Lessons HOWARD R.DR[GOS TEMiERS mNML IKE UNIVERSITY PUBLISHING COMPANY Book > j!i' Copyriglit W. CDFrniCHT DEPOSIT. LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS TEACHERS' MANUAL BY HOWARD R: DRIGGS Professor of Education in English and Principal of the Secondary Training School, University of Utah, Salt Lake City lincoln — CI) (cap — £)ana£i THE UNIVERSITY PUBLISHIXG COMPANY 1921 Copyright, 1921 THE UNIVERSITY PUBLISHING COMPANY All Rights Reserved. (B-A) m 13 1922 ©CI.A653521 CONTENTS SECTION ONE— PRINCIPLES AND METHODS Introduction 3 Fundamental Aims in Language Teaching .... 5 General Methods of Language Teaching Com- pared 5 Plan of Live Language Lessons 7 Composition Content of Live Language Les- sons 8 Points to Remember 9 Practical Suggestions 9 SECTION TWO— THE WORK BY GRADES Language Aims in the Elementary Grades .... 13 THIRD GRADE LANGUAGE General Outline 15 Special Cautions for Third Grade Work 16 Practical Helps with Demonstration Lessons.. 18 Drill Exercise Chart 18 General Study One — Summer Stories 19 Sharing Our Vacation Fun 19 Finding Words 21 Riddles 21 Animal Tricks 21 Training Animals 22 Animal Games 23 A Zoo Guessing Game 23 Talks about Farm Animals 23 General Study Two — Little Laborers 24 A Talk about Work 25 iii iv CONTENTS Finding Words 26 Getting Ready for School 26 Talks about School Work 26 Stories about Workers 27 General Study Three — Autumn Days 27 Fall Poems 28 Talks about the Harvest 29 Stories of Nutting Time 29 Live Language Game 30 Popcorn Stories 30 An Indian Corn Story 30 A Wigwam Story Hour 31 The Four Winds 31 The Indians and the Jack-o '-Lantern 32 General Study Four — Thanksgiving Time 32 Picture and Poem Study 33 Pennyroyal Pie 34 The First Thanksgiving 34 A Thanksgiving Dinner Alphabet 35 Thanksgiving Games 35 How Foods are Produced for Us 36 General Study Five — Santa Claus Stories 36 A Visit from St. Nicholas 37 Christmas Poems and Stories 38 A Mother Goose Christmas Party 39 A Mother Goose Play 40 General Study Six — Snowflake Fun 40 The Snow Man 41 Finding Winter Words 42 The Snowball Game 42 Snow Stories 43 Stories of Eskimos 43 Mother Hubbard's Geese 44 Winter Night 44 How People Keep Warm 44 Review Tongue-Training Drills 44 CONTENTS General Study Seven — The Fireside Story Hour 45 Part One. Fairy Tales and Legends 45 The Story Hour 46 A Play Story Hour 46 Telling Fables 46 Fairy Tales to Play 47 Fairy Wand Games 48 Part Two. Valentine Fun 49 Part Three. Stories for Little Americans. 50 Hetty Marvin 51 An American Story Hour 51 Washington and the Corporal 51 A Patriotic Program 51 General Study Eight — Springtime Stories 52 The Story of Persephone 53 Stories of Plants 54 A Springtime Party 55 A Poem Study 55 My Favorite Bird 56 Barnyard Birds 56 General Study Nine — Plays and Playmates. . 57 Part One. Spring Sports 57 The Swing 58 A Game of Pomp 59 A Study of Action Words 59 One, Two, Three 59 Playing Language Games 60 A Vocabulary Exercise 60 Enjoying the Booklets 60 Review Drills for Tongue Training 60 Part Two. Animal Playmates 61 Animals at Play 61 Animal Actions 62 Picture Talks 62 vi CONTENTS Part Three. Water Sports 63 Water Fun 64 A True Fish Story 64 A Fishing Game 64 Vacation Fun 64 The Music of Nature 65 Review Exercises 65 FOURTH GRADE LANGUAGE General Outline 67 Points for General Guidance 68 Formal Exercises for the Fourth Grade 69 Correct-Usage Tables 69 Enunciation Exercises 71 Punctuation and CapitaHzation 72 General Study One — Fun in the Country 72 Talking about Country Fun 73 Word Study 74 Finding the Author's Words 74 Sentence Studies 74 Words often Mispronounced 74 Word Forms to Master: Correct Usage 75 General Study Two — Autumn Gifts 76 The Spirit of Autumn 76 King Autumn's Feast 78 Sowing the Seeds 80 A Tale of a Traveler 81 Author Study 81 Autumn Leaves 81 Correct-Usage Table 2 82 The Comma in Series 82 Reviews 82 General Study Three — Hallowe'en 82 Enjoying Hallowe'en Poems and Stories S3 Talking about Hallowe'en Fun , S3 Enjoying the Stories S3 CONTENTS vii Planning a Hallowe'en Program 84 Hallowe'en Rhymes 84 Poem Studies 84 Vocabulary Building 85 Correct-Usage, Table 3 85 Tongue Training 86 Correct-Usage, Table 4 86 Review Drill on Correct Usage 87 General Study Foue — Home Helpers 87 Talks about Cooking 87 Telling about Play Dinners . 87 Helping Hands 88 Thrift 88 Making Home Rhymes SS Pioneer Foods and Cooking 89 General Study Five — Christmastide 89 The First Christmas Story 90 Christmas Poetry 90 Sharing Christmas Pleasures 91 Christmas Remembrances 91 Christmas Cards 92 Rules for Using Capitals 92 New Year's Greetings 92 Abbreviations 93 Days of the Week 93 Reviews 93 General Study Six — Snow Sports 93 Sharing Our Winter Fun 94 A Book of Winter Stories 94 Conversation in Stories 95 Words that Take the Place of '' Said " 95 Snow Stories to Read 95 The First Snowfall 95 Contractions 96 General Study Seven — Around the Fireside. . 96 viii CONTENTS General Study Eight — Little Folk of Other Lands 98 A Patriotic Study 98 Drill on Correct-Usage, Table 4 99 Review Drill on Correct-Usage, Table 3 99 Lesson on the Comma and Capitals 99 General Study Nine — Spring in Song and Story 100 Poems of Springtime 101 Messengers of Spring 101 An Old Tale of Springtime 102 Growing Gardens 102 General Study Ten — General Review 102 Correct-Usage Language Matches 103 Punctuation Practice 104 Enunciation Exercises 105 General Study Eleven — Maytime 106 The Flower Festival 107 FIFTH GRADE LANGUAGE General Outline 112 Correct-Usage Tables for Fifth Grade 114 Correct Usage — Grammar 114 Punctuation and Capitalization 115 Enunciation Exercises 115 General Study One — The World's Workers. . 116 Talks about Workers and Their Work 116 Poet Pictures of Workers 117 Stories of Workers 117 Telling and Playing Stories 117 Paragraph Studies 118 Choosing a Subject to Talk About 118 Planning the Talks 119 A Play for Young Workers 119 Boy and Girl Workers — Lessons on Thrift. ... 119 CONTENTS ix General Study Two— Indian Life 121 Talks about the Indians. 122 An Indian Story Hour 122 The Indians and the Pioneers 122 A Lesson on Capital Letters 123 Dramatizing Stories from Hiawatha 123 Paragraph Pictures 123 Indian Sketches or a Play on Indian Life 123 The Papoose Lullaby 125 General Study Three — Thanksgiving 126 The Spirit and Story of Thanksgiving 127 Remembering the Pilgrims 127 The Thanksgiving Dinner 127 Creating Thanksgiving Plays 128 Writing Invitations 128 Words to Express Appreciation 128 Troublesome Word Fonns 129 General Study Four — Christmas Stories 130 Christmas Story Hours 130 Creating a Christmas Booklet 130 Correct-Usage Studies 130 Blending Constructive and Corrective Work. . . 132 General Study Five — Our Animal Friends ... 133 Telling and Writing Animal Stories 134 Reading and TelHng Stories about Animals . . . 134 Practical Talks on the Care of Animals 134 Correct-Usage Tables and Drills 134 Correct-Usage Tables— Rexdew 136 General Study Six — Brave Boys and Girls... 136 General Study Seven — Spring Work 140 Talks about Spring Duties 141 Growing Gardens 141 Making a Garden 141 Raising Chickens 142 Debates 142 Business Letters 143 CONTENTS General Study Eight — Springtime Fun 143 General Study Nine— Part I— Bird Life 145 General Study Nine — Part II— Review 148 General Study Ten — Spring Sports 150 SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE General Outline 153 Minimum Essentials Demanded of Sixth Graders 155 General Study One— Summer Sports 156 General Study Two — Fairs and Festivals.. . . 160 The School Fair 160 Telling about Shows 161 Descriptive Words 163 Lessons in Number 164 General Study Three — Stories of Industry.. 164 Talks on Industry 164 Inter-School Correspondence 165 Studying the Paragraph and Sentence Building 166 Stories of Pioneer Days 167 General Study Four — Entertainments 167 Telhng about Plays 168 Creating the Play or Plays 169 Practicing and Presenting a Play 170 General Study Five — Life in the City 171 Talks, Sketches, and Studies about City Life. . 171 Young Citizens 172 Study of Adjectives and Adverbs 172 Reviews 173 General Study Six — Stories of Our Country. 174 Retelling Patriotic Stories 174 Hero Tales in Verse 176 A Patriotic Program 177 The Twelfth Correct-Usage Table 177 General Study Seven — Schooldays and School- mates 178 CONTENTS xi General Study Eight — Wild Animal Life .... 180 Telling and Writing Animal Stories 181 Reading and Creating Animal Tales 183 Review Studies in Elementary Grammar 184 General Study Nine — Orchard and Wild wood. 185 Tales and Written Sketches about Trees 185 Reading and Creating Stories, Plays, and Poems about Trees 187 General Study Ten — Beginnings in Composi- tion 188 Vocabulary Work 189 Enunciation and Pronunciation 190 Capital Letters and Punctuation 192 The Paragraph 192 General Study Eleven — Beginnings in Gram- mar 195 Sentence Studies and Parts of Speech 195 Spelling and Using Plural and Possessive Forms 195 The Tables of Correct Usage 196 Language Aims in the Grammar Grades 202 SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE General Outline 205 General Suggestions 207 Special Aims for the Seventh Grade 208 The Opening Study, Channels of Expression. . . 209 General Study One — Stories and Story Tell- ing 210 Introductory Studies and Old-Time Tales 211 Historical Tales 211 Stories from the Masters 212 Everyday Stories 212 General Study Two — How to Tell a Story ... 213 Story Titles and Story Movement 213 Making the Story Lifelike 216 Paragraph Building 217 xii CONTENTS General Study Three — Pioneer History Stories and Sketches 218 Grandfather and Grandmother Tales 218 Coming of the Pioneers 219 Real Letter Writing 220 Biographies, Autobiographies, Diaries 220 History of Home Town or City 221 Pioneer Iowa 223 General Study Four — Sketch Books 228 Writing Descriptive Paragraphs and Letters. . . 229 Word Portraits, Snapshots and Cartoons 230 Word Studies 231 General Study Five — Sentence Studies 232 Studying Simple Sentences 233 Simple and Compound Sentence Studies 236 The Complex Sentence 237 Apphed Studies in Sentence Building 238 Sentence Clearness 239 How to Make Clear Sentences 240 Punctuation and Arrangement 240 General Study Six — Homes and Home-Making 242 Homes and Home Work 242 Foods and Cooking 243 Home Pleasures 246 The Home Library 246 General Study Seven — Words and Their Ways. 247 Dealing with the Slang Habit •. . . 248 Cultivating the Dictionary Habit 249 Reviews in Correct Usage 249 Getting a Foretaste of Latin 251 General Study Eight — The Poet and His Art 252 Review of Seventh Grade Work 255 Skill in Building Paragraphs 256 A Sure "Sentence Sense" 257 A Rich and Ready Vocabulary 257 The Spirit of Authorship 258 CONTENTS xiii EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE General Outline and Suggestions 259 Socialized Studies in Composition 259 Course in Practical Grammar 260 Studies in Sentence Structure 260 The Parts of Speech in Use 261 Inflections 262 Points to Guide Teachers 262 Special Aims for the Eighth Grade 263 Helps in Composition Work 264 Standards of Attainment 264 General Study One — Making the School News- paper 266 General Study Two — Creating Original Stories 268 General Study Three — Travel Talks and Sketches 269 Planning the Talks 271 Around the Alamo 271 Some Excellent Results 272 General Study Folti — Recreation 273 General Study Five — Closing Words 275 Grammar 277 A Climbing Course in Applied Grammar 278 Grammar as Organized in Live Language Lessons 279 A New Point of View 280 The VitaHzing Principle 281 Live Language Drills 282 The New Nomenclature 283 Division One — Practical Suggestions for Teaching Type Lessons in Grammar 284 Sentence Building 284 Word Groups 286 Idioms 287 Kinds of Sentences According to Use 287 xiv CONTENTS Base of the Sentence 287 The Predicative Verb 288 The Passive Verb 289 Dramatizing the Verb 290 A Study of Objects 293 Cultivating the Quotation Sense 294 Base of Compound and Complex Sentences. . . 294 Division Two — Studies in the Parts of Speech. 295 Nouns in Use 296 Case Uses of the Noun 297 Genitive Forms of the Noun 298 Substantive Phrases and Clauses 298 Diagraming and Sentence Clearness v300 The Pronoun 301 Case Forms of the Pronoun 302 Relative Pronouns 304 Verbs as Life-Giving Elements 306 Predicative and Non-Predicative Verbs 307 A New View of Transitive and Intransitive Verbs 308 Practical Study of Non-Predicative Verbs 309 Adjectives in Use 310 Adverbs 312 Adjectives or Adverbs 313 Adverbial Phrases and Clauses 314 Prepositions 314 Conjunctions 315 Correlative Conjunctions 316 Interjections 316 Summary and Reviews 316 Division Three — Inflections 317 A Concluding Word 317 CONTENTS XV SECTION THREE— PRACTICAL TALKS TO TEACHERS The Discovery Lesson 321 Development Lessons 326 Cultivating Skill in Speech 328 Graded Chart of Punctuation and Capitahza- tion 333 Live Language Enunciation Exercise Chart . 335 Live Language Plan for Drill Exercises in Cor- rect Usage, Grades 3, 4, 5 336 Live Language Plans for Drill Exercises in Cor- rect Usage, Grades 6, 7, 8 337 Solving the '^Seat Work" Problem 339 Live Language Combination Study Plan Sug- gested Especially for Rural Schools 343 Third and Fourth Grades 343 Fifth and Sixth Grades 344 Seventh and Eighth Grades 344 Live Language Uniform Program for Year Sug- gested Especially for Rural Schools 346 Uniform Study OutKne for Live Language Les- sons covering Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grade Work 347 A Final Word 348 SECTION ONE PRINCIPLES AND METHODS INTRODUCTION This manual has been prepared especially for those using Live Language Lessons. It contains definite helps, however, for all teachers who would vitalize the language work of their schools. The effort of the author has been to produce a practical guide book which points the natural, the progressive way to train pupils effectively to express themselves in choice living language. The constructive suggestions offered herein come directly out of experiences in the classroom. The illus- trations given have been developed by the author and others while teaching Live Language Lessons in various types of schools in many different states. It is hoped that this Httle handbook of helps will encourage teachers everywhere to take the rational road to success in language teaching, and enable them, while in service, to get the richest possible results from their work. How Live Language Lessons may best be taught can be readily discovered by a careful study of the texts themselves. The method is plainly revealed in every exercise. There seems need, however, to give teachers an even clearer view of the general plan of the books, to explain the fundamental principles on which they are based, and to make plain the essentials that must not be forsrotten in their teachino;. LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS For these purposes this manual has been written. The charts, the constructive suggestions, and the demonstra- tions it contains will help teachers understand and apply the methods more intelligently. These books were created, not from behind a pro- fessor's desk, nor in a library cloister. They were developed in the classroom in the grades for which they are intended. Every lesson in them was proved before it was written. All of them have been success- fully tested by teachers, both in city and in country schools. The Live Language plan opens the opportunity to train pupils, through their own expression, for practical service along every essential line of life. To this end the following exercises are systematically offered : 1. Lessons that inspire a love of country. 2. Lessons that develop the right home spirit. 3. Lessons that promote proper health habits. 4. Lessons that cultivate respect for labor. 5. Lessons that teach sensible thrift. 6. Lessons that widen the learner's world. 7. Lessons that cultivate appreciation of nature. 8. Lessons that stimulate wholesome recreation. 9. Lessons that train the taste for literature. 10. Lessons that awaken interest in current events. Through a series of practical, close-to-life lessons the various classes are led to express their own thoughts and experiences. The teacher, by guiding this expression into proper channels, turns it to the ends desired. INTRODUCTION Fundamental Aims in Language Teaching Live Language Lessons are based on these first prin- ciples of progressive pedagogy: 1. Without true self-expression there can be no real language growth. 2. Expression, to be worth while, must be given, not for the sake of expression, but for the sake of service. 3. To lead the learner along the way of serviceable self- expression, the teacher, first of all, must meet the pupil where he lives and must make opportunity for him to express himself, not some one else. 4. To help him express himself most effectively, the teacher must guide the pupil tactfully to realize the best expression of which he is capable, without destroying his individuahty and spontaneity of expression. 5. Facts and forms of speech and principles of structure and syntax essential to a mastery of the mother tongue, can be best taught only as they are connected closely with the learner's daily life language. General Methods of Language Teaching Compared Two main methods obtain in language as in other kinds of teaching: The Formal and The Vitalized The distinctive differences between these general systems, as far as language is concerned, is shown in the following table of comparison: The Formal Method The Vitalized Method I. Makes the language les- i. Makes the language les- son mainly an informa- son mainly an express- tional study. ional study. LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 2. Teaches the forms of 2. Teaches the forms of speech apart from the speech with constant appU- learner's language. cation in daily use. 3. Uses literary models for 3. Uses literary models to purposes of imitation. stimulate creative effort. 4. Makes composition work 4. Makes composition work a reproductive process. a productive process. 5. Deals with language as 5. Deals with language as something perfected. something perfecting. 6. Is essentially autocratic 6. Is essentially democratic in spirit. in spirit. In Live Language Lessons the vitalized, or natural method of teaching is accepted without compromise. This natural method has been proved to be educationally sound and right. This system is democratic both in spirit and in method. It offers every pupil equal opportunity with every other pupil to participate freely in the exercises provided for socialized self-expression. As each gives he gains. In contributing of his individual thought and experiences for the benefit of all, the pupil gets truly motivated practice in speaking and in writing. The actual speech needs of the pupil are revealed in this free expression. Discovering these, the teacher is enabled more intelligently to direct the formal work and the drills necessary to make sure the principles and practice that make for any effective use of language. In other words, there are three types of lessons in Live Language work: (i) The Discovery Lesson; (2) Develop- ment Lessons; (3) Drill Exercises. Each of these types is concretely discussed in Section III of this manual. INTRODUCTION The teacher's part in the process is also threefold: (i) To create conditions wherein the pupil feels impelled not compelled to express himself. (2) To help him by encouraging suggestions and guiding questions to bring out his best thoughts and experiences clearly and well. (3) To teach, through well aimed lessons, the essential principles of speech; and, through positive drills, to fix right language habits in tongue and in fingers. PLAN OF LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS I. Composition Studies on Real Life Subjects 1. Oral work emphasized 2. Written work closely correlated with special emphasis on real letter writing II. Practical Exercises in 1. Vocabulary Building (a) Word finding games (b) Exercises aimed at overcoming the slang habit (c) Studies in word accuracy 2. Applied Grammar (a) Language games and correct-usage drills (b) Exercises in sentence building (c) Systematic study of practical grammar 3. Enunciation and Pronunciation (a) Exercises on troublesome sounds (b) Elementary studies in speech art 4. Punctuation and Paragraphing (a) Practice in punctuation (b) Study of essential rules of punctuation LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS o K U O 4i 1"^ c/: rt O g PL, & O rt hK;2 SO = « > c Si'*? ^i ou<: ^^ •S CH-1 3 a ggW 'SW "I I S ^ §1 ^ c o boJ; 31 ^■2 rt7;c/2 is copq S .£ o -g c s 4-" h rt N w Cd a; o- crt o ^ ;a c c s o ^ o O e^_. ■?=i n C t-i S9UT1 ajji xjs aqx INTRODUCTION The titles given in the chart indicate only the main study centers for oral and written expression. Points to Remember 1. The composition work follows the lines of real life interest. 2. Each grade is given its own rich part in working out this vital and varied program. 3. Every other study is reinforced by this live composi- tion plan. Practical Suggestions 1. To promote proper team work each grade should be held, not slavishly, but rather faithfully within the field assigned to it. There is a wealth of work given each class to do, and it is unfair to any class to have the cream of interest in its work taken by preceding classes. 2. Subjects should always be adapted and enriched as need demands; other good subjects that fit in wdth the plan may be used at times. 3. In the lower grades, where the seasonal arrangement is followed, the work may be readily rearranged where necessary to fit in with a mid-year promotion plan. SECTION TWO THE WORK BY GRADES LANGUAGE AIMS IN THE ELEMENTARY GRADES Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grades The following are the main objectives to be kept clear in the language work of the Elementary School : 1. Encourage fluency and spontaneity of expression. The pupils, however, should be held gently but firmly to accuracy in using the simpler forms of speech and of writing. 2. Let oral work predominate. Three-fourths of the time, at least, should be given to oral expression in these grades; but written work growing out from the oral should gradually be increased. 3. Exercises in enunciation should be regularly given. Work especially for clear resonance, and to overcome lazy jaws, lips, and tongues. 4. Strive to correct wrong speech habits by fixing right ones. Tongue training drills in the form of language games and drills on the ''Tables of Correct Usage" are important here. The simple rules and reasons governing correct usage may be given with the drill exercises. 5. Beginnings in practical grammar — sentence studies and the parts of speech, mth easier inflections in number, tense, and case — are made in the sixth grade. 6. Vocabulary-building exercises, closely correlated with the expression studies, are regularly given. 7. Punctuation practice, exercises in paragraphing, simpler letter forms, and the easier rules for capitalization are systematically given to train the fingers into right habits. 13 14 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Fluency with accuracy is the watchword. The aim now is to work for right language habits, but not at the expense of naturalness and freedom of expression. THIRD GRADE LANGUAGE Live Language Lessons — First Book, Part I* General Outline Two closely blended main lines of work are pro- vided for this grade : L Expression Studies IL Skill- Cultivating Exercises These are grouped in a series of ten general language studies as follows : 1. Summer Stories Talks about summer fun. Word games. Telling animal stories. Writing about animals. Talks about farm anima's. Animal language games. 2. Little Laborers Talks about children's work. Making worker rhymes. TelHng of work in school. Word games about workers. Stories about workers. Writing about work. 3. Autumn Days Fall stories and poems. Autumn language games. Talks about corn. Writing about corn. A wigwam story hour. Finding Indian words. 4. Thanksgiving Time Talks about Thanksgivi.ig. Thanksgiving alphabet. First Thanksgi\dng. Thanksgiving language game. Talks about foods. Word game about cooking. * The work of the Elementary Book is explained in the Manual beginning with the fourth grade, page 67. i6 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 5. Santa Claus Stories Christmas stories and songs. Christmas language games. Christmas plays. Writing Santa letters. 6. Snowflake Fun Telling of snow fun. Finding winter words. Talks about Eskimos. Snowball language games. Winter night stories. Writing about winter. 7. The Fireside Story Hour Telling fairy tales. Finding words for fables. Playing fairy stories. Fairy language games. Stories of valentines. Postman language game. Little American stories. Making American stories. 8. Springtime Stories Playing a story of spring. Spring guessing game. Telling bird stories Finding bird words. Describing favorite birds. Bird language games. 9. Plays and Playmates Talks about spring fun. Spring language games. TelHng about pets. Animal action words. More animal stories. Animal language game. 10. Vacation Fun Talks about water sports. Making a story. Vacation time fun. Fishing language games. Review of language games and other tongue-training exercises. SPECIAL CAUTIONS FOR THIRD GRADE WORK I. Pupils will need guidance at the beginning to learn how to use their first language text properly. THIRD GRADE LANGUAGE 17 2. Do not expect them to read fluently all the stories and directions, or to fill every blank in the vocabulary exercises. Give them tactful help until they can help themselves. 3. The beginnings in written work should be care- fully made. The sentence building, letter- writing, and other compositions should be worked out in the beginning by the class working together under the tactful guidance of the teacher. 4. Too much writing and copying should not be given as seat work. For the study period, use word- finding games, the reading of stories and poems in the book, with occasional very brief written compositions and Httle letters. Make this work simple and watch it carefully. 5. The lessons are best taught in the season thereof. It will be observed that they are planned to follow the school year somewhat closely. Where promotions are made at the half year, the seasonal arrangement need not be seriously disturbed. For example, if the grade begins its work in January or in February, its first study should be Snowflake Fun or The Fireside Story Hour. The following fall the class can begin with Summer Stories or Little Laborers. 6. The course is planned to cover a full year of nine or ten months' work with a lesson practically every day. If the course must be shortened to fit the short term or ungraded school, certain exercises from different studies may be omitted. For such a minimum course the following is suggested: Omit exercises 3, 5, 11, 18, 26, 33^ 35> 39, 45> 46, 50. 