Studies in reading; teacher's manual

Preface

Reading with appreciation is a fine art. This Manual is intended to accompany Studies in Reading, Primer and First Grade to Eighth Grade Readers. It is designed to offer a working program for teaching beginners to read, based on the Primer and Graded Studies, and to provide definite helps and suggestions covering the entire reading field in the grades.

Part I includes a discussion of the reading field, the lesson plan, teaching beginners to read, and offers a series of definite grade-by-grade helps. Typical studies are worked out for each grade, and clever hints and suggestions for enlivening the work on a sound basis are given at every turn.

Part II directly supplements and illuminates Part I. It deals clearly and definitely with such essentials as word and sentence recognition, vocabulary building and phonics, supplementary helps and seat work, securing good expression, silent reading and how to study, the use of the dictionary and reference books, supplementary reading, and the life values of oral and silent reading.

While the teacher may find in Part I a definite guide for her work, she should read carefully, and continually refer to, Part II as a ready help in broadening and extending her definite program on an educational basis.

The authors desire to acknowledge their deep indebtedness to the many thousands of classroom teachers who

iii iv PREFACE

freely supplied suggestions direct from successful experiences. Special thanks are due to Superintendent A. H. Waterhouse, Fremont, Nebraska; Superintendent W. R. Siders, Pocatello, Idaho; Superintendent J. H. Beveridge, Omaha; Alberta Walker, Specialist in Reading, Wilson Normal School, Washington, D. C; Achsah May Harris, Professor of Primary Education, State Normal School, Emporia, Kansas; Rose Bland, Principal Teachers' Training School, Youngstown, Ohio; Clara Wilson, Director of Kindergarten Training, Public Schools, Lincoln, Nebraska; Merna McLellan, Director of Art Instruction, State Normal School, Peru, Nebraska, for helpful suggestions, constructive criticisms, and valuable contributions in the preparation of the volume.

J. W. Searson.

George E. Martin.

Lucy Williams Tinley.

Contents

Preface

Part I

I. The Reading Field 3

II. The Lesson Plan 7

III. Teaching Beginners to Read . . 13

The Aims of First Grade Reading 13 Work Preceding the Use of the

Primer 19

Beginning to Read From the Primer 42

The Period of Difficulty ... 57

The Use of Charming Stories 80

Reading Supplementary Primers 130

IV. The Flrst Grade Reader .... 133 V. Second Grade Reading 144

VI. Third Grade Reading 152

VII. Fourth Grade Reading .... 167

VIII. Fifth Grade Reading 176

IX. Sixth Grade Reading 182

X. Seventh Grade Reading .... 189

XL Eighth Grade Reading 195

Part II

XII. Word and Sentence Recognition 203

XIII. Supplementary Helps and Devices . 217

XIV. Building the Vocabulary .... 222 vi CONTENTS

XV. Phonics . 231

General Plan of Phonics . . . 232

Studies and Games in Ear Training 233

Teaching the Letter Sounds . . 237

Word Building 243

Phonic Outline . . . . . . 250

Phonics for Use with First

Grade Reader 253

Phonics to Accompany Second

Grade Reader 258

Advanced Phonics 265

XVI. Seat Work 270

XVII. Securing Good Expression . . . 284

XVIII. Reading Skill Used in Other Subjects 292 XIX. The Use of the Dictionary and Other

Reference Books 298

XX. Supplementary Reading .... 305 XXI. Practical Uses of Oral and Silent

PART I

Chapter I The Reading Field

Reading with appreciation is a fine art. To teach reading with fine appreciation, the teacher should know something of the entire reading field. Broadly speaking, the reading field is divided into three grand divisions, according to the type of activity required in each. These divisions are not entirely distinct from each other and they cannot, like quilt patches, be fitted together to make the whole. Instead, the kinds, or divisions, are inseparably mingled in varying proportions, and are separated only for purposes of illustration in order to get a clearer understanding of their nature and relationships.

