Evening star., 1939-09-12
Is
For Study
Use in Connection
With Dictionary
Is Stressed
BY ANGELO PATRI.

1t would be too bad to allow the
alphabet to fall into the educa-
tional scrap basket, but that is
what seems to be happening in a
good many schools. When we
stopped teaching children to learn
to read by spelling out words, build
ing on the syllables arranged alpha
betically, and began teaching in the
better way of sentence recognition,
some of us forgot the need of the
alphabet. That need is very real.
I think that the beginners in the
| primer class do not need, and
should not be taught to name the
letters, until they can read a story.
That usually means about the end
of the first six months in school.
During that time they have used
the letters, sounded them, applied
those sounds to the recognition Of
new words They have become fa-
miliar to them through use, the
very best way in the world to learn
them.
Now it is time to teach them the
alphabetical list. Let them chant it,
identifying each letter as they say
it. They are to memorize it so it
stays with them as long as they live
because they will need it for that
length of time.
The dictionary is the basic book
for the use of language in any form
1t must be on hand to settle SPELL
ing difficulties. It is the last word
in pronunciation. 1t is a store
house of information. giving defini-
tions, historical meanings and back
ground, derivations, all very useful,
essential in many instances, to all
who talk, think and write.
The words in the dictionary are
listed in precise alphabetical order.
When one knows that N follows M,
and precedes O, one finds the right
pages without loss of time. When
one learns that the words in the N
pages are again listed alphabet
cally, the MAS, NBs down to MS,
all in line, it is easy to find the
wanted word. Yet I have found
boys and girls in f1rst-year high
school turning the pages of an un-
abridged dictionary hopelessly be-
cause they did not know how to use
the alphabetical arrangement.
Students are dependent upon IL
brary catalogues, encyclopedias, files
Of all sorts, and if they do not un-
derstand the alphabetical arrange
ments they are at loss. To avoid
this waste of time and loss of in
formation we must teach the al
phabet and its use in the elemen-
tary grades. Every child in the
grades, from the third through the
ninth, should have practice in the
use OF the dictionary. 1t is vheir
chief tool; and their degree Of sue
cess in the use of language, spoken
and written, must depend largely
on their ability to use their die
tionaries.
Teaching the alphabet is not
enough. We must teach the uses
to which it is put in school, Of
fees and studios, in factories and
laboratories, in whatever field of
service the worker engages. Wher-
ever language is used, wherever in
formation is recorded and filed,
this knowledge is essential. The be-
ginner is taught to make simple
list, alphabetically, of words he is
to use. First only the initial letter
is noticed. but as the child grows
in understanding he is taught the
whole scheme. BY the end of the
eighth year any school child should
have mastered the simple principles
involved. Dictionary practice, ought
to be q must In the English lessons.