5i. 5^, 62, 63, 70, 71, 79,81, and 82. i8 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 7. The best results will come from following the plan, not slavishly, but rather faithfully. Ample free- dom is given both pupils and teacher within the general studies provided. The lessons should always be adapt- ed to the class, and at times other exercises more closely connected with their needs may be substituted. 8. Only as each grade does the part assigned to it is effective team work possible. The part given to the third grade has already been presented in brief. The following is a summary showing the various forms dealt with in the tongue and finger- training games and drills: PRACTICAL HELPS WITH DEMONSTRATION LESSONS DRILL EXERCISE CHART Correct Usage Punctuation Enunciation Language games to over- Use of the Games and come period drills on ''Can I go?" 'It's me." I. To close sen- can 'T fell in" 'T laid down" tences catch "have got" "throwed" 2. After abbrevia- and "aint" "knowed" tion of months just "et" for "ate" "give" for 3- After initials get "gave" Use of the capital for "I seen" "has stole" I. To begin sen- from "I done" "has took" tences going "If I was" "he come" 2. In writing running "There was "he run" names doing two" 3- Pronoun I playing The drills suggested in this chart should be vitalized and motivated whenever possible. Other type trouble- THIRD GRADE LANGUAGE 19 makers may also be dealt with as need requires, but the foregoing forms should not be neglected. GENERAL STUDY ONE— SUMMER STORIES The following program covering about two weeks* work, is provided in connection with this opening study: For the Recitation For Seat Work Telling of vacation fun. Word-finding game. Study of the circus poem. Blank-filling exercise. Telling jokes and riddles. Finding answers. Talks about animal tricks. Writing about animals. Talks about pets. Finding words. Playing animal games. Making a zoo. Talking about useful animals. Writing sentences. Lesson i. Sharing Our Vacation Fun On opening this First Book of Live Language Lessons, the pupil is greeted with two pictures suggesting fun in summertime. He meets also this inviting question: "Did you ever play trading stories'?" Then follows the stimulating suggestion that he share with his classmates some story of fun he has had during the vacation just past. Over the leaf is a story of some real boys who had "A Circus Chase." This should be read or told interest- ingly by the teacher. Then appropriate questions such as are suggested may be given to lead the pupils to tell similar experiences. As they talk, the teacher should tactfully draw out their best thoughts, keeping their expression moving forward within the general lines of the lesson. 20 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Seat work. While the interest to tell the stories is still keen, the work should be changed. During the study period following, the pupils may be allowed to express themselves in another way, by making a circus parade, or a zoo, or in otherwise reflecting the main thought of the lesson given. Written work should not be required with this first lesson, other than the spelling of a few names of animals to make a word circus. The result of this seat work is likely to be something like this: y^^^*4«4 U^^^ ^ c^^,^ ,% geography, industrial, social, health and nature studies, and with literature. The plan is made to fill a regular school year. Where less time must be given to the work, as in ungraded schools, the following exercises may be omitted: 13, 38, 39. 42, 53, 54, 63, 68, 78, 79, and 80. Minimum Essentials Demanded of Sixth Graders The pupil should be considered ready for promotion from the sixth grade when he can: iS6 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 1. Tell his experiences with a fair degree of accuracy. 2. Write rather clearly a friendly or a business letter. 3. Organize a written composition of two or three para- graphs on some vital subject close to his life. 4. Apply with sureness the various rules in punctuation, composition and grammar, given in Exercises 8^ to 94 inclusive. These desired results may best be obtained by follow- ing the plan as outlined. GENERAL STUDY ONE— SUMMER SPORTS The central aim of this project is to afford the pupils an inviting opportunity to share their worth-while vacation experiences. Several good results will come from such expression work. 1. It gives the teacher at the opening of school a chance to get better acquainted with the real lives of the pupils. 2. It offers excellent practice in speaking and in writing on a vital subject. 3. It makes a good basis for lessons in letter writing, story telling, and verse making. Three weeks, at least, may well be filled with carrying out the lessons provided. First Week For the Recitation For Seat Work Exchanging vacation experi- Study of "Barefoot Boy" ences. selection. Planning vacation letters. Writing real letters. Study Whittier's story. Writing a summer story or stories. SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE ^7 Two more recitations with two study periods may also be given here to oral and written work necessary to coraplete the stories brought out by Exercise 4. It wnll be well to have the pupils bring to class their kodak pictures and the specimens they may have gathered for use in their talks and stories. Second Week Using Exercises 5 to 10 inclusive, let this week be given to the Uttle lessons on "How to Tell a Story." Use pictures from the magazines or other stories of summer- time to enliven the work. The pupil's own written and oral work should also be used to vitalize the various exercises. Special emphasis should be given to overcoming the "and" habit and to eHminating needless words in such expressions as ''have got," ''don't hardly," ''John he," and "this here." The following sentences taken from sixth grade papers are illustrative of the prevalent "and" habit. "The man on the motorcycle put his brake on and slid five to ten feet and hit the car." "They ran toward a very steep bank and tipped the wagon over and broke Mrs. Proctor's jaw and the little boy's collar bone." ''One day we were playing ball and a car come along the road pretty fast and ran over the boy and it cost a lot of money to get well." From almost any set of papers or notebooks scores of ''and" filled sentences may be copied. Such sentences 158 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS offer excellent materials for constructive lessons in sentence building. Have such sentences copied on the board. Let the pupils reconstruct them so that they move smoothly. For illustration: ''They went up stairs and shut off the electricity and then called the fire department." They went up stairs, shut off the electricity, and called the fire department. Or: Hurrying up stairs, they shut off the electricity and called the fire department. Third Week The first lesson here offered is a review of '' Conversa- tion in Stories." Increase the drill sentences if necessary to fix the habit of using quotation marks correctly. The second lesson is a study of ^'Action Words." In this lesson the beginning of a vitalized study of verbs is found. The name verb may or may not be given at this time. It will be introduced later. Let the emphasis be thrown on building the vocabulary by finding choice action words. Make the work both a study of verbs and a live vocabulary lesson. In the exercises on "Streamside and Seashore," zest may be given the vocabulary building through the creat- ing of descriptive paragraphs and poems. The music of the stream and the sea generally inspires musical expres- sion. The following are some of the little poems that were created by sixth grade pupils in working out these exercises: SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 159 THE MILLSTREAM The faithful millstream bright and clear That comes from far away, A rippling, dimpling noise we hear As o'er the rocks it plays. And as it bounds, and leaps, it turns The millwheel big and round, And grinds the wheat and corn so ripe, Wliich once was in the ground. — Harold Goss. Happy little brooklet O'er mossy pebbles slipping. Winding in and out the meadow Forever playful and free ; Clear, fresh and blue as the sky, Flowing all day thru the grasses, Never growing tired and sleepy, But forever onward straying. -Rubelle Bullougk. Winding softly through the meadow. Glides the brook just like a shadow; Murmuring sweetly as it goes, Down to the ocean this meadow brook flows. — Minnie Champiieys. bring waters of our lake, Rolling from shore to shore, A mirror for the hills you make And image them evermore. — Gideon MacDonald. THE BROOK 1 know a happy little brook That through the meadow flows. It came from some far quiet nook. Which none but nature knows. It babbles through the meadow green And sparkles all the way, A beautiful and peaceful scene That brightens up the day. — Helen Cunningham^j i6o LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Art work may well be blended with this Hterary expression. Pupils may draw little sketches to illustrate their poems. GENERAL STUDY TWO— FAIRS AND FESTIVALS In this study, the language lessons reinforce the boys' and girls' club work and stimulate interest in making and in producing things worth while. Though centered on school fairs, the study may well include other exhibitions. The teacher should adapt the work to the experiences of the pupils. If they have not had direct contact with fairs, let them tell of the prize winning products from their fathers' farms, or they may select prize winners from the markets. A visit to the grocery to study choice fruits and vege- tables or canned goods will help. The pupils' work and play interests are bound up in this exercise. Both call for careful guiding. Three main results should come from the work: 1. Good practice in oral and written expression. 2. Sharpening of the powers of observation. 3. Stimulating an interest in productive work. Four weeks may well be spent in carrying out the program of lessons given. First Week. The School Fair The best preparation for talking about the fair is the holding of a fair. In country schools where real fairs are beuig held, it wiU be easy to have a school fair at which SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE i6i pupils may exhibit specimens of their own production and handiwork or those of their parents. Every school in the country or in the city can readily arrange such an exhibit. The language work, as given in Exercises 15, 1 6, 17,18, 19, correlates closely with this project. Let the pupils, as there directed, first make talks about fairs and exhibi- tions, next plan a school fair, then write descriptions of prize-winners, and carry on the business correspondence outlined. Other good language work may be had through making posters, writing advertisements, and the writing of news notes telling about the exhibition. The project offers various rich possibilities for expression work. On page 162 is a sample page of a little paper produced by one school in connection with a school fair. Second Week. Telling about Shows After the fair, the work offered in Exercises 19, 20, and 21, may be taken up. Following the lead of the suggestions there given, let the pupils deal not only with fairs, but with circuses and other shows. Good oral practice may also be had by leading the pupils to tell about moving pictures and plays. The following is a composition which was produced by a sixth grade girl while working out one of the topics given in Exercise 19, under this study: THE BALLOON ASCENSION A few years ago out at the fairground there was a balloon ascension. It was quite a sight to see them fill the balloon with air, as it gradually expanded until it looked almost like a mammoth hay stack. The upward pull being so strong that it took a number of men to hold it on the ground, till everthing was ready. l62 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 170 THE TEE ESS BEE AUTUMN Autumn is one of the most beautiful seasons of the year, when the leaves are turning and the harvest is being taken in. In the canyons the mountains are spotted with blazing clumps of maple. Often we would go for quite a little way without seeing much unusual coloring; then suddenly a large, brilliant scarlet clump would flash, like fire, into sight. In the country the harvest moon shines brilliantly down upon the shocks of grain, stacks of corn, and pumpkins. The days are full, from morning to night, with the harvesting. The days and nights begin to get colder. The sky is hazy and cloudy and the winds are laden with rain. The birds fly south and leave their nests among the trees during the winter season. Anna Merrill, Seventh Grade. TheWind Doth Blow My Hat in the Snow This would not happen if you would come to the Training School Fair and buy a hat pin. Pencils, Pencils, Everywhere but not a place to put them. Buy a hand-made pencil tray at the Train- ing School Fair and see how handy it will be. Christmas is coming bye and bye Get big brother a nice necktie At the Training School Fair! Toys! Toys! Toys! Bring the Girls and Boys! Doll Caps Jumping Jacks Scrap Books Doll Sweaters Flower Books Hammocks Cinderella Play Theatre LEATHER GOODS Music Folios Book Covers Card Cases Watch Fobs Bags Blotter Corners Book Marks Coin Purses Made by the Children. FOR SALE at the TRAINING SCHOOL FAIR SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 163 At the shout, "Let her go," everybody lets loose and up it goes, the man going up with it grabbing the trapese which takes him along. The balloon goes so high that the man looks like a very small child, when finally he cuts loose his parachute and drops quite a distance before it opens, to let him down slowly to the ground. The parachute is like a very large umbrella, which catches enough air under it to hold the weight of the man. After the parachute is cut loose, the balloon turns bottom end up letting the hot air out, and then falls to the ground. — Ethel Swank. Third Week. Descriptive Words Following the suggestions in Exercises 22, 23, 24, let the pupils make a study of adjectives, and practice writing paragraphs or poems that describe. A little booklet of word pictures in prose and verse like the one given in the text may come from this work. Vocabulary-building and spelHng exercises also nat- urally grow out of these lessons. One good exercise is the making of word lists repre- senting various departments in the fair. For example: Exhibit A. Frxiits and Vegetables apples grapes tomatoes carrots pears nectarines potatoes beets peaches quinces squash melons plums apricots pumpkins parsnips Let each pupil make as large an exhibit as he can, without using the dictionary or other helps. His exhibit may consist of the things he can spell correctly. Other lists; as, live stock, poultry, farm implements, manu- factured articles, hand work, m.ay be made; also a word circus giving the animals in the menagerie may be made. i64 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Fourth Week. Lessons in Number In Exercises 26, 27, 28, and 29, will be found work enough to fill a week. The drills should be supplemented as need directs to fix the rules in tongue and fingers. GENERAL STUDY THREE— STORIES OF INDUSTRY The central purposes of this industrial language study are: 1. To give pupils good practice in speaking and in writing on a vital subject. 2. To waken in them a live interest in the industries of their community and of their country. In carrying out the project, the teacher will do best: 1. To provide, with the help of the pupils, suitable books, magazines, catalogs, and pictures reflecting the industrial Hfe of our country. The following books will be found very helpful here: ''Book of Knowledge," ''Carpenter's Geograph- ical Readers." 2. To plan for class excursions to industrial plants. 3. To arrange with some teacher or teachers in other places for inter-school correspondence. 4. To have, when the talks are ready, an audience of patrons and pupils to hear the results. Four weeks may well be spent in developing the work. First Week. Talks on Industry The work suggested in Exercise 30 may be expanded into a week of profitable language lessons. Several recitations and study periods will be required to carry out these exercises satisfactorily. SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 165 The lessons should move forward naturally in three successive steps: 1. Discovering pupils' worth-while stories of industry. 2. Selecting and preparing special subjects for industry talks. 3. Giving little lectures before real audiences. What shall be the day-by-day program of exercises in promoting this work must be determined largely by the size and by the experiences of the class. The following types of work will be necessary to get the best results: 1. Oral lesson to draw out the experiences of the pupils. 2. Visiting nearby industrial plants. 3. Outlining the talks. 4. Making drawings or gathering pictures for illustrations. 5. Reading books on industry. 6. Learning new words connected with the subject. To bring out the very best, a real audience will be necessary. This may be provided by the class itself or even, at times, by patrons. Let the first week's work, except for outHning the talks, be entirely oral. Second Week. Inter-School Correspondence Arrangements for the exchange of letters suggested in Exercise 31, should be made in good time. The effort should be to get classes from very different industrial centers into cooperation here. Thus, a mining-camp school may correspond with one in an agricultural community. i66 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS The following program may be carried out in prepar- ing the letters: 1. Read the suggestions and letter in Exercise 31. Out- line the letter on ''Making Maple Sugar." 2. Discuss the plan and select subjects for letters. Either a composite letter may be developed by the whole class, or each pupil may produce a letter on some special topic, or on some special part of the general topic chosen by the class. For illustration: Suppose Cotton Growing is chosen. One pupil may write about The Cotton Lands, another of Plant- ing the Cotton; a third of Enemies of the Cotton Plant; a fourth of Cotton Picking; a fifth of the Cotton Gin; a sixth of The Cotton Seed Products; another of Marketing the Cotton; still another of Making Cotton Cloth, or other cotton pro- ducts. The dividing of the subject like this into various parts will make for individual as well as for team work. Special language lessons may be given while the letters are being prepared, such as: Spelling Drills, Punctuation Practice, Vocabulary Work, Help in Para- graphing, and Lessons in Grammatical Forms. These exercises should be determined by' the needs of the pupils as revealed in their written compositions. During this week let the emphasis be given to written work. Third Week. Studying the Paragraph and Sentence Building Exercises 32, 33, and 34 should be followed here. These exercises may be enriched by adding other para- graphs to study, and by giving more drill work to drive home the essential points presented. Keep in view the central thought, How to Build Clear Paragraphs and Clear Sentences. SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 167 The effort should be to develop skill to say but one thing in each paragraph and to say it clearly. In doing this a sure "sentence sense" will of necessity be culti- vated. For additional work, the study of possessive case forms may be also taken up at this time. Fourth Week If this period falls, as it probably will, just before Thanksgiving, the pupils may be given the interesting work of comparing the pioneer industries with those of to-day. Let them gather stories of pioneer days relating to early-day industries. An exhibit of old-time tools, specimens of handwork by both women and men, pictures of pioneer homes and pioneer workshops, will be useful in stimulating a lively interest in this work. A Thanksgiving program for the parents may well grow out of these practical, close-to-life lessons. GENERAL STUDY FOUR— ENTERTAINMENTS This study turns language work to the stimulating and creating of wholesome recreation. Between Thanks- giving and Christmas seems the best time for the work. Let the pupils bring to school books and magazines containing seasonable stories and plays. The room may also be given a hoHday spirit with artistic decorations. These language aims should be kept clear: I. Oral expression through the pupils relating their experiences, playing shows, through retelling stories of plays and of moving pictures, and through playing original plays. i68 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 2. Written expression in the form of plays created by the class or by individual pupils. 3. Tongue- training and finger- training exercises in correct usage, and enunciation and punctuation based on the pupils' needs as revealed in their oral and written work. The following is a suggestive program that may be carried out with such changes as the situation makes necessary: First Week. Telling about Plays The opening lesson here is clearly suggested in Exercise 37. Using the questions there with others of like purpose, lead the pupils to tell of their interesting experiences in playing show. Seat Work. Following this informal oral exercise, each pupil may study the little stories given in Exercise 38 and plan to tell them and some story of his own or others similar. The second recitation may be another oral exercise during which the ''show stories" that have been pre- pared are related. Seat Work. Let the pupils read one of the stories suggested in "Little Women," the ''Story of a Bad Boy," or other books containing stories of children at play. A third oral exercise may be the telling of some story the pupils have seen played in the moving pictures or in the theater. Seat Work. A written expression about favorite "movies" and heroes and heroines might be valuable guidance for the teacher here. Let each pupil write a paragraph or two on "What Shows I Like Best." SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 169 Following the oral work, if time permits, the teacher may plan drills based on the needs of pupils as revealed in their speech. A review exercise on the John he, this here, and other expressions wherein words are used needlessly, will probably be necessary at this point. Exercises on words ending in ing, and other tongue- training drills, may also be needed. Use here also Exercises 40 and 41. Second Week. Creating the Play or Plays The first thing necessary is to have a democratic discussion of the project. Let the pupils, under tactful guidance, express themselves and make their plan for working out the play. The play may be created in any one of a number of ways: 1. Each pupil may write a play and the best play may be selected. 2. The class, if large, may be divided into several groups and two or more pupils together may produce a play. 3. The main play may be worked out by the class under the direction of the teacher, the pupils during study periods being permitted to write only certain parts, as songs or cer- tain acts. 4. If an original play seems too difficult, let the pupils dramatize some good suitable story as suggested. A full week of interesting recitation and seat work will be needed to put the play into form for rehearsing and presenting. FoUow the same form and punctuation in writing the play as that found in "Frolics in Toyland," Exercise 39. I70 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Third Week. Practicing and Presenting a Play A week at least will be needed for practicing and presenting the play. Manual work in making the stage where one is necessary, and art work in making the scenes and the costumes will be required. No set program of exercises can well be given. The teacher must make her own day-by-day plans in carry- ing this work forward. The motivation in creative dramatic work is compel- ling enough generally to carry a class over all difficulties. Pupils need mainly to be held within bounds, to have their enthusiasm guided steadily towards the end in view. The following are some songs from a play created under the stimulus of the exercises given under this project. BROWNIE BREEZES We're the lively Brownie breezes, We bring the coughs and sneezes. We rustle and we bustle, We make the snowflakes hustle; But we bring the merry spring And the birds upon the wing. We're the lively Brownie breezes, We bring the coughs and sneezes. O'er hilltop, meadow, and lea. Blowing and puffing merrily we Ooo, ooo, ooo! listen to us sing. Calling back the flowers of spring. Ooo, ooo, ooo! SPRING SONG Merry spring at last is here. The birds are singing their songs of cheer; The flowers are budding everywhere. There's music and fragrance in the air. SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 171 Come away, come and play, Let's frolic all day. We'll dance o'er the meadow. We'll climb up the hills, We'll pluck the gay flowers, We'll sing with the rills. The flicker is beating his jolly old drum. The meadow lark's whistling, "Spring has come." The streams are sparkling, the blossoms are gay, The sun has driven the snow away. GENERAL STUDY FIVE— LIFE IN THE CITY The country child should be interested in the city. The city child should likewise study the life throbbing about him. Both, rightly led, will be ready to tell inter- esting experiences they have had or have heard about city life. This expression offers opportunity : 1. For vital practice in speech and in writing. 2. For the correction of false impressions. 3. For the teaching of practical civic Hfe. An entire month may well be given to the lessons as outlined. The following definite plan of action, followed rightly, will bring the desired results. First Week. Talks, Sketches, and Studies about City Life 1. Exchanging experiences. Writing "Seeing the City" description. 2. Reading and improving the sketches. Making a "See- ing the City" booklet. 3. Telling of exciting events in city. Writing the story. 4. Reading and improving stories. Study of "Fireman Story." 5. Reading other stories of city. Spelling lesson. 172 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS The spelling study last suggested should be made from useful words connected with city Hfe, needed by the children. A list made up of the misspelled words in their papers will give excellent practice. Second Week. Young Citizens Exercises 45 and 46 afford a week of interesting work. The following program suggests how these exercises may be expanded into a series of worth-while lessons. 1. Talks on topics in Exercise 45. Writing on one of the topics. 