Three Divisions of the Reading Field. The three divisions of the reading field may best be understood by knowing the kind of reading activity required in each. First, the child must learn to read. In this field, he must "get the thought, hold the thought, and express the thought." This is the field of formal reading. Here the child is led to discover that words are the signs, first of things, then of ideas. Through training in the recognition of words, phrases, and sentences, he forms the habit of getting the thought from the printed page. Then he must be led naturally to express the thought. In short, this is the field in which the learner must master the mechanics of reading, including all available helps in word recognition, pronunciation, and action and expression. The mechanical side of reading is taught as a means of thought getting, through appeals to the fundamental interests of childhood. These interests are naturally awakened by means of songs, rhymes and jingles, action games, dialogs, stories, mystery exercises, and pictures. When the child has acquired skill in this field, his first desire is to put that skill to good account.

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Chart showing the Three-Fold Activity in the Reading Field During Grades 1-12.

The reader then naturally enters the second field of activity, where he reads to learn. In this field he reads in order to "get the thought, hold the thought, and use the thought." Here much of his reading is silent. He reads his arithmetic primer, the home geography, the elementary language book, or the other texts, not to express the thought but to get it so that he can turn it to good use. It is as important to teach a child how to read well with this changed motive as it is to teach him the first steps in reading. However glibly a pupil

THE READING FIELD may read from the reading text, he is not a good reader unless he reads intelligently from the arithmetic, the geography, the language book, or from other textbooks. The reason why children stumble in the number primer or in the beginning geography is not because they have not learned to read. It is because they are entering upon a new field in which they should be given the most painstaking drills in how to study. How to study is as important as learning to read. Both are vital parts of the reading field.

As soon as the child learns to get the thought and to use the thought, he begins, more or less unconsciously, to relate that thought to his own life and to life about him. His reading activity enters the third field, that of literary interpretation. In this field, the learner reads to "get the thought, hold the thought, and interpret the thought " in terms of life. This process permeates and leavens the whole reading field. It is the life-giving element which spurs the child, through reading, to get his share of his inheritance of race knowledge.

The chart of the reading field is based upon 100 of the best supervised courses of study in reading in the country. It shows the relative emphasis given each kind of reading effort in each of the grades in the elementary school and high school. For example, the chart shows clearly that the fifth grade teacher should put the greatest emphasis on teaching pupils how to study, while developing further skill in word mastery, phonetics, and the use of the dictionary, and while keeping all the work closely related to life. Teachers of the first and second grades should stress " learning to read." Teachers of the seventh and eighth grades should stress primarily "reading to learn," not neglecting to have the pupils become independent in using the dictionary, encyclopedia, and other books of reference, nor failing to stimulate in them right tastes and choices and right estimates of what is read and studied. A careful study of the chart will give the teacher many other significant hints and helps in the important work of teaching reading on a broad, useful plane.

Chapter II The Lesson Plan

The selections in Studies in Reading are carefully prepared on a universal lesson plan. Each lesson involves the four fundamental steps used by the most successful teachers to cultivate in the learners an appreciation of the truth revealed in any subject.

The Introduction. The introduction to the selection gives a natural setting and creates the right atmosphere for study. It naturally whets the child's mental appetite and makes him eager to read the story.

The Selection. The selection is one that, at the learner's first trial, challenges him to search for hidden treasures. The widest possible variety of child literature of fundamental appeal to children's interests is offered.

Questions and Notes. The question exercises offer the learner a definite program of work which, if followed, will face him directly into the inspiring truth of the selection. The pupil is not told. He is led to discover. Herein lies the teacher's greatest opportunity to teach the pupil how to study. Definite assignments regularly prepared by the eager pupil increase his appreciation of the truth discovered.

Additional Readings. The additional readings suggested enable the teacher to direct the wider reading of the child, and invite the child into rich fields where he may discover larger meanings of literature and life. Thus the general truth, for which he first searches eagerly but vaguely, becomes clear and vital as, through his own efforts, he makes it his own in its larger setting.

THE UNIVERSAL STUDY PLAN— GROWTH IN APPRECIATION

A. Creation of the proper atmosphere, or setting.

B. Growth through the pupil's eager trial of the selection.

C. Growth through a well-directed program of work.

D. Broadened appreciation through supplementary reading.

E. Growing appreciation throughout life.

THE "TAKE-SO-MANY-PAGES," OR "HIT-AND-MISS' PROCEDURE

A. Exaggerated representation of interest awakened by a

perfunctory assignment.

B. Restricted appreciation due to uninspired effort.

C. Diminishing appreciation throughout life.

Diagrams Showing a Comparison of Amounts of Growth in Appreciation in Reading Due to Right and Wrong Methods • of Teaching.

