelling, which the various oc-
cupations, such as typewriting, printing,
etc, call for, makes it one of the abso-
lutely essential subjects of the school
course of to-day. One that can write
without error, is termed a good speller"
There are such things as born spellers,"
like born-everything else; but the ma
jority have to acquire the Art. To sue
ceed in this requirement, the imagina
tion must be cultivated. The spelling
or describing of words do not easily ap-
pear on the canvas of the child's mind,
h. h,,H oc
do not appeal to him. But that same
child has no difficulty in describing a
box, or a table, or q chair, as soon as he
has q vocabulary of his own, even though
these objects are not Of his right. This :
would seem to prove that spelling is
learned through eye-training. As soon
- the child is familiar with the powers
of the letters, he is forced to look most J
carefully At the words and through his
reading, the order of the letters becomes
fixed in his mind; for |
"That which strikes the eye,
Lives long upon the mind"
II has been decided upon that the
names Of the letters are taught as they
occur in the word. A child in entering
school, may begin At once, to read the
letters Of the alphabet in order, 80 as to
give to each letter it, position; but he
must also, find these letters in words;
such - A, in man, fan, tan, etc. The
child will thus, from the start, use his
own faculties and not impede his prog
ress by the monotonous repetition of the
soliloquy A. B. c. D. etc. As
soon ~ the child 10 able to distin guish
one letter from another, short words may
be given to SPELL pronounce-and the
required. 1t will enlarge the
childs' vocabulary and will enable the
child to think for himself. Thus, Cat, an
animal; Ben, boys name. Ten or
more words may be given the child for
,eat work. Ten words with the vowel,
A, as the middle letters; with e. i, o, u.
Then teach the child that these letters
IRE vowels. Give words using the con-
as the first letter. This exer- I
Use may be done while the teacher hears
he recitation of another grade. The ma
ority Of teachers having at least two
grades, It stands to reason that while ,
- one 10 reciting, the other must be ,
loing something Independent of any 8
supervision. teacher must use dis '
in selecting work of this t
ind. The right kind should arise from
ome need in the daily lessons. Thus, G
he child's eye and memory are being &"
rained 1t the same time. Children n
DON grow tired of the same thing; so. +
arious kinds Of exercises may be given. o
rom sh-require the child to form v
lords; say, ten. Shall. ship shot, etc. q
anne with th-thing, think, etc. Let E
he pupil use sentences inserting these 4
ords-giving correct pronunciation and s
<act shade of meaning. From ice, let D
,e pupils form words-and the teacher u
oint out the long sound of the vowel, a
as advice Same with words contain =,
& other vowels. Short sounds to be O,
eated in like manner. The black board d
nd chart are indispensable for work of o,
lis kind, as the teacher must guide her o,
ipils by means of these The pupil II
ust spell by sound, syllable by syllable. OF
each this to the child. Pronounce II
owly, distinctly NTH thus civino -,