2. Forming a Young Citizens' Club. Writing rules for the club. 3. Discussion by the club of ''The Cost of Carelessness." Making safety first rules for boys and girls. 4. Writing news notes on city happenings. Studying news items. 5. Study of verbs. Finding expressive verbs. In preparation for writing news notes, the pupils should bring newspapers to school. From these let them find news stories telling of incidents similar to those they are studying, observing the way these are told and the words used. Third Week. Study of Adjectives and Adverbs Following the lead of Exercises 47, 48, 49, and 50 let the pupils be given a vitalized study of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. To make the study vital, connect it with the composition exercises of this general study. Seat Work. Find well chosen adjectives in the advertisements of the newspapers. Use also descriptive SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 173 paragraphs on city life. Increase the drills on adverbial forms by having the pupils find or compose other sentences wherein adverbs should be used. Fourth Week. Reviews According to the time remaining in the month and the needs of the pupils as revealed in the oral and written work, the review drill given in Exercise 51 may be increased. Add to this drill reviews in the following: 1. The correct-usage tables, especially, ''Needless Words;" lie, lay; sit, set; rise, raise; contractions; trouble- some principal parts and other forms calling for attention. 2. The ''and" habit. A week of work may well be given here to clearing away common errors in speech that seem to be persisting. Endeavor to get the pupils to take the responsibility for their own correction. They may be led to do this in several ways. For illustration: 1. Making Correct-Usage Book, already described in the fifth grade. 2. Using the Correction Box. Into some little box placed in the classroom, the pupils may drop slips containing errors they have heard their classmates make. These may be used for correct-usage lessons. 3. The Good-Speech Week. Direct the drill towards clearing away the "trouble spots." Give emphatic attention, for example, to the work on lie, sit, rise, and their parts; rather than on lay, set, and raise which are overused. 174 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS He lies down every day after lunch. The book lay on the table. The old tree had lain there several years. It was lying on the lawn. Sit up, Rover. Did you rise early? I sat on the porch. I rose at six. He has sat there an hour. Has Tom risen yet? I saw you sitting there. The prices are rising. GENERAL STUDY SIX— STORIES OF OUR COUNTRY This language-history study offers an excellent oppor- tunity: 1. For good practice in speech and in writing. 2. For good oral and silent reading. 3. For vitalized lessons in patriotism. February, the patriotic month, may best be given to the study. To prepare for the study, let the pupils and teacher bring suitable pictures. Decorate the room with these and with appropriate blackboard drawings and flags. The school library also should be enriched with books containing well told, choice stories of our country. Following are a few such books: "Colonial Stories," ''Boys of Seventy-Six," ''Boys of Sixty-One," all by Charles Coffin; ''The Thirteen Colonies," by Guerber. The following plan of action suggests how this study may well include four weeks of profitable work. First "Week. Retelling Patriotic Stories Informal Story-telling. Using the introduction to Exercise 52, ''Stories of Our Country," stimulate the SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 175 pupils to tell any choice story of American heroes or heroines they may recall. It will generally be found that they do not remember well many of these stories. During the study period they may read some choice story to retell the next day. Follow here the suggestions given in Exercise 52. If desired, several stories about one hero may be told by a group of pupils. Thus, group one may take ''The Life of Columbus," each pupil giving a choice story from his life; as, ''The Boyhood of Columbus," "Columbus, the Captain," "Columbus Seeks the Kings," "Columbus and Isabella," "The First Voyage," "Columbus Finds America," "Columbus Returns in Triumph," "Legend of Columbus and the Egg," "Columbus in Chains." Group two may take "The Life of Washington" and likewise, develop the story of "The Father of Our Coun- try" by telHng the various incidents of Washington's hfe. Besides the old-time tales suggested, let new ones be found. A fine story hour might easily be had around some general topic such as Hero Stories of the World War, or Hero Stories of the Spanish- American War, or The Civil War. Pupils should gather such stories from first-hand sources and preserve them in booklets for the library. Writing Stories and Poems of Patriotism. To pre- pare well the stories selected, each pupil should write the story. Added motivation may be given to this work by arranging to have a second Hero Story Hour before some audience besides the class. Other classes will usually be glad to be this audience. In working out their stories, some pupils prefer to 176 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS express themselves in verse. Let this desire be encour- aged. The following poem came from a sixth grade boy while working under the stimulus of a similar motive. COLUMBUS Columbus sailed the ocean In fourteen-ninety-two: And found for us this goodly land, Where waves the red, white, and blue. He wanted to reach India, But America he found In all its wealth and glory, And proved the earth is round. He was a brave and noble man, He did his duty well, And now the little boys and girls His story love to tell. — Harold Perry Driggs. Second Week. Hero Tales in Verse Following here the suggestions in Exercise 52, let the week be spent in reading and in talking about the his- torical selections suggested and others of similar spirit. These poems should be studied in their historical settings. An example of such a study with a language purpose is given in Exercise 55. For other examples, with the emphasis on reading, see in Studies in Reading by Searson and Martin — 'Xolumbus," Eighth Grade Reader, page 80. "Paul Revere's Ride," Fifth Grade Reader, page 158. Good oral language work and oral reading will come from such studies. SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 177 Third Week. A Patriotic Program For Washington's Birthday, a patriotic program growing out of the previous lessons may be prepared and presented. The pupils, tactfully guided, should plan this program. It may consist of: 1. Patriotic songs. 2. Choice old hero tales. 3. A patriotic play. 4. Original poems and speeches. 5. New hero tales of the world war or of other recen' events. Arrange that all pupils participate in some way. The play and songs will give every one a chance to take part. Those giving stories, original poems, and speeches may be chosen by some competitive system. Preparing for a program gives excellent motivation. Fourth Week. The Twelfth Correct-Usage Table In the lessons and drills given in Exercises 57 to 60 is a practical study of pronouns. The troublesome forms of this part of speech make the twelfth Correct-Usage Table. Let the effort be directed primarily towards training the pupils to use these forms correctly. If more drills are needed, they can be easily provided by having the pupils make or find in their readers and in other books sentences wherein these trouble-makers occur. 1 78 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS GENERAL STUDY SEVEN— SCHOOLDAYS AND SCHOOLMATES This study offers excellent opportunity for a well guided expression of school spirit. Such expression may be turned to good account in various directions. From it should come these language returns: 1. Interesting school-day stories from both pupils and patrons. 2. A school-day book made by the class, or booklets made by the pupils to keep as souvenirs of their elementary school <^ays. 3. Practical discussions that lead to "clean-up days," the promoting of club work, and to other worth-while school ^9t|ivities, 'Two weeks or more may profitably be spent on the study. The following plan suggests how Exercises 61 to 64 can be arranged to fill these weeks with rich and interest- ing work : :v;;.,j; ;vm.,.jT: , Flist Wceli For the Recitation For Seat Work Read and discuss ''In School Have the pupils draw, or Days," following the sug- write description of some gestive questions in text. schoolhouse they know Tell early-day school stories. best. When they go home Get here choice tales of have them get some good 'school fun, stories of story of "early school • 'Struggles for education, days" from their parents description of pioneer or from old pioneers. : schoolhouses. SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 17^ Share stories of the first day at school. Tell funny school-day ex- periences. Get those that actually happened. Read stories and jokes and improve and enrich them. Write the pioneer school story for the school-day booklet. Illustrate with drawings or kodak pic- tures. Write the story of the first school day for the booklet. Begin a page of school-day fun for the booklet. Continue making the book- let. Second Week For the Recitation Read from "Tom Sawyer," ''The Hoosier School Boy," or other books, a good school-day story. Read and improve the stories. Lead the class to create a class song. For Seat Work Following the suggestions in Ex. 62, have the pupils work out their best school- day stories. Put the stories into the best form for the booklet. Let each pupil try to write a school song or poem. The remainder of the week should be given to com- pleting the booklet. Encourage originality here. Each pupil may have pictures, stories, jokes, and little personal touches that give individuahty to his work. Within sensible bounds, let him use his own initiative. When the composition is done, an art cover should be made by each pupil. The various booklets should be exhibited, perhaps hung on the wall, for several days for all to enjoy before the pupils take them home; i8o LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS The following is the refrain of a song worked out by sixth grade pupils during this exercise. It suggests the spirit with which the pupils entered into the work: School Song *'Oh, we're the school at the top of the hill, 'Neath the snow-capped mountain's crest, We work and we play with a right good will; That's why we are the best." GENERAL STUDY EIGHT— WILD ANIMAL LIFE A language-nature study with a challenging interest for both boys and girls in either country or city is here offered. Not all the pupils will have had the same rich experi- ences with wild animals. All, however, will be found to be intensely interested in animals. Each pupil also will have some first-hand story to relate about some animal he has observed in the wilds, in the zoo, at the circus, or about rats and mice. Some also may have kept rabbits, guinea pigs, squirrels, or other animals in cages. The central purpose of the study is to keep this interest alive and to direct it toward the following ends: 1. Good language practice. 2. Conservation of the wild game. 3. Humane treatment of captive animals. Three weeks of good work may well be given to the study. To prepare for the project let the pupils bring to school pictures of wild animals, the animal story-books SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE i8i suggested in Exercise 68, with any other good animal books they may have, and specimens of live or mounted animals, if they have them or can get them. The following is a suggestive plan of action that will bring good results : First Week. Telling and Writing Animal Stories 1. During the first recitation, the pupils may enjoy and discuss the story, ''Clever Chipmunks.'' Stimulated by this story and by the suggestive questions following it, they should be ready to tell their own animal experiences. While the interest is still keen, let them write the story. The following little compositions show about what may be expected at the first draft: THE FISHING TRIP Once on a summer day when I was in kindergarten Father Mother and I went on a fishing trip. They were fishing when all of a sudden I gave a shrill little cry they looked and a big snake was winding around my leg. they took a knife and uncoiled it. When it got loose it ran away in the water, that was my great experience. TRAPING MUSHRATS AND MINK My brother and my father sister and I went down on mudy lake to sit some traps. As we were going down we saw a very queer looking animal. It was brown as we went near it went out of sight in the water and never seen it any more. The next morning when we went back to the traps a mush rat was in it. the mushrat is a very pretty animal it is between a brown and black. And the mushrat has a musk bag with they make perfum out of it. And the hides our used in making coats and muffs. And the next day we was going out on the ice and broke with us and got all wet. My big brother went on down farther to his traps and he got twenty mush rats. And we never got anything. 2. With a set of such compositions in hand, the teacher has the materials for one, two, or more, good *' follow-up lessons" in sentence building, punctuation, grammar, vocabulary work, and spelling. Use the pupils' sentences and errors in other lines as a basis for these lessons. l82 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS For illustration : In the set of papers from which the two samples just given were taken, the following were found misspelled : trapping stopped killed until muskrats always chasing unconscious which chased two skunks perfume scared pickerel cousin running struck bridge our sitting missed waist gophers ground spade kept cellar The following errors in grammar were also found : I never seen it any more. Once I seen a squirrel. One day about five of some boys and I was in the wood. We was up there about two weeks. The sentences were filled with ''ands." There were many wherein no attention was paid to capitals and periods; as, One day as I was out in the yard I saw a squirrel running about I fed it crumbs daily it stayed with me for about three weeks. There was a call also for vocabulary work. The words generally were trite. 3. When their work has been done, let the class try again to improve their animal stories. They may be given opportunity to read these before their classmates or others. Some pupils may wish to write two or three or more stories. Let them do so. Follow the suggestions in Exercise 67 on this point. SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 183 Second Week. Reading and Creating Animal Tales I. This work may well be opened with A Story Hour during which the pupils retell some of the choice stories they have read from the books named in Exercise 68, or from other good animal story-books. /L->? -,- f— *^^- M^.^ySeoAy <4M,^ay^ la^f-uy aaMtr(^<\A/)^ ^-^ ^^*^ '^^ff^ Origmal story and original drawings by a sixth grade pupil working out Exercise 62. i84 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS During the study period the pupils may read more of such stories and on the following day they may have a second animal Story Hour. Following this, the pupils should be led to create httle animal stories or fables of their own. The preceding cut shows what can be done with this exercise when the class is rightly taught. For these interesting lessons, resulting in delightful original stories, a full week will be needed. Third Week. Review Studies in Elementary Grammar For this week's work Exercises 70 to 74 provide a definite and practical program to be followed. Let the Correct-Usage Table Eleven, Needless Words, reviewed and enlarged in Exercise 74, be enriched as there suggested by drills to overcome off of, off from, going to, and other superfluous prepositions. In back of is another such expression that also needs attention. Pupils should work out their own drill table here by composing for their Correct-Usage Book such sentences; as, He bought it from a grocer. The dog jumped off the porch. I fell off the fence. Where are you going? Where is he going? The tree stood behind the cabin. The horse lay behind the barn. Meet the situation as need directs. Adapt the drill work to the pupils ; do not bend the pupils to the lesson. Help them to discover their own errors and work to get them to take the responsibility for self-correction. SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 185 GENERAL STUDY NINE— ORCHARD AND WILDWOOD The central purposes of this study on Orchard and Wildwood are: 1. To give good language practice in speaking and in writing. 2. To cultivate an appreciation of trees from the practical as well as from the aesthetic viewpoint. 3. To promote the proper observance of Arbor Day. Two weeks or more may be spent profitably on this study. The time between April first and April fifteenth seems to be the best period for the lessons. From this study should come an attractive and helpful Arbor Day program. To prepare for the study the pupils should help the teacher in gathering : 1. Books that tell of lumbering, fruit growing, the tur- pentine, the rubber, and other tree industries. 2. Pictures illustrative of these industries, parks, and forests. 3. Specimens of wood, leaves, and blossoms from trees. The following plan suggests how the lessons may be carried forward with the desired results : First Week. Tales and Written Sketches about Trees For the Recitation For the Study Period Talking about trees. Let the pupils choose some Study the poem and the para- tree they know best and graph given in Exercise 75 write its story. One class, and lead the pupils to ex- in carrying out this exer- press their own thoughts cise, produced a series of freely about ''Our Friends, tree autobiographies. One the Trees." boy's story is given below. i86 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Reading tree stones to class- A spelling study on names of mates. trees. THE RED PINE'S STORY I am a tall, straight, strong red pine. For forty years I have been growing, growing, growing on the side of a high mountain in Wyoming. I have seen many interesting things during my life. One day a hunter killed a big bear right by me. He shot three times before the fierce animal fell dead. One of the bullets hit me. It is buried in my side. Another day a great snowslide came crashing and roaring down the mountain. I thought my days were ended, but luckily it did not reach our grove. The squirrels and chipmunks frolic in my branches, I give them pine cones to eat. They chatter their thanks to me. Some day I know I shall be cut down. If I am, I hope I may be made into a mast for some good ship and sail around the world. I am sure I should make a fine mast for I am as straight as an arrow and very strong. Zest may be given to the spelling study by having the pupils make, without help, a tree alphabet; as follows: A. Ash, apple, apricot, almond, and other trees. B. Beech, butternut, balm-of-Gilead, and other trees. The pupil who can arrange and spell correctly without help the largest number of names of trees wins this game. Tales of forest fun and other Prepare from books and tree experiences. Follow other helps little lectures the suggestions in Exercise about lumbering, gather- 76. ing turpentine, fruit grow- Talks on useful trees. Two ing, and other tree indus- recitations or more may be tries. Use topics in Exer- given to this work. cise 77 or others like them If the class is large each pupil as titles. may make but one brief More reading about trees, talk; if small, each pupil gathering pictures of work may give two or more among trees. SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 187 short talks or one longer Mount these on large card- one, boards for use in talks. Or Let these talks be as original prepare to use in reflecto- as possible. Use the books scope if a good one is only to help the first-hand available, knowledge the pupil may The idea is to have the pupils possess. give real lectures clearly illustrated in the best pos- sible way. Second Week. Reading and Creating Stories, Plays, and Poems about Trees Under the stimulus of the real motive of preparing an Arbor Day program, the pupils should produce some excellent results here. Lesson i. Descriptions of Trees These may be given in prose or verse. Let the pupils express their appreciation of ''Our Friends, the Trees," freely and naturally, in whatever form they may choose. Lesson 2. Reading Stories and Poems about Trees Blend the language and reading lessons here, by having a socialized story and poem study. Each pupil may be given one of the tales or the poems suggested in Exercises 79 and 80 and may prepare to tell the story or to read the poem before the class. Any of the selections may be taken up by the class as reading- language study. For suggestions on reading see ''Woodman, Spare That Tree!" Studies in Reading; Sixth Grade, page 41. i88 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Lessons 3 and 4. Working Out a Tree Play Using the outline given of ''Old Pipes and the Dryad '^ in Exercise 81, let the pupils complete and practice the play. Lesson 5. The Father of Arbor Day A study here may be made of the life of J. SterHng Morton, to whom is due the credit for the holiday that has helped so much to cover America's plains with trees and to protect and to preserve our woodlands. The Arbor Day program should follow the suggestions given in Exercise 82. GENERAL STUDY TEN— BEGINNINGS IN COMPOSITION A condensed summary and practical review of the lessons in elementary composition work is given here. Two or three weeks, as time permits, should be given to these review studies. They represent the minimum essentials necessary for the completing of the sixth grade. In giving these reviews the teacher should first get the pupils to check up their own faults. Following the suggestions in Exercise St,, let them ask themselves the following ten self- testing questions: 1. Do I stand erect when I speak? 2. Do I look into the faces of my hearers? 3. Do I make clear and complete sentences? 4. Do I stick to my subject? 5. Am I careful in my choice of words? 6. Do I enunciate my words distinctly? SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 189 7. Am I neat in my written work? 8. Do I spell correctly? 9. Do my fingers follow the rules of punctuation and capitalization that I know? 10. Do I leave proper margins and indent my para- graphs correctly? The foregoing general test questions should be followed with special reviews as suggested in Exercises 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, and 89. Just what amount of time shall be given to any one of the types of work suggested in these exercises must be determined by the needs of the class as revealed in oral and written expression. ".,[ Teachers should make sure that the tests and drills are aimed straight at the "trouble spots." The following outline gives the most important objectives in these reviews. I. Vocabulary Work Overcoming the "Slang Habit" It is difficult to determine the exact progress of the pupil here. A somewhat satisfactory estimate of his growth may be made: , 1. By testing his ability to call up choice, live, usable words that meet everyday needs. Use here the directions and questions found in Exercise 84. Increase these exercises also if necessary. 2. By observing the playground speech and ordinary talk of the pupil. Pupils should be given clearly to under- stand that careless, slovenly language will count against promotion. IQO LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS II. Enunciation and Pronunciation The tests and drills here should be aimed at the following objectives : I. Overcoming "Jaw Laziness" just for was window can nor what fellow get or cause yellow catch from because mellow shut on pause tallow 2. Overcoming "Tongue Tightness" this with swept honest that three wept finest these throw kept kindness those thick crept sweetness 3. Overcoming "Lip Laziness' •> when where flip puff while whether flit papa whip what fling pickle which whistle flew pop 4. Cultivating Resonance running ringing soon httle going singing moon brittle walking bringing tune whittle hopping whipping noon settle 5. Overcoming the "Hurry Habit" give me. This will do. Did you? Let her. let me. That will do. Could you? Let him. see me. Those will do. Would you? Let them, SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 191 The *' hurry habit" is the mother of many of the troubles in enunciation. Pupils should be trained to "speak the speech trippingly" not hurriedly and nervously. The following sentences from sixth grade papers illustrate typical faults in punctuation: 1. When we were riding back they said lets have a race. 2. I had a dime and wanted to ride on a street car my brother said he didn't want to ride and I was too little to go alone but I went alone 3. One day when I was playing in the road I heard some body saying whoa whoa, and I looked around and saw a team coming right my way. 4. One of the boys in fun pointed the gun at the other boy the trigger caught on the boys suspender and the gun went off. 5. But the children would not listen one day a boy fell and went through the ice and was saved by a log when they pulled him out he was most frozen he was taken to the nearest house and means of respiration was used and he was saved. The foregoing sentences came from pupils who Have been taught and retaught the rules governing the use of capitals, periods^ quotation marks, and apostrophes. Where then lies the trouble? It would seem to be right here. The pupils were not made to feel the meaning of the rule. It did not carry over into their practice. In drilHng on these rules, the teacher should make exercises from the pupils' own papers until they connect the teaching with their own practice. Let them help find sentences in their own compositions and note books to illustrate certain rules. Stimulate self-effort and seK- correction. 192 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS III. Capital Letters and Punctuation The rules given in Exercise 87 are offered as "minimal essentials** for promotion from the sixth grade. The main test here also is the written work in all classes. Special drill tests on any and all rules suggested in Exercise 87 should be used only as need requires to determine the pupil's readiness for promotion or to reinforce him on any special rule. He should be given to understand that daily practice in using the rules counts most towards promotion. IV. The Paragraph The ability of the pupil to put his thoughts into cor- rectly arranged paragraphs is also the chief test here. The pupils in this test were led first to talk, then to write about ''The Cost of Carelessness." (See Section III, page 321, ''The Discovery Lesson.") The papers were taken uncorrected directly from the class, graded according to the scale represented by the samples here given. There were: 2 A's; 10 B's; 18 C's; 7 D's; 5 E's. This result represents a little better than the average of the results that have come from this same test given the country over. It is not, however, better than should be expected from sixth grade pupils. A greater per- centage of A, B, and C papers should be produced. SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE 193 Sixth Grade Compositions — Produced During Test ^^^^&5ei^...