The Massachusetts Teacher Volume 26; A Journal of School and Home Education (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1873 Excerpt: ... A PLAN FOR TEACHING READING TO BEGINNERS. The object of reading to one's self is to take the sense of what is written; the object of reading to another is to express the sense. To express the sense we must first take it; hence, the great importance of oral reading in the schools; its primary object being the expression of the sense, it presents the natural occasion for taking the sense. In teaching oral reading, let the pupil's mind be occupied simply with expressing the sense; let nothing be introduced into the reading exercise which shall tend to exclude thoughts of expression. This is the soul of reading; to secure facility in this should be the object of every lesson, from the first given in the Primary to the last given in the professional school. The process of teaching little children is very interesting and exceedingly simple; and the simpler it can be made, the more interesting will be the process. The lessons should be reading lessons simply, entirely free from spelling, from phonic analysis, and even from the alphabet. The alphabet, spelling, and phonic analysis should be early taught, but not as a part of reading. The alphabet and spelling are to be taught as aids to written composition, the phonic analysis for vocal culture. If the child's first reading book is properly constructed, it will be a guide to the teacher in giving object lessons. The first page of readings will present the picture of an object which can be brought into the presence of the pupils; this object will form the subject for conversation with the pupils. Suppose the first reading lesson to be about a knife, the knife will first be brought into the presence of the pupils, and they will be led to observe the parts or the qualities; if they are led to observe the parts, the ex...