THE LESSON PLAN

Variations of the General Plan. This universal lesson plan admits of wide variations and most interesting adaptations. Studies in Reading is naturally based on the story plan. Beginning in the Primer with the simplest literary forms, such as songs and jingles, the series comprises every type of standard child literature arranged and graded to challenge the child's increasing enthusiasm and appreciation throughout the grades. It is not intended that the teacher shall follow the plan of the Studies slavishly. She must use her own judgment and draw upon her own resources to improve the plan or to increase the interest by varying the plan whenever possible.

Primer Study Plan. The Primer is made on the story plan, the unit of reading being the sentence group. From the sentence group the children are led to recognize sentences, phrases, and words. The first forms of literature offered to the child at his mother's knee are its simplest forms, song and rhyme. Later he meets the story, a form which calls for definite thought sequence. The Primer uses this same plan as being in harmony with the child's normal development. The first units are the simplest, song and rhyme. Later when the child has developed some facility in reading, stories are introduced.

The introductions, questions, notes, and additional references do not appear in the Primer because the reading vocabulary of the first half-year is too limited to use them effectively. While she is using the Primer, the study plan is wholly in the hands of the teacher. However, artistically drawn and colored illustrations give charming settings to each lesson. A word of clever explanation, or the teacher's attitude, look, or gesture, or the lively experiences of the pupils, may serve further to create the right atmosphere. Tactful thought questions on the part of the teacher will serve to guide the children's thinking. Similar stories should be told by the teacher, or should be read and told by the children. After a selection has been enjoyed by the class, for example, the time is ripe for the teacher to say, "I know another story something like this. Would you like to hear it?" Or she may ask, "Have you a story like this in your books at home? Perhaps you would like to read or tell it so that all may enjoy it." Thus in the Primer work, the tactful teacher naturally completes the unit study on the same consistent plan that is followed throughout the series.

Enrichment of the Plan. Some studies require one type of setting, others another type. Consequently, there should be as many different kinds of introductory exercises as there are different kinds of selections to study. In the lower grades, telling the story and then having the children act it forms an excellent setting. The bringing in of related drawings, maps, pictures, relics, nature specimens, or other interesting objects, is good. The lively telling of related experiences, the raising of puzzling questions answered in the story, historical settings, an interesting deseription of a strange situation, the hint of sly tricks and how they were played, promise of interesting discoveries, suggestions of strange antics of playthings, or of first things, or of new ways of doing things — all have real charm in

THE LESSON PLAN n

sending eager little discoverers open-minded into fields of delight.

The program of definite work may likewise be varied greatly. The questions should not necessarily be followed exactly. The teacher should add other questions, omit some, re-shape others, or provide new ones as occasion demands. The questions here given have been introduced only after many thousands of careful teachers have proved them in practice. Sometimes it may be well to substitute for the questions directions for dramatizing, preparations for interpretating through action, topics for study, outlines for analysis, applications in experience, interpretations by comparison or analogy, individual assignments and reports, group assignments and reports, or voluntary original interpretations. The notes, articulation drills, pronunciation drills, expression drills, and other supplementary exercises should be constantly used as helps in facing the learner towards the truth of the selection.

The use of "Other Selections" and of "Additional Readings " should be similarly varied. The teacher may tell other stories or read other selections to the children. Better, the children may hear and tell, or read to the class, other poems or stories which carry truth similar to that of the selection read. Pictures to illustrate different parts of the story and songs to interpret its message may be used. If the selection is a history story, the field of history may be drawn upon for additional material. If a nature story is studied, objects in a related field of nature may give rare and interesting testimony. Stories of what pupils have seen others do or of how persons have acted under circumstances similar to those in the story, afford supplementary matter rich in human interest. School library books, home libraries, newspapers, magazines, and interesting local story-tellers may yield rich treasures.

Natural Incentives to Study Other Branches. By means of this definite plan, which admits of such enrichment and charm, the pupil should be led to read and to study definitely all other branches. Good reading, with natural methods of study, results in better arithmetic, better geography, better history, and better language. The child who reads and studies well will voluntarily cover a wider range in his reading and study, and will easily come to choose the best and discard " trash" and untruth of whatever character. From Primer to Eighth Grade reader, Studies in Reading has followed the universal lesson plan in order that reading with true appreciation may become an accomplished fact.