«<>^.^«:<^,.^ -yf^A^z^ ,.^6-'V>i^ J yru. yoC&<>t^n^ Mo^^'JyO ^ ^-n^^aAyo^ .^z-lxi y(z^ yA^^^x^i^ yn^ed^ ..y^yt^o-'^'^yn^ ?yo-<^ yCi/ ^-v-ixo^ The above composition is clear and correct, but is lacking some- what in spirit. 194 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS The above composition is lacking somewhat in life and in correct- ness. The above composition is clear, but full of mistakes. ^"P^ v.**- ,^^^-r-c;^^ad," "The Birds' Christmas Carol." The pupils will suggest others. Encourage the making here of gift books, or Christ- mas cards with the personal touch in them. Make the work real. Keep the paragraph-building idea clear. Third Week. Word Studies. In this word-finding study is found a positive plan to overcome the slang habit: 1. By cultivating appreciation of choice words. 2. By helping the pupil to enrich his own vocabulary. Slang need not be mentioned during the study. Let Exercises 35 and 36 be followed and enriched if necessary. Hundreds of other like quotations may be gathered from the text, from the readers, from other books and from choice magazines. The opportunities for finding pic- turesque words are unlimited. 232 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Picturesque comparisons likewise may be found in countless forms throughout literature. Pupils of this age like to use such comparisons. Let them try their literary wings by making a few similes and metaphors or by indulging their fancies through a little personification. These exercises will stimulate a proper pride in choicer language and will help the pupils to enrich their ex- pressions. The following sentences, taken from seventh and eighth grade pupils' papers, suggest the artistic skill often found in children of this grade: The houses were entrenched in snow drifts. The icy tree limbs crackled in the breeze. The sun, streaming through morning mist, made the poppy bed seem like a pot of fairy gold. Jack Frost is a clever little imp. He dresses in white fur all sprinkled with sparkling jewels. His cheeks are rosy and bright. The clouds look crimson; then change little by little as the sun sinks farther and farther behind the hills. Lights twinkle on here and there. The autumn day enwraps itself in evening, then night, A small stream leaped and rippled o'er the pebbles, and a dragon fly wheeled its way across the pond, its wings glistening. GENERAL STUDY FIVE— SENTENCE STUDIES To cultivate a surer "sentence sense" is the aim of this project. A practical study of paragraphs has been made. The vital relation of sentences to paragraph building should still be kept clear. The sentence is to the paragraph as a spoke to a wheel or as a link to a chain. A paragraph is a group of sentences, or, sometimes a single sentence, rounding out or developing some main thought or topic. How, then, is a sentence built? How must it be con- structed to be most effective? SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE 233 These questions may be best answered in a practical way by this study of sentences themselves. Keep this thought clear: Every well built sentence carries but one main thought. This applies whether the sentence is simple, complex, or compound. Seven or eight weeks should be given to the working out of these lessons. The following plan is offered only as suggestive. It should be varied according to the needs of the class. Some phases of the work will need more drill exercises; others may be passed over more lightly. Drive home the essentials. What these essentials are, is indicated in the following summary : First Week. Studying Simple Sentences Following the introductory Exercise 37, and the brief review of sentences according to use in Exercise 38, the attention of the class should be directed toward the practical studies of the simple sentence found in Exer- cises 39, 40, 41, 42. Use the pupils own papers for the making of exercises to drive home the main point to be made in this lesson which is. Say one thing at a time and say it clearly. The following compositions taken from a seventh grade class, show four types of sentence building: (i) The ''run on" sentence; (2) The ''choppy" sentence; (3) The unfinished sentence; (4) Well built sentences. With such compositions in hand the teacher can make an excellent lesson on sentence building. Let the compositions be copied on the board, and studied from the point of view of building clear sentences. 234 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS When they are well constructed, study the sentences to discover the simple sentences in them. Tell why they are simple sentences and why used in each case. Afterwards the other types may receive attention. SAMPLE ONE It was so hot the porch would burn your bare feet and that you would have to go in the house and on the cement walk it was just as hot. Your face was so hot it would get red it was in the middle of the summer it was so hot you could not stay out doors without sweating because it would run down your face. SAMPLE TWO It was a cheery day. We taken our dinner to the woods. We went in bathing. We ate some berries. Then we ate supper. Then we went in bathing again. Then we started home. We went to the show. Then we played tap-on-back. Then went to bed. SAMPLE THREE One day ten years ago in mid-summer I was comes across the ocean. A storm overtook us. The water dashed over the deck. This was the first time I had been on the ocean and feeled again. The day turn out to be a beautiful. SAMPLE FOUR It was a windy day. The wind broke the largest pine tree in the yard. It blew the roof off the shed in the barnyard, and blew the pigeon house off the barn. If the door was opened, it took two people to get it closed again. The wind blew a chicken into the river before it could get to shelter. The first essential to be kept clear in dealing with these lessons is the one-subject, one-predicate structure of- the s-imple sentence. No matter what the form or the arrangement of the parts of the sentence, the question is, Has the sentence a single subject and predicate? Practice in finding this ''core" or central thought will both help to cultivate a sense of unity and lay a sure foundation for the study of other kinds of sentence structure. SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE 235 Two types of practical exercises are developed in dealing with the simple sentence: I . Making the simple sentence more effective by shift- ing its parts. The sense of emphasis is here cultivated. The following sentences in quotations are taken from seventh grade papers. What is the leading idea in each sentence? Read each pair of sentences aloud, noting the change in emphasis. Which construction seems best to bring out the leading idea in the sentence? a. ''We kept perfectly still for a while." For a while we kept perfectly still. b. "Everybody was out-of-doors on that tragic day." On that tragic day everybody was out-of-doors. c. "It was bitterly cold last Sunday." Last Sunday it was bitterly cold. d. "The whole day long we watched the merry-go-round." We watched the merry-go-round the whole day long. e. "The storm had cleared by that time." By that time the storm had cleared. Observe that in some sentences the natural order places the emphasis rightly. Have pupils find in their own compositions or in those by other pupils, five more sentences which might be made stronger by transposing parts of them. 2. Watching the number forms in sentences begin- ning with there, where, here. This is a most troublesome type of sentence from the correct-usage viewpoint. The following sentences taken from a set of seventh grade papers show the need for drill on these forms. Using these and other like sentences taken from the 236 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS pupils' own oral and written work make drill exercises to fix the right habits. a. There was plenty of trees, but it was hot under them. b. There was trees all around it. c. There was a few people in the street. d. There was some hght clouds in the sky. e. He asked us where we was last night. f. Here comes the boys. g. There was several children playing in the water. Second Week. Simple and Compound Sentence Studies Continue to cultivate a sure sentence sense: 1. By showing clearly the use of simple sentences in composition. 2. By making a practical study of compound sentences and compound elements. In dealing with the compound sentence, make sure that the compound sentence brings out one main thought. It is not a number of independent sentences strung together. The members of the compound sen- tence, when rightly constructed, are closely related. Here is opportunity to work against the ''run on" sentence, and the "and" habit. The chief point to be kept clear in working with compound elements is the making of the sentence more concise. Increase the drill if necessary to drive these points home; but make the drill practical by drawing lessons from the pupils' own papers. The following samples from seventh grade papers show the necessity for giving pupils help in building compound and other sentences: SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE 237 a. "One day the sun was shining and it was very hot and I thought I would go to the woods where it was cooler but it was not much cooler there." b. "It made the children go bathing so that they would get cooled off and the white clouds were floating in the sky." c. "The sky was clear and not a cloud was in sight and we went to the shade and it was not much cooler there." Have pupils reconstruct such sentences making them simple or compound or complex as seems best to bring out the thought clearly. Let them help gather other sentences, giving similar problems in construction, from their own and other papers. Third Week. The Complex Sentence Here again the idea is to cultivate a surer "sentence sense." Study of the complex sentence with definite drills upon its proper use will help greatly to cultivate the much needed sense of subordination. Make from pupils' own notebooks and papers such exercises as the following: Change the following sentences to complex sentences and make such other changes as will bring into the clear the leading thought in each. For example: "One day the sun was shining and I was very hot and I thought I would go into the woods where it was cooler but it was not much cooler there." The sun was so hot that I sought the shade of the woods; but I found it not much cooler there. Let pupils make similar reconstructions of the follow- ing sentences: 238 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS "The other night I was over in town and when I came home the wind was blowing very hard." *'It was this kind of fine snow and it cut your face." ''We went back up after supper and everybody was talk- ing about the hot night." "The clouds were dark and the wind was cutting the faces and hands so strong was it." Fourth Week. Applied Studies in Sentence Building In Exercises 49, 50, and 51, the lessons previously given are applied to everyday practice in sentence building. The training here aims directly to cultivate a surer sentence sense: 1. By giving the pupils opportunity to criticise and to reconstruct compositions of their own and of others. 2. By giving practice in business correspondence. 3. By writing night letters and telegrams. These exercises can be readily increased if time per- mits. Pay special attention to overcoming the "and" habit, and to sentence conciseness. Condense the following to ten or fewer words: 1. We shall arrive on number twenty Union Pacific. Have some one at the station to meet us. 2. I cannot accept your offer of work during this summer vacation. Appreciate it but have already promised to serve another firm. 3. Please send by express collect the books I ordered while I was in Chicago on January eighteenth. Condense the following to a night letter of fifty words or fewer. SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE 239 I have decided to attend the state university this coming year. Why not make up your mind to do the same thing. We can get a room together at the new dormitory for fifty dollars per month. I have asked that it be held till I can get a wire from you. The tuition is fifty dollars per year, books will cost about twenty more. Hope you can arrange to come. It will be a rich experience for both of us. Wire me at once whether you will join me in the venture. Good practice in exchanging telegrams is suggested by this last exercise. Have half of the pupils send night letters, telegrams, or busi- ness letters, and have the rest reply. Fifth Week. Sentence Clearness An opportunity is opened here for bringing language and history into helpful correlation. The study naturally falls about the time of the birthday of Lincoln. Lincoln is one of our greatest masters of clear sentence building. A study of his speeches and writings will prove doubly helpful. In addition to the studies in the text, have the pupils read Lincoln's Farewell Speech at Springfield, The Gettysburg Speech, part of his Second Inaugural Ad- dress, and other addresses. Each pupil may bring to class and read some choice sentence from Lincoln's works. Exercise 53, dealing with Bible clearness, may like- wise be enriched. A socialized lesson in which pupils give choice Biblical sentences may be arranged with excellent results. Exercise 54, offers an excellent opportunity for an exchange of experiences on learning language. Lead the pupils, both to talk and to write paragraphs telling of 240 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS their experiences suggested by the story about Lincoln. Their paragraphs should be taken and corrected con- structively from the viewpoint of sentence clearness. Sixth Week. How to Make Clear Sentences Say one thing at a time and say it clearly. In Exer- cises 55, 56, 57, and 58, a series of practical lessons making clear this point are to be found. The drills may be readily increased by using newspaper advertisements and other everyday compositions that illustrate faulty structure. Let every pupil, for example, bring to class a sentence illustration of lack of clearness like the follow- ing taken from a country paper: *'Sam Jones went to last week with a carload of hogs. He did not have enough so some of the neighbors went in to help make up the car." The sense of humor, as well as the sense of clearness, may be cultivated by such a study. Seventh Week. Punctuation and Arrangement The rules of punctuation, reduced to their essentials, also capitalization, and general neatness of written forms should be taught here in a practical way. Two weeks may well be given to the lessons and drills offered and suggested in Exercises 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 6s- Neatness and correct form in written work is both a courtesy to the reader and a help to the writer. The best way to make this point felt is not to accept faulty and slovenly work, either in notebooks or in compositions. A firm refusal on the part of all teachers SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE 241 to permit carelessness in written work would quickly bring the right habits into being. In dealing with the rules of punctuation the effort should be directed towards (i) making the pupil feel the significance of each mark of punctuation; and (2) training his fingers not to forget the rules. Punctuation is a matter of habit. Drill for a working knowledge of each rule. Following are some exercises to reinforce the rules and exercises given in the text. Correct the punctuation and capitahzation where needed, in the following paragraphs taken from seventh grade papers. Give reason for your correction in each case. 1. Last Sunday it was so cold and stormy. That you couldent hardly step out doors unless you would about freeze. 2. A hot day about one of the Ho test days that I can remember was when the sun was blazing down drying up the creeks stream and rivers I was going up a hill and the sun made me fell so drowsey that I thought I would never reach the top 3. The day was very stormy The clouds were reising from the west which were very dark indeed, that made one feel Hke staying at home. 4. It was a summer day. When a big thunder storm came out of the north. It came very suddenly and people were running for shelter. 5. When dad missed me he asked Dan where I was Dan was my brother you will remember. 242 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS GENERAL STUDY SIX— HOMES AND HOME-MAKING The home life line is one of the most vital of all lines of work. Our schools have been too slow to develop this work in training pupils. Here is offered an opportunity to bring the school and the home into closer correlation through giving vitalized lessons in language on home life topics. In the program of studies provided, will be found material enough to fill a full month. First Week. Homes and Home Work Exercises 66, 67, and 68 point the way towards socialized lessons in: 1. Describing picturesque homes. 2. Building explanatory paragraphs. 3. Discussing and debating live topics connected with home-making. During the last named study, Home Sanitation and Health Studies are brought into close correlation with language work. The effort should be to help the pupils to think clearly and to express themselves well on these practical sub- jects. Pay especial attention to sentence and paragraph building during this week always with the view of help- ing the pupil bring out effectively thoughts worth while. The following composition was produced by a seventh grade pupil while working out this project: SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE 243 CUP- BOARD ■ f W/NDO\N CUP- BOARD SINK III A ' I WORK TABLE y' ! '. Re- FRIO. ERA- TOR ® * \ DOOR OUT STOVE MY KITCHEN My kitchen is a small, cozy, bright room finished in white enamel. My floor is covered with blue and white linoleum. The walls are a pretty, light cream color. The door to the dining room is fixed so that it can swing back or forward as desired, while the other doors will open only one way. The furniture is all white enamel with a little bluebird design on it. In one of my cupboards my pans are kept and in the other my china dishes which also have the bluebird design, like the furniture. My furniture also is nicely arranged so that it takes little walking to prepare •a meal. The stove is coal and gas combined, with white enamel decora- tions. By my windows I always try to keep a pot or vase of flowers. — Jeanette Holz. Second Week. Foods and Cooking A kind of double subject is provided here under the titles : 1. Cooks and Cooking (Exercises 69 and 70). 2. How Homes are Supplied with Food (Exercises 71 and 72). The thought is to give both boys and girls a rich selec- tion of subjects from which each may choose one to develop into the form of a little lecture, or an illustrated article wherein the subject is rather completely developed. The project has proved to be one of real merit and interest. To illustrate what may be done, the following instances are given: 244 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS One seventh grade boy in a certain ungraded school in the Middle West chose ''The Silo" as his subject. He spent a week or more working out his article, studying the silo, making sketches and taking pictures. The result was worthy of publication in the best farm magazine. Another lad took "The Honey Bee" for his topic. Commenting on the little talk this pupil gave before the class, one of his classmates said "Why Harold talked for half an hour to-day on the honey bee. I never knew there was so much to be learned about bees as he told us." One girl, whose father owned a sheep herd, took up the sheep industry and wrote a most interesting essay illus- trated with kodak pictures she had taken while visiting the herd at various times. The possibilities for individual work within the project are limitless. Keep these thoughts clear in' working out the study : 1. Each pupil should choose one subject, close to his interests, on which he can get materials at first hand. Book studies of the subject, if no other source is available, may be followed, but original investigation brings the best results. The idea is to get original self-expression. 2. Pupils should be trained to build up their paragraphs into longer compositions. Work for unity in these composi- tions. An illustration of the following actual lesson will make this thought concrete. A certain seventh grade class had been set to working out a project on Poultry Raising. The pupils were making oral SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE 245 reports of progress. When a visitor entered the room, one boy was talking in a rambling way about poultry raising. The visitor listened awhile, then, having been invited to take part, asked: ''What are you talking about, my boy?" " 'Bout raising poultry." "Don't these boys and girls know how to raise poultry?" "I guess they do." "Then why take their time to tell about it?" "Well, the teacher told us to talk about some subject hke this, and I took Poultry Raising because I knew most about it. Father is a poultry raiser." "Then you certainly should be able to tell us something worth while," suggested the visitor. "What would you like this boy to tell us about poultry raising, class?" "I'd like to know how to make poultry pay," said one pupil. "Very well, can you do it, my boy?" "I think I can." "Go ahead. What will be the title of your talk?" "Making Poultry Pay," ventured the pupil. "That gives a clear center for the talk. Now what is the first point you wish to make?" "Well, I'd choose the right kind of eggs." "Very well, tell us something about choosing eggs." The pupil made a clear-cut paragraph on selecting eggs. "What is the next point to be made?" "Getting a good hatch." A discussion of the hen method and the incubator method followed. "What next?" "The young chicks must be well cared for." 246 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS A paragraph was made giving practical directions on the care of chicks. Next the question of marketing the product was taken up. The subject was thus developed step by step. Meanwhile the rest of the pupils were getting a real lesson in organizing a composition or lecture. When their turns came, they were ready to give their titles and block out their subjects point by point. Talking to a point and talking with a real purpose counts. Pupils should be trained, through such moti- vated practice as is provided for within this project, and as is suggested in the instance just given, to think straight and to express themselves clearly, interestingly, and convincingly. Third Week. Home Pleasures The right home spirit is most essential. In cultivating the spirit that makes happy homes, the school can and should play a real part. This fine purpose may be accompHshed by dealing in a vital way with such lessons as are found in Exercises 73, 74, 75, and 76. The exercises offer opportunity for a series of rich socialized lessons on: 1. Songs for the home. 2. Verse making about the home. 3. Writing letters to home folk. 4. Writing paragraphs on home topics. 5. Creating entertainment for the home. Fourth Week. The Home Library Exercise 77 offers an excellent chance for the blending of language and literature. Right reading habits may SEVENTH GR.\DE LANGUAGE 247 be promoted and guided by having socialized lessons on favorite books and favorite authors. Building up the home library by making book presents on birthday and holiday times is a topic also worth discussing. Exchanging books, the proper arrangement and care of home libraries, reading choice poems and stories aloud and the story-telhng hour, all are topics well worth discussing. The thought uppermost in Exercise 78 is to train the dramatic instinct. In these days of sensational plays and ''movies," there is greater need than ever for the school to exercise a direct and potent influence in guiding the pupil's love 01 the drama in all its various forms. This uplifting influence may be brought to bear (i) through the w^orking out of plays w^herein choice stories, as suggested, are dramatized; and (2) through a frank expression in socialized language lessons of likes and dislikes in the plays as they are being portrayed. GENERAL STUDY SEVEN— WORDS AND THEIR WAYS A definite effort is here made toward overcoming the slang habit by building a choice and ready vocabulary. To this end a series of practical exercises is provided as follows : 1. A confidential talk on the "slang habit." 2. Practical exercises in finding expressions to overcome slang. 3. Exercises to enrich the vocabulary. 4. Studies in synonyms and antonyms. 5. Word accuracy, a dictionary exercise. 248 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 6. Review lessons in correct usage. 7. Word families linking English with Latin. Four weeks may well be given to the working out of the foregoing program. Even longer attention, if time permits, may be given to this work. The studies are flexible, each offering excellent opportunity for expan- sion or contraction according to the pupils' language needs as they have been revealed in oral and in written work throughout the year. The lessons are so definitely blocked out that further special directions outlining a day-by-day program seems superfluous here. The following are a few practical suggestions, however, that make clear some important points : I. Dealing with the Slang Habit. The spirit of the introductory Exercise 81 should pre- vail here. The pupils should be taken into confidence regarding slang; it is their problem. The problem will be most quickly solved when the learner has the right attitude towards the work. From the following actual schoolroom incident should come some help to guide teachers in deaHng with slovenly speech. A certain pupil came to the teacher at the close of school and said, "I aint goin' to be at school to-morrow." "You mean, 'I'm not going to be at school,' don't you, Will?" suggested the teacher. ''Well, you understood me, didn't you? " returned the boy, insolently* SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE 249 *'Yes, I understood," said the teacher quietly. "Now, my boy, you don't have to say 'I'm not going.' You don't have to brush your hair; you don't have to keep your teeth clean; you don't have to keep your clothes neat. There are a thousand and one things a person does not have to do in this life. He can go on using slovenly speech if he wishes to do so, or wearing slovenly clothes; but he will pay dearly for the privilege in the long run. ''Remember this, laddie: One is judged, first of all, by his speech and by his personal appearance. It is not my problem ; it is yours. Can you afford to be slovenly in your language? " 2. Cultivating the Dictionary Habit. Exercises S^, 84, and 85 offer an excellent opportunity to develop habits of accuracy in the use of words. A definite study of the dictionary is called for at this point. Pupils should be trained to use this important tool of learning, constantly and intelligently. The synonyms should be discussed and their various shades of meaning shown by giving sentences in which they are aptly used. These sentences may be original or quotations from literature. 3. Reviews in Correct Usage. In Exercise 86, some of the most troublesome forms of verbs and other parts of speech are given thoughtful attention. These should be mastered, if possible, by practical lessons and drills, such as are found in the text. Use blank-filling exercises. Let the pupils find and make sentences illustrating the proper use of troublesome forms. 250 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS A complete review of ''The Twelve Tables of Correct Usage" may also be given at this point if deemed necessary. See Sixth Grade pages 197 to 201. Particular attention should be given to the errors that persist. What drill should be given must be deter- mined by the needs of the class as revealed in their oral and written work. It is very probable that ''aint," ''this here," "John he," "hadn't ought," "have got," with the "and" habit may have been carried over by a few pupils into the seventh grade. If so, deal with these and other like errors by stimulating a pride in pupils to overcome them. These review drills should be mainly individual work. It is not likely that the majority of the pupils will need them. If they do it is clearly evident that the work in correct usage has not been well done in the preceding grades. Have each pupil keep a notebook in which he records his own trouble-makers, and makes drills for self- correction. For illustration : Sit, Set sit, sat, sitting, sat set, set, setting, set Rise, Raise rise, rose, rising, risen raise, raised, raising, raised I was sitting by the window. I had sat there half an hour when my cousin came and sat beside me. "Why do you sit here so soberly," she asked. He rose slowly, walked to the window to see. the rising sun. When it had risen, he went back to his couch, and did not rise from it for several hours. SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE 251 The thought here is to drive straight at the ''trouble spots," and also to stimulate self -effort on the part of the pupils in clearing these away. Another good drill method is to have written on the board, or if possible to have mimeographed such exer- cises as the following: choice hnng laid lay may lie, lay The boy was- grass. -on the He- -his hoe down. The tired soldier- tree. -under a reason Means ''reclining" Means "placed Means "reclined may, can Mother says we- go. Means ''permission" 4, Getting a Foretaste of Latin. In Exercise 89, English and Latin are brought into correlation. This little study of words derived from the great "mother language" is but a taste of the work that should be given. Word accuracy can come only from an intensive study of word families. A week or more may well be given to this work. The language, reading, and spelHng lessons should all be made to reinforce these lessons in word derivation. Here again is a good chance to cultivate the ''dictionary habit." The teacher should make the most of it. 252 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS The net result to come from the various word studies just outhned should be an enrichment of the vocabulary and a proper pride in the use of clear, clean speech. GENERAL STUDY EIGHT— THE POET AND HIS ART Cultivating the spirit of authorship is the central purpose in this study. This does not mean that every pupil will be made a poet. But an appreciation of poetry may be awakened in every one. Out of such appreciation may spring poetic expression. A keener pride in proper language will certainly come from studies such as are offered in Exercises 90 to 99. Opportunity is afforded for both practical and inspira- tional work as suggested by the following topics : 1. Legends about the first poet. In these studies the real meaning of the poet's art is made simple and concrete. 2. Study of poetic quotations showing plainly the poet's art. Language here is blended beautifully with literature. 3. Studies in sound and sense. This work has double value. It cultivates appreciation of word art, and makes clear the necessity for proper enunciation. 4. Exercises in enunciation. A complete review of the type trouble-makers in enunciation and pronunciation is given here. Well directed drills to cultivate and fix right habits in articulating words are provided. 5. A literary recital. Reading and language are cor- related here. The importance of proper voicing of literature is emphasized through the socialized recitation. 6. Composing Poetry. One of the most delightful exercises in language is provided for in these lessons. SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE 253 The pupils are given an encouraging opportunity here to express themselves in verse. Simple studies of verse forms are made. Out of these exercises have come and can come some most gratifying results. The following poems from seventh grade pupils came out of this exercise. They suggest its possibilities. THE NIGHT ARTIST There is a queer little artist, Who paints in the cold night hours Beautiful pictures for us, Of wonderful grasses and flowers. He paints majestic, rugged mountains That reach to a snow-white sky, And a beautiful crystal fountain Flowing close by. No one has seen, nor will see, This queer little man. His brush, nor his palette, His home, nor his land. Do you know this queer little artist. Whose canvass is the window pane? If you haven't already guessed, Jack Frost is his name. — Ross Shriver. TWILIGHT Softly the twilight steals. Over hill and dale. Soon the stars begin to creep. From out their hidden vale. The moon with glorious brilliancy Steals out upon the night. To cheer the weary traveler, And guide him with its light. 254 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Far away in the distance Is the cry of the whip-poor-will Then night time falls over all And the summer night is still. — Kenneth Harkness. . WASHING DISHES Washing, Washing Dishes, Do them as you please. Slower, slower, slowest, but the quicker way is best For the sooner that you get them done the sooner you get to rest. But oh, how I do hate them! I hear morning, noon, and night, Its, "Oh, come wash the dishes And do them up just right." I wash the dishes, pots, and pans; Then sit down and fold my hands. So then I think when I am through, It's the easiest thing I have to do. —Opal Hall. What steps are necessary to produce good results? An atmosphere for poetic expression must first be created. This may be done by giving the pupils an encouraging opportunity to talk on some poetic subject close to their lives; as, the prairies; the mountains; the woods; the streams; the birds; the animals; sports and games; companions; home; the holidays. Many inter- esting subjects offer themselves here. As the pupils talk, poetic lines may frequently come. The following are examples of such lines: I love the leaping canyon streams. The prairies are a prayer of peace. What do you say, saucy bluejay? Silvery lake in the woodlands. SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE 255 Any such line that strikes a clear musical lead towards a sentiment or thought worth developing, will give a good start towards a little poem. Let it be followed up by the pupil. The aim should be to keep the expression spontaneous and free. When the pupil has given an individual expression, the teacher should, by suggestion and direction, help him to perfect the poem. Let the pupil's originality, however, be preserved. The effort should be directed only towards bringing his native grain up to its best. Shall the principles of prosody be taught? Not at the outset. Technical teaching of such matters as meter and feet had best be left till later. The natural instinct for rhythmic expression is rather strong in most pupils. Given a little encouragement and easy rein, it generally keeps true. Lessons like those offered in Exercise 99 should follow, not precede the verse making. Out of the work should come delightful little booklets of verse. Art and language may be blended to bring these up to most artistic forms. The spirit of authorship, with literary appreciation, and artistic enunciation, are the results to be worked for in these lessons. Nothing better can come from the language work then these desirable results. Review of Seventh Grade Work At the close of the seventh grade course the class should be given a round-up review of the essentials 256 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS emphasized throughout the work. The chief aims have been to cultivate: I. Skill in Building Paragraphs. Paragraph unity and paragraph connection are the main points to receive attention here. Use the pupils own notebooks and papers to cultivate skill in organizing their compositions. For example take the following seventh grade com- position: THE BATTLE OF WOUNDED KNEE Since the time the first white settlers came to the west there have been numerous uprisings among the different tribes of Indians. These uprisings were caused by religious maniacs. The most serious was the Ghost Dance War of 1890-91. The ghost dancers were followers of a certain Indian who called him- self the IMessiah. He had offered a hope of a miraculous interv^ention in behalf of the red man on the part of the whites. This became a religion among the different tribes. In some it soon died out, however, it was still believed by many whose numbers were great enough to become a menace to the white man. Fired by their religious zeal inspired by Sitting Bull and led by Chief Wounded Knee the Indians took up arms against the white settlers. The homesteaders took their belongings and rushed for Chadron pursued by the savage Indians who were met by General Brook and a small army. In this battle which was afterwards called Wounded Knee three hundred Indians including women and children were mown down within a few minutes by the enemies' machine guns. Very few white men were killed. It is believed by many that the Indians should not have been greatly blamed for their part in this uprising as they were led through their superstitious fears by the chief "Sitting Bull" who was crafty enough to impose upon them, turning their fears into hatred against the white- man. Also in the battle of Wounded Knee, the Indians were not well prepared to fight, were not expecting the dreadful assault of the soldiers, and had no chance to put their women and children in a place of safety. This was the last uprising of the Sioux. Their chief, Sitting Bull, who was largely responsible for the war was killed. They seemed to SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE 257 realize the power of the white man'is too great for the Indian to rebel against and have become more law^ abiding. Observe closely the paragraph structure asking your- self these questions : How many paragraphs are made by the writer? How many points are developed in the story? Make a brief outline of these points; thus, a. Numerous uprisings among Indians since whites came. b. These uprisings caused by religious maniacs. Why should the first two paragraphs be made into one? Show how this might be done. What other para- graphs also might well be blended? Which of all the paragraphs is constructed the best? WTiy? Are the paragraphs connected smoothly and naturally? Show how each grows out of the other. 2. A Sure "Sentence Sense." Reinforce here the effort to cultivate (i) a sense of unity; (2) a sense of subordination; and (3) a sense of quotation. The especial aim of all these is to help pupils construct clear sentences. The senses of modification and of emphasis will be given more definite attention in the eighth grade. 3. A Rich and Ready Vocabulary. Overcoming the ''slang habit" by helping the pupil find alive and useful words, has been the aim here. The * 'dictionary habit" should be reinforced and an accurate use of words encouraged. 258 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 4. The Spirit of Authorship. This important phase of the work has just been dis- cussed. The cultivation of appreciation of literature and the ability to produce it should be carried forward throughout the high school. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE Live Language Lessons — Third Book, Pages 175 TO 418 General Outline and Suggestions The course planned for the Eighth Grade is divided between : 1. Socialized Studies in Oral and Written Composition. 2. A Brief, Practical Course in Grammar. The following is a general outline of the work with ' general directions for carrying out the course. Socialized Studies in Composition Maximum: Exercises 100 to 120. Minimum: Omit Exercises 106, 107, 109, 115, 118. 1. Making School Newspapers. a. The reporter's work — reporting the news — making school newspapers. b. Editor's work — writing editorials. c. Debating live questions, and talks on current topics. 2. Creating Original Stories. a. Story studies. b. Dramatizing stories. c. Telling and writing stories. 259 26a LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 3. Tales of Travel. a. Travel talks. b. Sketch books. c. Letters and diaries. 4. Recreation. a. Favorite pastimes. b. ''Hobbies." c. Leisure hour books. 5. Songs and Speeches. a. Creating class songs. b. Making public addresses. Course in Practical Grammar Maximum: Exercises 121 to 235*. Minimum: Omit Exercises 140, 141, 142, 143, 146, 147, 148, 149, 159, 165, 167, 168, 169, 178, 187, 188, 189, 194, 196, 226, 235. Section I. Studies in Sentence Structure 1. Sentence Building. a. The sentence as the language unit. Drill for sentence completeness. b. Word groups within sentences. Emphasize unity of the word group. c. Kinds of word groups — phrases, clauses. Also teach idioms here. d. Base of the sentence. Drill on finding "core thought" of sentence. 2. Predicative Verbs. a. Transitive and intransitive verbs clearly dis- tinguished. *Advanced Book, Part Three, Exercises i to 115. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 261 b. Kinds of intransitive verbs — linking and com- plete. The choice of adjective or adverb after these verbs. c. Kinds of transitive verbs — active and passive. Make clear the effect of the change of the voice of the verb. d. Direct objects and other substantives following active verbs. 3. Review Lessons in Sentence Structure and Sentence Building. Section II. The Parts of Speech in Use 4. Parts of Speech as Sentence Elements. 5. Study of Substantives. a. Nouns in use: Number forms with collective nouns. Spelling of genitive case forms. Capi- talization of proper nouns. b. Pronouns. Keeping the antecedent clear. Choos- ing the right forms of pronouns. 6. The Verb in Use. a. Study of the verb as the Hfe-giving element. b. Predicative and non-predicative verbs compared. The use of verb forms in asserting, assuming, and suggesting action. c. Practical study of participles, gerunds, and infinitives. 7. Adjectives in Use. a. Study of the adjective as the descriptive element. 262 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS b. Drills in proper use of number forms with limiting adjectives. 8. Adverbs, Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjec- tions in Use. a. Applied lessons on these various parts of speech. b. Exercises and drills to fix habit of using them. Section III. Inflections 9. Practical Study of Inflections. a. Inflections reduced to lowest terms. Rule of agreement. b. Various inflections studied. Drills on trouble- some forms. 10. Lessons and Drills on Troublesome Auxiliary Verbs and Principal Parts of Verbs Commonly Misused. Points to Guide Teachers 1 . About two-fifths of the time should be given to the socialized studies in composition work; three-fifths to practical grammar. 2. It seems wisest not to divide this time, as is usually done, two days per week to composition, three to gram- mar. Better results will come from following such a suggestive program as is here offered for general guidance: Composition: The newspaper. News writing. Talks on current events. Making a school paper. Exercises 100-103 inclusive. Time: Four weeks. Grammar: Studies in sentence building. Exercises 1 21-149. Time: Seven weeks. Composition: Story writing. Exercises 108-110. Recrea- tion. Exercises 1 1 5-1 17. Time: Three weeks. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 263 Grammar: Parts of speech in use. Exercises 150-207. Time: Eight weeks. Composition: The newspaper. Editorials, and debating on live questions. Making a special edition. Exercises 104- 107. Time: Three weeks. Grammar: Inflections. Exercises 208-235. Time: Five weeks. Composition: Talks and sketches of travel. Exercises 111-114. Closing words. Exercises 1 18-120. Time: Two weeks. Grammar Reviews : Four weeks. Composition Reviews: Three weeks. The foregoing program should be adapted, of course, to fit local conditions. It will be necessary in short-term schools to reduce the time allotted to the work. Special Aims for the Eighth Grade 1. Fluency with Accuracy is the slogan. The central purpose of the course is still to give the pupils vital practice in expressing themselves on worth- while subjects close to their lives. The pupils should be encouraged to express themselves freely. Greater accu- racy, however, should be exacted. 2. Grammar should now be emphasized clearly as a separate study. A brief, practical course to round out and clinch the language-grammar lessons and drills previously given is provided. This study of grammar is vitalized, not formalized. 264 LIVE LANGUAGE LESS ONS Helps in Composition Work The course in composition planned for the eighth grade provides a series of practical projects as follows: 1. Creating school newspapers. 2. Debating live topics. 3. Writing and telling stories. 4. Giving travel talks and writing letters of travel. 5. Discussing leisure hour *' hobbies" and recreation. 6. Preparing speeches for school and other audiences. The studies are purposely left flexible. Eighth grade pupils should be able somewhat successfully to choose within easy limits their own subjects and projects, and work these out along original lines. Initiative and vitality may thus be cultivated. This suggestion of liberty in expression must not be taken to mean license. It is essential that the class be kept within certain well defined boundaries, if sub- stantial progress is to be made. This necessary direction is provided for in the course as given in the text. A few further suggestions to mark the plan more plainly for both teacher and pupil are given in the following helps. Standards of Attainment Composition Pupils are ready for promotion from the eighth grade when they show in their everyday speech and writing: I. Ability to build a clear unified paragraph on some vital topic close to their Hves. The following uncorrected examples taken from eighth grade pupils show ''A" grade work: EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 265 WHY I AM GLAD I LIVE IN AMERICA I am glad I am in America because in America everyone is equal. We do not have to pay taxes to support an army that kills women and children. We have free schools and every privilege a person can want. Every person has a chance to rise. In America Ws not where you came from, it^s you. WILLIAM PENX'S HOUSE Wm. Penn's house is located in Fairmont Park near the zoo. It is a small red brick structure with a large grass plat around it and a gravel walk leading to it near it is a pump. Inside there is a cement floor. A casual observ^er could see at a glance that it was just as clean as when Mrs. Penn took care of it herself. The white finished wood across the gable is spotless. Out of one slanting side of the roof is a chimney of red brick. From a short distance away it looks neat and makes a pleasant contrast against a blue cloudless sky. 2. Ability to organize a composition of several para- graphs. Following is a carefully prepared product from the eighth grade: AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A WATCH "Tick, tock, tick, tock," say I in the morning when I have been wound up. I am a poor dollar watch with a nickel-plated back, rather battered and rubbed. But I am still alive, as you can tell by the way my heart beats. My glass-covered face has been smashed a number of times. Some- how I managed to brave the operation of putting on a new glass epider- mis, and I am now as well as ever. I admit I am very good looking, for I have fine clean-cut hands, an honest, open-hearted face, with a bright little second hand continually keeping up with the time. I am everybody's friend, for I tell the children in school when they may go, and also give the men and women, working in large factories, their permission to go after a hard day of work. Now, my friends, thinking I have told you enough of myself, I will continue in my pursuit of Father Time. 3. Ability to write a neat and business-like business letter, an interesting and correct friendly letter, a brief news story, or a short editorial on a vital topic. 2 00 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 4. Ability to make a little travel talk, to tell a short story, or to give a little speech on some subject of interest. GENERAL STUDY ONE— MAKING THE SCHOOL NEWSPAPER Here is a project v^ith a challenging appeal. It offers an opportunity for vitalized composition work in the following hnes: 1. Reporting news. 2. Writing editorials. 3. Creating cartoons. 4. Working out advertisements. 5. Writing poems and feature stories. The beginnings of news writing are comprehended in the project. In working it out the pupils should gain a keener appreciation of the work of the press. They should develop some ability also to write news stories, editorials, and other journaHstic compositions. The work should not be carried too far at this time. Only an informal study of the journalistic art, reinforced by some elementary work in creating newspapers, should be attempted in the eighth grade. More thorough work along this line can be done in the senior high school. The following are some things that have been done with excellent results by eighth grades in certain schools: 1. Reporting school news regularly for the local papers. 2. Creating manuscript or typewritten newspapers once a week or once a month. 3. Creating and printing special issues of the newspapers once a quarter or once a year. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 267 The first effort should be directed towards awakening a five interest in the work of the reporters. The text opens the way for this to be well done. Following the study of Exercises 100, loi and 102, let the pupils either visit a news plant or bring in clippings of news stories. In succeeding lessons, they may be given opportunity to create a little newspaper for themselves by: 1. Playing the part of real reporters gathering and writing real news. 2. Practicing the art of telling a news story. 3. Selecting and arranging in best form the stories they write. The following account of a visit to a newspaper plant is by an eighth grade pupil. It shows clearly the keen in- terest of pupils in this kind of work. THE NEWSPAPER PRESS Having arrived at the newspaper building, our excellent guide took us to the press room. A big roll of plain paper weighing around 1,800 pounds was lifted to two arms reaching out from the press. This work is done by a crane, built into the press, which is worked by hand. The loose end of the paper is shoved over a rod and down around a huge roller with the casts on it, then pulled up over some rods and over another huge roller with the casts on it. This last roller prints the opposite side of the paper from the side the first roller prints It then slides, evenly, over two diagonally placed bars to take the paper from one side of the machine to the other. It then slides over a triangular piece of steel. This finds the middle of the paper. The paper is now run between two rollers which crease it. The rollers are directly under the triangle. These rollers fold the paper exactly right. A roller that has two blades on it turns a half revolution for every sheet of paper. This cuts the printed newspaper. Some steel fingers get the newspaper and pull it on some leather straps which pull it out to a waiting man. Every fiftieth paper comes about two inches higher than the others. The 268 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS man takes them fifty at a time and puts them on a truck. This is the way they count them. The green sheet is slid right over the rest of the paper at the end, that is, it's folded and cut with the other paper. There is an ink trough for every printing roller. The ink is pressed on to a leather covered roller and is transferred on to about five rollers in turn till it comes to the printing roller. So the ink will be even, they have these rollers. If you dip your finger into the ink and then hold your finger straight up and down, the ink won't run it is so thick. The World-Herald has three presses, with one for the Comic part of the Sunday paper. On Sunday about three carloads of paper is used. If one of the presses gets out of order the other press is started imme- diately. — Paul L. Hoffman. GENERAL STUDY TWO— CREATING ORIGINAL STORIES Another study of compelling interest is offered here. That boys and girls are always eager for created stories, is shown by their intense interest in the ''movies," in fiction, and in the drama. This interest may be turned to good account in language work. A teacher of Enghsh was visiting the schools in a mining camp recently. He was taken into an eighth grade made up entirely of foreign children. ''These boys and girls are very unresponsive," the teacher quietly informed the visitor; "It is almost impossible to get them to talk." The visitor had a feeling that every pupil would express himself, if the teacher struck the line of the pupil's liveliest interest. "What do you boys and girls do here to have fun?" came his first question to the class. "Go to the 'movies' " came the quick response. *'What play have you seen lately that you liked?" EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 269 ''The Black Glove," said one girl; ''The Copper Claw," shouted a boy. "What is 'The Black Glove' about?" The ItaKan lassie's dark eyes sparkled as she stood up and began vividly to picture the play that had recently thrilled her. Then the boy followed with his story of "The Copper Claw." Their language was full of ''The man he," ''This here," "That there" and other slips in language. But they told their stories fairly well; and they revealed at the same time their story tastes. Here was a golden opportunity tactfully to slip in suggestions to guide their tastes aright. The moral is plain : Teachers should help pupils to an appreciation of choice stories. This help can best be given in two ways : 1. Lead them to tell of the stories they like best. 2. Give them a chance to create stories. There are rich opportunities in the latter type of exercise for cultivating the spirit of authorship. Beside following the suggestions in the text, lead the pupils to try their hand at making scenarios or in creat- ing little plays for their own and others entertainment. GENERAL STUDY THREE— TRAVEL TALKS AND SKETCHES A good way to open this project interestingly is to make an outline map of our country on the board. 270 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Then ask : Where have you traveled in our own land? Let the pupils each indicate by lines or dots the trips they have taken. It is often surprising how many places in our land and even in foreign lands have been visited by pupils in any given class. What is one of the most interesting sights you have seen in traveling? This question practically always brings a ready re- sponse, and leads to an exchange of more or less delight- ful travel experiences. The suggestion in Exercise iii will serve further to draw out the pupils and open up the project fully. Fol- lowing the directions in the text, the work may then be carried forward easily step by step to these desired results : 1. Travel talks by each pupil. 2. Sketch-books on travel, either by the class working together, or by individual pupils each working out a booklet. 3. Diaries of travel. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 271 4. Real letters of travel, business correspondence, and telegrams. A month of practical work may be given, if time permits, to this work. The study offers a rich oppor- tunity for motivated practice in speech and in writing. Planning the Talks To make a good outline the pupil should choose an apt title. The effort here should be to get something which attracts and at the same time suggests the center of the talk. For example: The Niagara of the West; Around the Alamo; Rip Van Winkle's Land; The Dead Sea of America. Then mark plainly the steps to be taken in develop- ing the subject. For illustration: Around the Alamo a. What is the Alamo? Brief explanation of the old mission. b. What made the Alamo famous? Read the story of the Alamo. c. The historic shrine as it is to-day. d. Other historic places near the Alamo. Various plans may be followed in arranging such a talk. The pupils should take their own lead, being tactfully guided by the teacher to bring out their own pictures and thoughts in order and to give them personal interest touches. The talk should be illustrated, if possible, with drawings and pictures. 272 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Some Excellent Results The members of a certain eighth grade class were led to tell of their travel experiences. Practically every pupil had taken a trip to some interesting place. One boy told of his visit to the Panama Exposition. For several days he worked, gathering and organizing his materials, and arranging pictures to illustrate his talk. He gave his Httle lecture with considerable nervous- ness. His teacher felt that he had all but failed; and the boy's father, who was present, was not sure that the result was worth the effort. Afterwards the boy made a trip with his parents through the Yellowstone. During the journey the boy was greatly interested in gathering pictures. One night after returning, the father came home just about dusk and found about twenty-five people, old and young, on the lawn back of the house. There, between the maple trees, was hung a white sheet. His boy stood with a pointer, while a younger brother was throwing pictures on the screen. The neighbors and their children were being taken on a trip through the Yellowstone Park by these boys. When the show was over the boy said to his father, "You know, daddy, I don't think it is fair for us to have had such a wonderful trip unless we share it with some- body." Another instance comes from a class which was having imaginary journeys. Led by their teacher, who had traveled widely, these pupils had worked out rather interesting fanciful trips over all the world. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 273 A visitor, asked to speak to the children, said, "I am wondering whether you boys and girls haven't taken some real trips. How many of you have always lived in this state?" Only two hands were raised. Thirty-five pupils were in the class. ^' Where have you lived?" The pupils began to tell. Twenty-seven different states and four foreign countries were named. ''Have you ever told one another of the real trips you have taken?" *'0h, no, we had to tell of imaginary journeys." ''Well, your imaginary sketches are good. I think, how- ever, that you might do even better if you described real scenes, don't you?" A year later the visitor returned. The teacher had gone to another school. She had left, however, some- thing to show clearly that the suggestion had been taken seriously. A beautiful booklet of travel sketches was presented to the visitor. It had been produced by the class; every pupil ha\ing contributed one sketch illus- trated with drawings, post cards, or kodak pictures. The title of the booklet artistically done on the cover was: "Owr Own Traill GENERAL STUDY FOUR— RECREATION One of the most serious problems to be solved by parents and teachers is how to train boys and girls to fill their leisure hours both pleasurably and profitably. Here is a helpful project leading to that desired result. Pupils, stimulated to talk of their pastimes and their hobbies, can help one another find wholesome fun and 274 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS real education through proper play. Excellent oral and written expression grows out of this work. It is of vital interest, and so flexible as to give opportunity for many different kinds of work on various subjects. The follow- ing are some of the language results that may come from the study: 1. Descriptions of plays and games. 2. Story hours. 3. Talks on favorite books and authors. 4. Talks on inventions. 5. Letter writing to companions and friends. 6. Making of leisure hour booklets. It is not expected that the pupils shall take more than one, or at most, two subjects. The effort should be to get each to find the subject on which he can best express himself and develop it fully. Suppose, for example, a boy has a keen interest in base- ball. Let him make a baseball book. In this he might : 1. Sketch briefly the history of the national game. 2. Describe the game itself. 3. Report some game he has watched. 4. Gather pictures of famous players, and of baseball scenes. 5. Tell of some Hvely game he has had with his com- panions, or between his school and another. Suppose a girl is greatly interested in the ''Girls' Camp-Fire Club," let her make a booklet bringing out the activities and the fun of this club. In this she might give: I. A statement telling of the history and purposes of the organization. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 275 2. The rules of the club. 3. Report of some camp-fire outing she has enjoyed. 4. Songs and games. 5. Fireside fun at home for camp-fire girls. The teacher's part is to help the pupil organize his materials. Training him to express himself in a straight line is still the main objective. Planning his talks and making a leisure-hour book, Exercise 117, will give him good practice in systematizing his thoughts and materials. Three weeks may well be given to this general study. GENERAL STUDY EIVE— CLOSING WORDS This project is planned principally for the close of the eighth grade course. At that time the giving of pro- grams easily motivates the study. At any time during the year, however, the study may be made vital and valuable. The fundamental principles of effective speech are suggested in the study These principles may be prac- ticed not only during commencement days, but through- out the year, in the following ways : Through Organizing Young Citizens' Clubs Let pupils here first talk of some worthy work boys and girls might do for their community or school by organizing, as: ''The Clean-up Club", or "The Willing Workers", or ''The Good Health Club", or "The Better Speech Club." In these names are suggested the object of such a club. 276 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Next let them organize such a club as they choose. They should learn here how to make a motion, how to elect a chairman and secretary, how to appoint a com- mittee to draft a constitution and by-laws. A third lesson would be the adoption of the constitu- tion and by-laws and the electing of officers. When the organization is effected its activities may be turned into various vital channels; as, 1. Debating live topics. See those in the text, Exercise I05- 2. Giving and conducting class programs. Pupils should be given opportunity to preside occasionally, and also to plan their own programs for various occasions. 3. Discussing current events. Ten or fifteen minutes each day may be very profitably given to the reporting of events of importance. The pupils should take turns in giving these reports. Use "Current Events," or "The Literary Digest," or some other worthy publication to guide this work. 4. A cartoon program. Pupils here should be led to bring to school some choice cartoon on a current event, and to explain its significance. 5. Good jokes. The telling of choice clean jokes should be encouraged. Such practice is not only a good language exercise, but it cultivates the sense of humor. 6. Making addresses on special occasions. Brief talks for Labor Day, Hallowe'en, Thanksgiving, Christmas, the birthdays of Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Columbus, and various other people who should be remembered, may be made by pupils. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 277 Say one thing at a time and say it clearly is a good slogan for the work. Pupils mil gain skill to make one point clearly as they build sentences into unified para- graphs, into unified oral and written compositions. GRAMMAR Live Language Lessons — Third Book, Part II* Live Language Lessons provide a Climbing Course in Grammar. Each grade is given some part in the work, the lessons being adapted to the pupil's ability to master them. The following outline gives the main steps in the course: Primary Grades: First, Second, and Third. Vitalized Language Games dealing with the simpler type trouble-makers in speech. Intermediate Grades: Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth. Tables of Correct Usage. Lessons and drills to train the tongue are here given on the forms that commonly are mis- used. Simple Sentence Studies, The Parts of Speech, and Number and Possessive Forms, also, are taught in a practical way. Grammar Grades : Seventh and Eighth. The Five Senses in Sentence Building — Unity, sub- ordination, modification, transposition, and quotation — are dealt with here. A Brief Course in Practical Grammar is given to round out and reinforce the work. *Also Advanced Book, Part Three. 278 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS The following charts show in graphic form the general plan: Grades A Climbing Course IN Applied GR3\MMAR Grammar Applied in Com- position and Interpretation of Classics Thorough Review of Fundamentals of Grammar Systematic Course in Applied Grammar Studies and Exercises in Sentence Building and Correct Usage Beginning Studies in Sentence Structure and the Parts of Speech Lessons and Drills on The Twelve Tables of Correct Usage" Vitalized Language Games and Exercises to Overcome Common Errors and Fix Right Habits of Speech NOTE: The Curved Lines Indicate the Change in Emphasis Given to the Three Main Phases of Grammar EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 279 a en 6 28o LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS A New Point of View Grammar can be most effectively taught only when teachers generally see the subject from the right view- point. Two opposing schools of thought have been developed regarding this subject. The formalists insist on teach- ing technical grammar in practically all of the grades from chart class to college. The expressionists all but eliminate the study of formal grammar from the cur- riculum. Neither of these extreme views can be entirely right. The truth seems to He both between and ahead of them. Both less, and better grammar is the thing demanded. A well organized course in the essentials of the subject, taught from the applied viewpoint, must be given if the pupil is to get a sound building up in language. An incident from actual schoolroom practice will give a concrete example of the working of this method. It happened last spring that a visitor was questioning a certain class on grammar. The following is alrriost a verbatim report: ''What are some of the things you study in grammar?" ''Parts of speech," came a quick response. "Name one of them." "Adjectives." "What is an adjective?" "Word that modifies a noun or pronoun." "What is the adjective good for in speech?" "Good to modify a noun or pronoun." "Do you use it?" "Guess so." EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 281 ''Give an example of the adjective." ''Red, yellow, blue, green." Every reply showed clearly that the pupils had never thought of an adjective outside of the textbook. Their knowledge of grammar was formalized book learning, nothing more. "You live in a rich apple growing country," suggested the visitor. "What kind of apples are grown here?" "Jonathans," said one. "Delicious," said another. "What is the difference between the Jonathan and the Delicious apple?" The pupils began to contrast and compare these varieties of apples. An apphed lesson in adjectives was the result. " Suppose you wished to advertise your apples, what sort of advertisement might you work out? W^ouldn't you like to try that as an exercise on adjectives for to-morrow?" The pupils were eager to get at the work. Their lesson had been made to vibrate; the facts had carried over into the realm of real life. Every lesson must be so taught if it is to bring results worth while. The Vitahzing Principle The fundamental principle in all effective teaching is made clear by the foregoing discussion and illustration from the classroom. It is not enough merely to teach facts and formal rules; these facts must function through life application to be made vital and useful. To illuminate this point by an analogy : An electrician may string the wires and place the fixtures and bulbs in a building. All these are useless until the electric current is turned through the lamps. In the teaching process 2^2 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS the essential thing is not only to present the facts and principles clearly but to connect them constantly with hfe. Live Language Drills Facts, rules, and principles are well taught only when they are fixed by life-giving exercises. The fatal fault in formalistic teaching lies in its failure to clinch principles with everyday practice. The hit-and-miss method of the expressionist fails likewise because of its failure to clinch life practice with fundamental principles. Right language habits can be fixed only as the essential facts and rules are driven home by well directed, practical drills. The live language drill system is simple and effective. Besides the practical exercises given with every lesson, it constantly gives applied drills that carry the lessons beyond the text into the life uses of language. The fol- lowing directions are typical assignments: 1. Bring to class a paragraph made up of clearly con- structed sentences, dealing with a topic you are studying in history, geography, or some other study. 2. Compose ten sentences, each of which contains a phrase and a clause, 3. Find and copy from the works of good writers five sentences containing idioms. 4. Find elsewhere three sentences containing quotations, each of which follows the. main verb; three in each of which the quotation precedes the main verb; three in each of which the quotation is divided by the main verb. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 283 5. Find a picturesque sentence in the writings of some noted writer. Omit the words that describe and let the class try to find them. 6. Bring to class five sentences from your reading, the meaning of which is made obscure by the misplacement of the adjective, and give the correct form of each sentence. The New Nomenclature A few years ago Our Country was at sea on the ques- tion of grammatical terms. For illustration, several different names were used for the predicate nominative. It was called also attribute complement, and subjective complement. The National Education Association, cooperating with other national organizations, in an attempt to clear away this unnecessary trouble, has adopted a uniform nomenclature. The new nomen- clature is used in Live Language Lessons. This forward step from the old to the new is made easy in the texts as old terms are retained in footnotes. Thus, when the name ''linking verbs" is first found, (Exercise 131), the footnote says, ''Also called copulas." Other new terms are likewise helpfully introduced. The thought is to protect the pupils and teachers until the new order of names becomes well established. There is little need, however, for worry about learn- ing these new terms. There are comparatively few to be learned. The most commonly used ones are: Subject substantive for simple subject Linking verbs . for copulas Predicative nominative) for attribute or subjective Predicate adjective f complement Adjunct accusative for objective complement 284 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Accusative case for objective case Genitive case for possessive case Determinative clause for restrictive clause Most of the foregoing terms, indeed, are not new. Accusative and genitive, for example, are used con- stantly in teaching other languages. The other forms also are not unfamiliar; they almost explain themselves. DIVISION ONE. PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING TYPE LESSONS IN GRAMMAR The first and central rule for the effective teaching not only of grammar but of other subjects, is this: Teach one thing at a time. Lack of unity is a main and fatal fault in most lessons. Every live lesson has a central principle in it to be de- veloped. The business of the teacher is to help pupils discover and understand the principle. The second practical suggestion naturally grows out of the first: Find the essential one thing in every lesson to be taught. The essentials to be kept clear in teaching the various phases of grammar, have already been briefly pointed out in the outline given on pages 259-262. These central objectives will be brought again into the clear in con- nection with the following type lessons in grammar. Type Lesson i. Sentence Building Ask any class this question: What is a sentence? Practically every pupil will answer, "A sentence is a group of words expressing a complete thought." EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 285 Then ask ''What do you mean by complete?" The result is generally a jumble of answers showing plainly that the pupils have not faced squarely the essential part of the definition. They have learned a definition from the verbal viewpoint. In teaching sentences, the essential thing is to lead the pupils to feel sentence completeness. This is the main objective in the opening lesson (Exercise 121). The thought there is expressed in various ways but the essential thing kept clear throughout is this: Each sentence is a step forward in thought expression. To make the pupil really feel this is to cultivate a sure sentence sense. The pupils should have Httle difficulty, after the definite lessons in sentence building given in the seventh grade, to get this thought clear. The final test, however, as to whether they have it will be found in their application of it in composition work, oral and written. The following samples of eighth grade work show clearly that there is need for making the idea, "complete," carry over into the pupil's own sentence building. SHELL FISHES Shell fishes lived in the shallows and died and left there skeletons in the soft mud. The sea bottom slowly rose and land appeared. A land of marshes and forests in which grew great ferns and trees which are only- found now in far south. In the swampy land lived great lizards some taller then elephants. After many thousands of years there were splendid oaks, maples, beeches, and willow trees, we find there leaves today pressed and printed in the red sandstone rocks. A RAINY DAY It is a rainy day. One that makes you feel as if something dreadful is going to happen, the clouds are heavy and oppressing, while the air is full of mist and quite chilly. The streets glisten with the preceding rain which has made e\^erybody dreary to their very bones. 286 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Type Lesson 2. Word Groups Sentences are made up of various elements. They must contain substantives and verbs. They may also contain modifying and connective and independent elements. These different elements are made up either of single words or of groups of words. The word group is essentially like a single word in the function it performs. This unity, or oneness, of the word group is the essential thing to be kept clear in teaching this lesson. Word groups may be either phrases, clauses, or idioms, a special kind of phrase. Each of these groups, however, is a unit in sentence building. A good working knowledge of this essential is neces- sary. Pupils will gain facility in understanding and in handling the word group as they deal with it from this viewpoint. The senses of subordination, of modification, of transposition, and of quotation will be cultivated as this lesson is made clear. For added drill the following and other like exercises may be used : Enclose in marks of parenthesis each word group and underline the words used separately in the following sentences, taken from eighth grade compositions: 1. It was a dry hot day. The smothering wind was play- ing a slow hymn in the dust brown grass. 2. The white snow kept piHng higher and higher on the housetops and walks. 3. People trying to keep cool were splashing and swim- ming in the water. 4. When the leaves fluttered down, they looked Hke fairies dancing in the air. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 287 5. The wind swept through the trees with a shrill screech like that of some infuriated monster. 6. The hydroplane shot forward over the water at a thrilling speed. 7. This was Washington's headquarters when he spent that cold winter there with his soldiers. Type Lesson 3. Idioms Idioms are given special attention for three reasons: (i) They are one of the most troublesome forms to be met with in sentence structure; (2) The idiom is a vitalizing element in language and it should be under- stood and used with intelligence; (3) In teaching idioms the essential unity of the word group is best shown. Type Lesson 4. Kinds of Sentences According to Use One thing should be kept clear in dealing with this lesson: The use of these types of sentences in the language of life. Generally pupils are trained to name and classify sentences. The thought is seldom driven home that language effectiveness depends often on whether we put our thoughts in the form of a declarative or in an interrogative form. Observe that the new nomenclature is used here. Sentences according to that classification are first of all of two kinds — declarative or interrogative. These again may each be either exclamatory or non-exclamatory. The text explains this point clearly. Type Lesson 5. Base of the Sentence Every well built sentence says one main thing. To be able to find the core thought in any sentence is to be trained in sentence unity. This training is made vital LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS when it is turned to constructing sentences that are well unified. The essential point to keep clear in this lesson is sug- gested in the foregoing paragraph. Drill on finding the base of the sentence. Use not only the exercises found in the text but the following sentences and others, if necessary, to make sure the point is clinched. Underline the base of each of the following sentences: 1. The sunlight was tipping the jagged rim of the moun- tains with flaming gold. 2. Every dusky head was sheltered beneath the smoky canvas. 3. The sunburnt meadows, patterned with golden willow patches, made a pretty carpet for the valley floor. 4. Everyone in camp was on the alert to watch what was coming. 5. As we gradually ascended the Sweetwater the nights became cooler. 6. About thirty miles below Salmon Falls the dilemma confronted us either to cross the river or starve our teams. 7. My boyhood pranks of playing with logs or old leaky skiffs in the waters of the White River now served me well. 8. Every now and then we get down from our donkeys to talk with the turbaned merchants. 9. Here boys and men in red fez caps and long gowns are making cups and trays. 10. Above the streets is hung a matting which shuts out the sun. Type Lesson 6. The Predicative Verb The sentence swings around the main verb. To find this verb is to find the thought center of the sentence. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 289 Drill exercises aimed at this essential will reinforce the lesson just outlined on the base of the sentence, and also help to cultivate a surer sentence sense. A good practical application of this lesson may be found in a study of sentences by pupils themselves. Let them exchange compositions or notebooks and search for groups of words they have used as sentences, which do not contain predicative verbs; as, 1. Going down the street the other day very rapidly. 2. Also an observatory which is quite high so that visitors may have an unobstructed view on clear days. 3. The flag that one may see if one goes there. 4. As I stood near the banks of the river and watched the little ripples floating toward the shore. 5. White clouds floating across the sky and seeming to run a race with one another. Have the pupils make the foregoing groups of words into sentences. Also have them each find five other such word groups, if possible, in their own compositions or notebooks, which they have wrongly used as sentences. T5rpe Lesson 7. The Passive Verb Test any ninth grade class with this question: Is the passive verb transitive or intransitive? INIost of such classes and many teachers tested the country over have answered, "The passive verb is intransitive." When asked the reason they have generally replied: "It does not take an object." This result is due directly to the teaching of a false definition. Many texts and most teachers have been training pupils to repeat this misleading definition: A 290 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS transitive verb is one which takes an object to complete its meaning. The truer method of teaching these important classes of verbs is to lead pupils to feel the difference between transitive and intransitive actions. Let them dramatize these actions by responding to such commands, as-^ stand, sit, talk, walk, jump, hop, skip. Then direct them to break, make, take, carry, bring, lift. Immediately they will begin to see that there are different kinds of actions to be performed. One kind does not require anything to receive it; the other does require a receiver. Type Lesson 8. Dramatizing the Verb Continue this dramatizing of various verbs until the pupils feel the difference between a transitive and an intransitive action. For example, ask each pupil to perform an act that is not received. He may rise, jump, skip, hop, talk. Then ask each one to perform some transitive action. In response to this he may break a piece of crayon, strike his desk, lift a book, raise his pencil. The exercise to follow this first step may be the making of two lists of verbs, say twenty in each, one list giving those that express action not received; another, action which is received. A second lesson in developing the essential difference between transitive and intransitive verbs may be centered round the meaning of these terms. After reviewing, by using the pupils' lists of verbs, the idea developed in the beginning lesson, the pupils may be led EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 291 to think of a possible name for these two classes of verbs — one expressing action received, and the other express- ing action not received. Say nothing about objects at this point. What might the verb that expresses action that is received be called? Some pupil may know the name. If not, after he has been led to think of the problem and to suggest possible terms, the word transitive may be given. Draw out the meaning of transitive by having a study of the words containing "trans," as, transfer, transport, trans-continental. Trans, it will be discovered, impHes a passing over. The action expressed by such verbs seems to be transferred from the doer over to the re- ceiver. With this thought made clear, the pupils will be ready for the next step — a study of the kinds of transitive and of intransitive verbs. Active and passive verbs likewise should be carefully taught. To reinforce the thought that transitive verbs cApress an act which is received, perform some act as breaking the chalk, lifting an eraser. Ask the pupils to tell what was done. ''You broke the chalk," will be the reply. '- Very well, talk about the chalk." "The chalk was broken." 'How many acts were performed?" "One." ' In how many ways did you tell of the act?" "Two." 292 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Perform several transitive acts and have them express the action in both active and passive voice. Then per- form an intransitive action, and have the pupils try to tell of it in two ways. Through this dramatic method the class may be led readily to see that transitive verbs are either active or passive; intransitive verbs cannot be changed. For example: The boy lifted the chair. The chair was Kfted by the boy. A transitive act expressed in both active voice (wherein the subject acts) and passive voice (wherein the subject is acted upon.) Drill on this point until it is clinched by using sen- tences from the pupils' own papers, from readers, or other books. Have them find transitive verbs and change them from active to passive or from passive to active. Have them also find intransitive verbs express- ing action not received. For illustration: Transitive Active Passive 1. We see a house in the i. A house is seen, distance. 2. Over the door they 2. The flags were crossed, crossed two flags. 3. I build my nest in the tall 3. My nest was built, grass. 4. The people protect me. 4. I am protected. 5. My parents gave me an 5. An education was given education. me. Intransitive 1. The morning dawned bright and warm. 2. Everyone was lounging around. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 293 3. Clouds floated lazily across the sky. 4. A robin was sitting on a leafy branch. 5. Two feet of snow fell that day. A follow-up lesson on What is the use of the active and passive voice? will make surer the knowledge. The practical lessons given in Exercises 138 and 139 may be readily increased if necessary. The exercises in the text, however, would seem to be sufficient to drive home the vital point. In succeeding lessons, dealing with verbs and with case, transitive verbs are again dealt with in a practical way. The essential thing at this point is to make the pupils feel the principles by giving them a clear working knowledge of the fundamental difference between transi- tive and intransitive action. When the distinction betw^een transitive and intransi- tive has been made reasonably clear, attention may be given to the two classes of each of these verbs. Following the lead of the text here, let the pupils first make a study of Unking verbs, and complete verbs. The practical exercises given in connection with Exercises 131, 132, 133, 134, may be increased, if neces- sary; but they would seem to be ample to make the distinction between these classes of verbs clear, and to drive home their practical appHcation. They will be taken up in other lessons later. Type Lesson 9. A Study of Objects Several lessons dealing with direct and indirect objects and the adjunct accusative are given after the work on transitive and intransitive verbs. A complete knowledge 294 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS of sentence structure makes the study of these various objects necessary. Practical application of these lessons is found in sentence variety and the foundation is laid for the studies in case to follow. Type Lesson lo. Cultivating the Quotation Sense Quotations both direct and indirect, are important elements in sentence structure. The direct quotation is used constantly in stories; the indirect is used quite as much in conversation and in letter writing. It is essential that the pupil be trained to handle quotations with clear- ness and force. The studies given on quotations accomplish several things : 1. They are aimed at cultivating quotation skill. 2. They give vitalized practice in using quotation marks correctly. 3. They cultivate a sense of emphasis, or transposition. The drills, aimed at getting these results, may be readily increased. Type Lesson 11. Base of Compound and Complex Sentences The exercises given under these headings are directed towards the great purpose of all the lessons in sentence building, sentence unity or ''sentence sense." Ability to build clear, well unified sentences is di- rectly dependent on a good working knowledge of sentence structure. There are five senses to be culti- vated in sentence building: EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 295 A sense of unity. A sense of subordination. A sense of modification. A sense of quotation. A sense of emphasis. The sense of unity is the mother of all the other senses. AbiUty to say one thing at a time and say it well means power in speech. It will be readily seen that the cultiva- tion of this abihty is the central aim of all the exercises offered in this first important division of grammar- sentence building. The practical exercises with which this division is closed are suggestive only of the hundreds of like exer- cises that may be given to connect the principles taught with life. DIVISION TWO. STUDIES IN THE PARTS OF SPEECH The pupils should come to this study with a fairly clear knowledge of the parts of speech. A brief review of these, however, will be helpful at the beginning of the work. The emphasis in this review, as in all of the succeeding study, should be placed on the use of the parts of speech. Use determines the classification. This thought should be kept clear. Any one word may perform several distinct offices in sentence building. For example: The train was late. They train the team skillfully. The train schedule has been changed. Use here such drill exercises as the following to fix in 296 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS pupils the habit of asking the question, How is the word used? I. Use as two or three different parts of speech the following words: pull walk tire thread lead step silver play strike drive bear stick light snow bat 2. Using the dictionary, find ten words that may each be used as three different parts of speech. 3. Compose five sentences in each of which some word is used as two or three different parts of speech; as, We shall ship our goods in an American ship. Another point to be made clear is the grouping of the parts of speech as sentence elements. There are eight parts of speech. Only five offices, however, can be per- formed in a sentence by these parts of speech. These offices are: (i) Substantives; (2) Asserting elements; (3) Modifiers; (4) Connectives; or (5) Independent elements. Study I. Nouns in Use From the use viewpoint three things are of practical moment in the study of nouns : 1. Capitalization of proper nouns. 2. Agreement of verb with collective nouns. 3. Spelling of forms expressive of number, gender, and genitive case. The amount of time necessary to give to any of these practical phases must be determined by the needs of EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 297 the class. The following are a few suggestions for general guidance: I. The general rules for capitalization of proper nouns should already be known. Make this an occasion for a good review, or a new view, of that rule; add the special rules given in Exercise 154. Make these clear with application, adding other exercises for drill, if necessary. For additional drills use the following and similar exercises : a. Clear away the errors in these sentences taken from eighth grade papers, giving reasons: 1. It happened one beautiful autumn day out west. 2. My uncle Tom.owned a ranch near the teton river. 3. The birds were singing gayly, we were happy as they. 4. Old chief Sowiet was a brave indian, and he was always as just as he was brave. 5. King winter now has come again with Jack frost and the snow The merry birds have flown away where old south wind doth blow. b. Have the pupils bring to class five other sentences from seventh or eighth grade papers or notebooks show- ing errors in use of capitals. 2. The exercises on collective nouns would seem sufficient at this time. These will be followed by other practical drills under the study of Number later in the course. Study 2. Case Uses of the Noun In deahng with the case uses of the noun, do not hold pupils to a thorough study of all of the forms at this 298 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS time. The lesson should be dealt with as a summary and review. All of the uses, except the nominative absolvite and the adverbial accusative have been previously introduced. These two special uses will be considered more fully later under adverbs and case. It is necessary only to get a passing acquaintance with them at this point. Study 3. Genitive Forms of the Noun Since the only practical dilhculty met with in dealing with the case of nouns, is with genitive forms, the emphasis should be given to these forms. The nomina- tive and the accusative forms had best be taken up in connection with pronouns. Drill on these genitive forms in relation to their con- text. For example, use such dictation exercises as the following : John's boots are black. The soldier's guns shone. Henry's skates are sharp. The women's dresses were white. Mary's books are lost. The ladies' hats were sold. Most of the difficulty comes from confounding simple plurals with genitive forms. Ladie's, Marys hat. The boy*s have gone, are typical errors. Much practice in writing exercises like the one just given will help to overcome these faults. Study 4. Substantive Phrases and Clauses Exercise 159 should be carefully studied for two practical reasons: I. Facility in handling substantive phrases and clauses makes for clearness and variety of expression. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 299 For illustration: We hoped that he would come. Our hope was that he would come. It was our hope that he would come. Similarly express in two or more ways each of the following thoughts keeping the substantive clause in each: a. We believe that he is honest. b. They asserted positively that he would come. c. I am not certain that I shall go. d. The jury decided that he was innocent. e. We remembered what you had said. 2. Many difficulties in understanding sentence struc- ture may be cleared away by a clear understanding of the substantive group. Keep the five uses clear. Add the following drills and others if necessary to fLx the classification. Point out the substantive clause in each of the follow- ing sentences and tell how it is used : a. When we shall go is not decided. b. The foreigner knew what we were saying. c. His question was, Where can we get shelter? d. I told the soldier that he could stay at our home. e. My problem is, where to get the money. f. The boy said that the fox ran through the corn. g. '^What are you doing out so late?" asked the officers, h. ''More kindness is needed to-day," said the preacher, i. It is believed that he sailed south. j. "Make way for Liberty I" he cried. 300 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Diagraming and Sentence Clearness A simple diagram may be used to make these and other relations plainer. For illustration : I will be there (Substantive clause used as He said | j direct object) That he was satisfied (Substantive clause I I is enough used as subject) that he go to school My wish | | should be heeded. (Substantive clause used appositively) can and will vou do it? The question i is i (Substantive clause used as predicate nominative) whom he pleased He I talked about | (Substantive clause used with preposition) To be a worthy soldier I I was his ambition (Substantive phrase used as subject) to gain his confidence I I tried i (Substantive phrase used as the direct object) what to do The question | was \ | (Substantive phrase used as predicate nominative) EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 301 He I objected to our going there (Substantive phrase used with a preposition) to see him It I I was impossible (Substantive phrase used appositively) The diagram may be helpfully used in showing the relations of substantives to other parts of the sentence. A clear understanding of these relationships is basic in the study of case. Make the diagram, if used at all, simple and directly to the main point to be illustrated. The chief trouble with diagraming as used by most teachers and texts lies in its complexity. The diagram that gets in its own way is worse than useless. Teachers can easily make their own diagrams. Such diagrams, if simple and to the point, may be far more effective than any set system. Study 5. The Pronoun Two main points of vital value are to be learned in connection with pronouns : 1. How to keep the pronoun clear. 2. How to use the different forms correctly. The following sentences, taken from seventh and eighth grade papers, show the need for helping pupils to use pronouns clearly: a. The goddess Earth forgot and struck the ground so hard that the floor of the sky was broken through which she fell. (No antecedent for which.) 302 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS b. His guides through the pathless forest were the children of his mother's sisters, they were his star cousins. (To what does they refer?) c. They had to endure many hardships, that is after their marriage they lived with the Indians with their squaws and were protected by them. (By whom?) d. The girl said that she and her sister would go with the woman if her mother would let them, but she refused. {She and her badly jumbled.) e. The Bushmen, who are proud of their boys often cut pieces out of his skin to make him look fine. (Jumbling of number forms.) Have pupils make the foregoing sentences clear. Gather other sentences like these, from their papers, wherein pronouns have not been clearly used, and make additional exercises in clearness. The ability to choose the proper form of the pronoun depends largely on a clear knowledge of case relation- ships, a study of which follows. Study 6. Case Forms of the Pronoun The lessons in case may be kept simple and clear by remembering two main points: I. There are only seven pronouns that have both nominative and accusative forms: a. I me d. we us , , , . e. they them b. he him r i i I. who whom c. she . her • g. Thou thee The last named is seldom used. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 303 2. Most of the difficulty met in using these forms comes in connection with a few type sentences. Among the worst of these are: a. It is I (we, he, she, they) (Predicate nominative). b. Mary and I went (Compound subject). c. We boys were there (Appositive subject). d. They are no better than we (ElHptical sentence). e. Whom did you see (tell, ask) (Interrogative). Perhaps eighty percent of the errors made in using case forms are made on these five types. The other mistakes in using pronouns come generally in such vulgarisms; as, He hurt hisself; That is hisn. Sometimes errors are made on more technical forms of the sentence; as, those- containing (i) The nominative absolute, and other independent expressions; (2) Thrown in expressions; (3) The subject of the gerund. For illustration : a. He being there, we could go. (Nominative absolute.) b. He! why he wouldn't do such a thing. (Independent by exclamation.) c. He is a man who, I think, can be trusted. (Thrown in expression.) d. His coming made no difference. (Subject of gerund.) These more technical case forms are taken up in suc- ceeding lessons under inflections. Let the attention be given here to the more common uses. Studies in sentence structure find definite apphca- tion in connection with case. It is essential that the pupils know clearly the relation of words and groups of words in order to give reasons for the case forms they choose. 304 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Here is an excellent opportunity for a searching review of the lessons in sentence building. Study 7. Relative Pronouns Several points of practical value grow out of this study : 1. A definite training is given in the proper use of the troublesome forms who, which and that. 2. The correct and effective use of descriptive and deter- minative clauses, with the proper punctuation of the descrip- tive clause is given. 3. Appositives, which are nothing more than descriptive clauses reduced to their lowest terms, are dealt with from the viewpoint of sentence conciseness. An essential thing in all of this work is to develop in the pupils a sense of subordination and modification. Facility in handling the relative pronoun with the clauses it introduces is rather rare. To cultivate that facility, and to train pupils in an effective use of apposi- tives, is to help greatly in overcoming the ''and" habit. Such training also makes for smoothness, clearness, and conciseness in sentence building. The best way to vitalize and clinch the points just suggested is to make exercises from sentences of the pupils' own composition. The following are several such typical exercises as may thus be made: I. Choosing the Right Relative Pronoun Study the relative pronouns used in the following sentences. Suggest any change that might be made, giv- ing reasons. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 305 1. In one corner was a trap door that led to an under- ground passage. 2. Education, that is necessary for all, will be gained. 3. The snow that covered the houses and the ground made it a very light day. 4. It was one of those days which make you feel sleepy. 5. We could see six firemen, which had climbed up the ladders. Besides training the pupils to use which and who in descriptive clauses, train them also to separate such clauses from the rest of the sentence by commas. 2. A Study in Conciseness Reduce the relative clauses in the following sentences to phrases or appositives : 1. The flowers, which bloomed along the wayside, looked brighter than ever. 2. There are houses outside, which were used for the soldiers while standing guard. 3. They built their home, which was a four-roomed cabin built of logs. 4. They looked across the plains which stretched far before them to the sunrise sky. 5. We trudged up the icy path, which led to school. 3. A Study in Subordination By using relative clauses, change the structure of the following sentences so as to eliminate the misused ands : 1. A truck was speeding down the street and it struck a roadster. 2. The automobile driver was backing his car out of the garage and he bumped into a man and knocked him down. 3o6 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 3. One candle was lighted very near a branch of the tree and it started the tree and toys blazing. 4. A woman happened to be crossing the street and she was knocked down by the runaway horses. 5. The Indians saw the fluffy cloud floating by and they thought it was the Great Spirit and that he had come to punish them. Have the pupils themselves make other exercises like these given, based on their own sentence structure. These may be copied into their correct-usage books for reference and review drills. Study 8. Verbs as Life-Giving Elements This study brings into the clear the most important phase of verb study. The verb gives life to language. Here is a conception of the verb that challenges interest and vitalizes the old cut-and-dried definition we have been wont to learn. The essential thing, first of all, is to make the pupils sense the truth of this assertion. Such studies as that given in Exercise 172 will be found helpful. Add to this poem study, the study of life-giving words found in news articles, in prose selections found elsewhere in the text. Another helpful exercise is to have the pupils change the life of a sentence by changing the verb. For example place this sentence on the board: The man walked along the street. Let the class suggest other words to take the place of walked; as, trudged, limped, marched, sauntered. What is the effect of the change? Studies of this sort will make clear the point at issue : the verb is the life-giving element in the sentence. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 307 Study 9. Predicative and Non-Predicative Verbs Not all verbs assert action or being. The pupil will soon discover this in his search for life-giving elements. It becomes necessary now to clear his mind on this point. This can be done only by a study of predicative and non-predicative verbs. The following explanation at the outset of this study proves most helpful. There are three ways by which action is expressed in the sentence: 1. By assertion; as, The soldiers marched rapidly. 2. By assumption; as, The soldiers, marching rapidly, overtook the enemy. 3. By suggestion; as, The soldiers made a forced march. In the first sentence marched is a predicative verb. In the second sentence, marching is a non-predicative verb. In the third sentence march is used as a noun; but the noun, coming from a verb, suggests the action. The essential point is that the Hfe of each and all of these sentences comes either directly or indirectly from the verb. By using such exercises as those found in Exercise 174 and the following additional ones, make this point clear and vital. By using forms of various verbs make sentences in which the action expressed by each verb is: (i) Asserted; (2) Assumed; (3) Suggested. For example: The parachute dropped slowly. 3o8 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS The parachute, dropping slowly, carried the aviator safely to the ground. The dropping of the parachute was slow. Use in like manner, each of the following verbs : call break blaze sail hunt work explode leap fall march Study 10. A New View of Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Exercise 175 drives home from a new viewpoint the essential difference between transitive and intransitive verbs. Non-predicative verbs are now brought into the classification. The exercise therefore serves the double purpose of clinching the points made in the lessons just given, and at the same time giving a vitaKzed review. Practical application of the lesson is found in the exercises on lie, lay; sit, set; rise, raise. With the foun- dation well laid by the studies of transitive and intransi- tive verbs, the pupil comes to these forms now with assurance. Proper drills should fix the lessons for him forever. Such drill forms as the following may be used to fbc the distinction between these transitive and intransitive forms, if desired. Have these copied in the pupils correct- usage books. Transitive Forms Active Passive He set the bucket down. The bucket was set down. They were setting the furni- The furniture was being set ture out. out. Have you set the alarm? Has the alarm been set? EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 309 Intransitive Active I sat there an hour. He is sitting under the tree. Passive We had sat talking two hours, I think. Study II. Practical Study of Non-Predicative Verbs What is the use of the participle and the infinitive in sentence building? Their practical value is made clear in Live Language Lessons. Participles and infinitives there are taught from the use viewpoint, these points being made plain : 1. The participle and the infinitive both help to make the sentence concise. 2. These elements are useful also in helping the writer or speaker to subordinate thoughts of minor importance. They offer an excellent cure for the ''and" habit. 3. Through the participle the sentence may be made more graceful; the infinitive adds strength to speech. Teachers should keep the foregoing points clear, and should drive them home by using such exercises as those given under 181, 182, 183. Enrich these and vitalize the work by using other sentences from pupils' papers, letters, and newspapers. I. A Study in Conciseness By using participial phrases shorten the following sentences : a. The strong wind, which was carrying clouds of dust, made it almost impossible for us to find our road. b. The sun, which was streaming through the morning mist, soon lifted it and cleared the scene. 3IO LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS c. A heavy freight train, which was rounding a curve in the canyon was derailed and leaped down the embankment into the river. Have pupils find in their own papers or those of their classmates other sentences which might be condensed and improved in this way. 2. Making Sentences Clear a. ''Climbing down the tree we saw the porcupine." What meaning was intended here? Change the sentence so as to bring out the meaning. b. Walking through the woods, a patch of fragrant violets greeted us. c. Making a noise like a bird the Indian scout was signalled by his companion. Have pupils correct sentences like those above and place the correct forms in their correct-usage books. Study 12. Adjectives in Use Three main things of practical worth will come from successful teaching of these vitalized lessons on adjec- tives : 1. An enriching of the vocabulary with pride in using choice, descriptive words. 2. A good working knowledge of the rule of agreement between limiting adjectives showing number and other number forms. 3. A keener sense of modification, with skill to use adjec- tives and adjectival phrases and clauses clearly and effec- tively. The essential thing in working for these results is to connect the lessons with everyday language practice. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 311 Two points should receive special attention, concise- ness and clearness. The tendency of amateurs is to use too many adjectives. Another common fault is the jumbhng of modifying elements. Do not discourage unduly the youthful enthusiasm shown in an extravagance of modifiers. Rather guide it tactfully. The overuse of adjectives will gradually disappear. Give much practice to help pupils in getting their modifiers in the right place. ''Want ads" give excellent exercise at this point. Much fun as well as good training may be easily provided from the newspapers. The classification of adjectives may be reduced to three terms, descriptive, limiting, articles, if desired. Definite attention should be given to the proper use of articles. The frequent use of a, an and the in language makes for their frequent misuse. A special effort should be made to correct the common fault kind of a, sort of a. Attention should be given to the misuse of a before vowels; as, a orange, a apple. For drill purposes have each pupil work out a tongue- training drill on the correct use of articles and place this drill in his correct-usage book. For example: This kind of horse. This kind of book. 1 That sort of apples. That kind of boy. An elephant. A turkey. An orange. A tomato. An eagle. A hundred. An hour. A humble man. The black and white cow. (One animal.) The black and the white cow. (Two animals.) 312 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS The secretary and treasurer. (One officer.) The secretary and the treasurer. (Two officers.) The effort constantly should be directed towards getting pupils to take such a proper pride in their speech as will promote xdgilant self-correction. Make the work practical. Study 13. Adverbs There are three main results of value to come from the vitalized study of the adverb: 1. The pupils should learn when the adverb adds; when it detracts. 2. The drills in using ''ly" forms of this part of speech, should be reinforced by study and further drill. 3. Facility in placing adverbs and adverbial phrases and clauses should be cultivated. The essential thing to keep clear, if the study of adverbs is to be made practical, is this : Adverbs some- times add to the effectiveness of the sentence; some- times they detract from its forcefulness. The main effect of the adverb is to give the sentence smoothness. If snap and vigor is needed, the vitalized verb will do the work better than a lifeless verb with an adverb. For illustration, take this sentence recently written by a news correspondent : *'Dawn barely had broken when the big ship loomed through the mist, crept past the lighthouse, and nosed its way up the channel into the harbor." How many verbs are used? Four. How many adverbs? One. EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 313 Suppose the writer had said, "Dawn barely had broken when the big ship rose slowly out of the mist, made its way carefully past the lighthouse and moved cautiously up the channel into the harbor." Such an overuse of adverbs kills the life of the sentence. The pupils should be trained in an intelligent working knowledge of this part of speech. Adjectives or Adverbs It is important also that the pupils be drilled in the proper choice of adjectives and adverbs. A frequently made mistake is the dropping of the "ly" in such sen- tences as, "Come quickly." "Step quietly." "It was surely a treat." "He did the work satisfactorily." Overcoming this fault means more than head teaching. It will require persistent ear and tongue training to fix the right habit. For additional drills make forms like the following. Choose the form you think proper, giving reasons : 1. It is (terribly, terrible) warm. 2. Rounding the curve (quick, quickly) the automobile ''turned turtle." 3. He crept (cautious, cautiously) up the hillside. 4. The soldiers charging (furious, furiously) surprised the Indians and captured them. . 5. Turning (sudden, suddenly) I saw the wolf on my trail. Have pupils watch carefully for sentences in which adjectives are misused for adverbs. These corrected should be copied in the correct-usage book. 314 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Adverbial Phrases and Clauses The sense of modification needs continual cultivating. To place the adverbial word groups where they say exactly what is meant is a skill that comes only from much well aimed practice. Use sentences • found in pupils' papers and in newspapers to reinforce this point. Study 14. Prepositions Two main faults are found in the use of this important part of speech : 1. Mischoice of the preposition. 2. Needless prepositions. The first fault is illustrated by the following sentences : He is not to home. It was divided between the three sons. He went after the cows. The dog jumped in the creek. The use of needless prepositions is found in such ex- pressions as, It was in back of the house. He jumped off from (or of) the box. Where are you going to? Where is he at? A careful study of the exact meaning of the different prepositions with positive drills to reinforce the meaning will do most to clear away the first named fault. The use of needless prepositions can best be overcome by positive drill exercises on correct sentences wherein such needless forms are likely to occur. Practical exercises to supplement those found in the book, may be readily made from the newspapers, from EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 315 the speech of the pupils and from their papers. Let the class help to gather these exercises and use them in socialized recitation. The finer distinctions in meaning conveyed by the various prepositions may not all be caught by the pupils of this grade but a beginning study in word accuracy may be made by using such exercises as follow. Tell what change takes place in these sentences as the prepo- sition is changed : I went to the house. I went after him. I went into the house. I went by him. We laughed at the man. A government of the people. We laughed with the man. A government by the people. I went for him. - A government for the people. Have the pupils find and keep in their correct-usage books sentences wherein prepositions are aptly used ; as, the closing sentence in The Gettysburg Speech. Study 15. Conjunctions One of the surest tests of clear thinking is to be found in the use of connectives. Words and groups of words must be properly tied together to hold the thought. It takes skill to make these language knots properly. A most common fault in using conjunctions is the coordinating fault. A majority of people have this " and" habit, which also includes the ''so" habit, ''then" habit, and any other habit of making language move in a "run on" "dead level" structure. Such habits may be best overcome by cultivating a surer sense of sub- ordination. 3i6 LIVE LANGUAG E LESSONS ^ The right use of subordinating conjunctions should be developed. A dictionary study of the most important of these, with definite practice in using them will bring results worth while. Do not expect too technical work with these words, but make a beginning in word accuracy by using such exercises as the following. Choose the conjunction you think proper, giving reasons : 1. Neither he (or, nor) I have been there. 2. I do not know (if, whether) I shall go. 3. It looks as (if, though) it will rain. 4. I did not do it (since, for, because) you objected. 5. I will not tell him (lest, unless) he promises to keep the information to himself. Correlative Conjunctions Especial attention should be given to correlative conjunctions. This means more than merely learning these connectives in pairs. It calls for a study in the balancing of one thought against another, comparing or contrasting two ideas. Study 16. Interjections The essential thing to be done regarding interjections is given clearly in the text. Overuse of this part of speech should be discouraged. Little else of practical value can be said about this last of the parts of speech. Summary and Reviews The minimal essentials covering the studies in Sen- tence Building and the Parts of Speech are given in EIGHTH GRADE LANGUAGE 317 concise form in Exercises 206 and 207. Make sure that these essentials are mastered. DIVISION THREE. INFLECTIONS EngHsh is not a highly inflected language. There are a few things, however, worth learning well about its inflections, and these should be learned thoroughly. The effort in Live Language Lessons is to find these essentials and to teach them well. The ''nutshefl presentation" of the subject at the outset should prove most helpful. It gives a concise view of the field and indicates the main problems to be met and mastered. The succeeding lessons also are brief, pointed, and clinched by definite drill. Taken as a whole, this practical study of inflections is a vitalized and systematic review study of The Tables of Correct Usage. Pupils who have had the previous lessons in the Live Language texts will come to this vital study of grammar well prepared to master it. It gives to them only a new view of the forms they have already met in various ways before. A Concluding Word The slogan of the Live Language Grammar may be expressed in two free and easy American expressions : *' Cut out and connect up." The whole effort in planning this course has been to eliminate the non-essentials and to vitalize every necessary principle and rule taught by connecting it with life. The lessons will bring right results if they are followed, not slavishly but rather faith- fully in a spirit of true understanding and appreciation. SECTION THREE PRACTICAL TALKS TO TEACHERS PRACTICAL TALKS TO TEACHERS THREE STEPS IN LANGUAGE Language teaching, in brief, involves . a threefold process — discovery^ development, drill. I. The Discovery Lesson The central purpose of the discovery lesson is to find what the pupil has in mind or what he can get that is worthy the attention of the class. Two things are essential to success in this opening lesson : 1. A suitable subject of real life appeal. 2. The proper stimulus to self-expression. In Live Language Lessons (see Composition Content Chart on page 8) the subjects are both vital and varied. In the live language plan, too, the natural method is followed to stimulate the pupil to express himself. For this purpose four main means are used: 1. Suggestive questions. 2. Personal experiences. 3. Stories and poems close to child life. 4. Suggestive topics. A study of any of the lessons given in the books will show clearly these various methods of approach. For further explanation see "Our Living Language" Chapter III, ''Leading the Learner to Express Himself." 321 322 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS More important than any of these excellent means, however, is the spirit of the teacher towards the work. Unfeigned interest in the pupil's effort is essential to success. The teacher should be a sympathetic auditor, giving watchful attention and intelligent direction to what the pupil is saying, and thus helping him to disclose his best thoughts and experiences. Here, too, is the explanation of the vitality of Live Language Lessons. They can never grow old, indeed, like the reproductive exercises in formalized texts. Each class renews the live language lesson by bringing to it new thoughts and experiences. No-Accident- Week To illustrate further: In a certain city recently a *' No- Accident- Week" was being observed. One of the teachers, turning this vital theme uppermost in the public mind to educative account, opened up in a sixth grade class a language project on ''The Cost of Care- lessness," connecting with the project found in Live Language Lessons, Second Book, ''Life in the City," Exercise 43. The pupils were led first to talk about and afterwards to write their experiences showing why it pays to be careful. The following titles of their little stories indicate the various worth-while incidents and thoughts brought out during this discovery lesson: Misplaced Toy Causes Taking Chances. Trouble. Cripple Killed through Care- A Cigar and Kerosene. lessness. THE DISCOVERY LESSON 323 Fatal Run Across Street. The Wrong Side of the Road. Careless Fireman Causes Fire. Turning Corners Carelessly. A Reckless Motorman. Collision through Careless- ness. Too Fast Motorcycle Riding. The No-Accident- Week Accident. ]\Iatches and Hay. Fatal Game in Street. A Thoughtless Boy. A Costly Cigarette. Killed Playing around Cars. The Cost of Speeding. Stealing Rides. Unhitched Horses. The Thanksgiving Dinner In a class of the fifth grade, the general subject chosen was ''The Thanksgiving Dinner." Here the purpose was to lead the pupils to give their first-hand experiences about the various articles of food that make up this feast. The following titles of little story explanations that were produced show how each pupil contributed something original to the class exercises : Raising Potatoes. The Strawberry Story. A Saucy Cranberry. The Apple Pie Story. The Turkey's Tale. Trout for Dinner. Story of the Currant. The Chicken's Story. Life of a Banana. A Sweet Potato Story. Pumpkin Pie. A Squash Story. The Gooseberry Tale. A Bunch of Grapes. How the Beans Grew. The Story of an Orange. Travel Talks In a class of the eighth grade, the general subject sketched was "Travel Talks." Each pupil was led to tell of one of the most interesting sights or experiences that had come to him during some trip he had taken. 324 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS The following are the various individual titles chosen for the talks that were developed during this exercise: In Geyser Land. Through Echo Canyon. At Niagara Falls. A Wyoming Ranch. The Washington Monument. In Strawberry Valley. The Statue of Liberty. At Saltair Beach. At Ocean Park, California. At Indian Camp. In the Wasatch Mountains Across the Nevada Desert. The Tower of Jewels. The Midway Hot Pots. A Mountain Resort. Liberty Park. Given any subject that touches closely real life inter- ests, practically every pupil may be led to say something worth while. These individual compositions will vary in value; but each will have the one essential quality that gives life and interest in expression, its individuality. A composition lesson can be alive only as it induces each of the members of the class to put something of his own life into the exercise. The success of the discovery lesson is predicated on two main things : 1. Selection of a language project that has a vital appeal to the class. 2. The right stimulus to bring out the best thoughts and experiences from each pupil. These two essentials are well provided for in Live Language Lessons. The Composition Content Chart given on page 8 shows the rich and varied selection of language projects offered in these books. The lessons follow the vital lines of real life expression and come within the liveliest interests of the pupil. THE DISCOVERY LESSON 325 Each grade is given its own part in the program. Working within the boundaries of its special course, every class will find a wealth of interesting work to do. The course should be followed in the main, as planned; good team work is dependent on each teacher's keeping within the field assigned to her class. The live language plan is both definite and flexible. It may be readily readjusted to provide for current topics of vital interest, w^hich are always demanding special consideration. Practically all of such subjects may be given place in the live language plan without upsetting the regular work. The " No- Accident-Week " lesson just sketched is a good example. Though this was seemingly an additional lesson, yet in reality it connected most fittingly with the exercise provided for the sixth grade in the Second Book, Exercise 45, ^'Safety First Rules for Boys and Girls." It might also have been blended with other exercises in other grades. In the Third Book, Exercise 105, for instance, under "Debates" is found this sub- ject: ''Resolved, that carelessness is the most costly of habits." Connect Language Work with Current Topics The point here to be emphasized is: Do not go out- side of the regular course for materials that are found within it. Connect current topic lessons with the course. More systematic and satisfactory work will be the result. Regarding the second essential: What means may best be used to lead the learner freely to reveal his best first-hand thoughts and experiences. Live Language 326 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Lessons offer the following ways to get this desired result: 1. Fetching questions, such as call not merely for matter- of-fact nor a ^'yes" or "no" answer; but rather bring forth the expression of real thoughts and experiences. 2. Suggestive topics, with a real Hfe appeal. 3. Personal experiences close to the life of the ordinary pupil. These offer possibly the best means of stimulating others to express themselves. 4. Stories and poems of real life interest. These are used not for imitation but for inspiration. Literature serves its best purpose in the language lesson when it stimulates self- expression from the pupils. None of these means, however, will bring forth the best results unless reinforced by true interest in the pupil's expression on the part of the teacher. To bring out the class successfully, the leader must be one with the pupils — a truly interested auditor, participating in their lives, stimulating and guiding them tactfully, and watching always to discover the best ideas or stories that these may be further developed and expressed for the good of others and for the training of the pupil himself. 2. Development Lessons Continuity of effort is essential to success. With a clear view of this principle in mind, Live Language Les- sons have been worked out, not as unrelated exercises but in orderly sequence. The various lessons within each general project are linked together. The opening, or discovery lesson, is followed naturally by development lessons, and these in turn are followed by exercises and drills aimed to fix right habits of speech. DEVELOPMENT LESSONS 327 Following the discovery of a worth-while thought or experience, naturally comes the developing of it. The development lessons may be few or many according to the nature of the project and the grade of the pupils. The discovery lesson should generally be an oral exercise. Development lessons may be oral or written, or both. They should be varied according to the varying natures of the subject and the changing abilities of the pupils. Generally speaking, they will deal with such phases of language training as vocabulary work, sentence and paragraph building, with whatever is necessary to make the expression more effective. Continuity with variety should characterize the development lessons. This means that they should move steadily towards the end of working out the project in hand, yet each lesson shall present a different phase of the work. Unless it does there could hardly be pro- gression and sustained interest in the exercises. To make this concrete, let us return to the ''No- Accident-Week" lesson already introduced. The follow- ing development lessons followed out in completing that project: 1. Written exercise during the study period immediately following the oral or discovery lesson. In this the pupils played the part of reporters writing up the accident they had observed. 2. Finding and bringing to class brief news stories in which similar accidents had been reported. Class study of these stories. 328 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 3. The study of sentence building based on the sentences found in the pupils' papers. Both faulty and well built sentences of the pupils' own composing were here used. 4. Finding expressive words. A study of the diction used by pupils, with an exercise in vocabulary building, was here used. 5. The making of safety-first rules for boys and girls. 6. A class program given before another grade in v/hich little ''No-Accident" talks were made, stories relating to carelessness read, and "Safety First Rules" given. 3. Cultivating Skill in Speech Drill exercises, aimed at cukivating skill to use properly the various forms of speech are of two kinds: 1. Corrective exercises, given as needed to overcome language faults that have been inherited or acquired. 2. Constructive drills, regularly given to teach the essential rules of language, and through positive drills, to fix these rules in practice. Neglect of either of these phases of speech training would mean a distinct loss to the learner. The corrective work is necessary to take care of his special needs as they are revealed in his oral and written expression. The constructive exercises, dealing with the common needs of the class, must also be given to round out the course and to make sure that none of the essential forms of language are missed. A systematic course of training, dealing with type trouble-makers and driving home fundamental rules, is likewise necessary to establish habits of correct usage in the pupils. CULTIVATING SKILL IN SPEECH 329 The following instance illustrates the point: At the beginning of the year, a certain teacher observed that her fifth grade pupils had the common fault of mis-enunciating words that end in ''ing." Some of them, for example, would say "nothink," ^'some- think," "everythink." Still others failed to give the sound represented by ''ing" with proper resonance. They had the habit of saying ''nothin','' ^'somethin', " *' every thin'." Here was need for a vitalized exercise in tongue training. The opportunity was taken. A motivated drill was given in this troublesome form of speech. Good tempo- rary results came from the work. Need for Continued Drill But this one exercise was not sufficient. It had to be followed with perhaps a dozen others all aimed at over- coming the same fault. A few of the pupils then began to show signs of having acquired the habit of enunciating rightly and with proper resonance words ending in "ing." Most of the class, however, continued to show need of help. It is likely that these drills will have to be con- tinued through several grades, and review exercises for all the pupils will be necessary to keep them from lapsing into -wrong habits. The foregoing illustration suggests the essential process in all speech training. Find the type trouble- makers and follow them until they are mastered, is a good rule to follow in this work. Only by such vitalized and persistent practice can the right language habits finally be fixed in tongue and fingers. 330 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Some concrete instances will serve to clinch this important point: Suppose, for example, the first grade teacher finds ''I seen it" common on the tongues of her pupils; the second grade teacher likewise frequently hears her pupils saying, ''I done it;" the third, "come yester- day;" the fourth, "I rung the bell." Each of these teachers, through appropriate drill exercises, is working against each of these special errors. All are working to the common end of training the pupils in the habit of using properly the principal parts of the verb. Suppose again, that the pupils in one of the primary grades have the habit of saying "You was going;" or that the intermediate grade pupils make such a mistake as "We was going;" that the pupils in the grammar grades are given to saying, "There goes the boys." The drills necessary to take care of each of these separate faults would all serve the one common purpose of train- ing pupils in the habit of using the right number forms of the verbs. Each lesson is but a Hnk in a chain of lessons leading to the fixing of some desirable language habit. Each lesson, in other words, should be taught, not alone for its immediate result, but to help in reaching the larger objective. This means that all teachers must, to get the best results, see clearly what are the language habits essential to language skill. Fortunately there are not a great many vital ones to be developed. So far as training the tongue and the CULTIVATING SKILL IN SPEECH 331 fingers is concerned the following list comprises prac- tically all those of prime importance: 1. The habit of speaking in clear carrying tones. Here is a call for drills for right resonance, proper posture, and right breathing. 2. The habit of opening the mouth. Exercises to over- come *'jaw laziness" reflected by ''jist," ''kin," "git," ''ur," "wuz," "feller," "winder," "guvermunt," and other slovenly forms, are especially needed here. 3. The habit of speaking the words ''trippingly on the tongue." Drills on words like particularly, geography, arithmetic, to overcome the tendency to slight certain syllables, and on words like swept, wept, kept, to bring up the endings, and three, throw, thick, this, that, to overcome tongue tightness, are helpful in correcting these common faults. 4. The habit of speaking without halting and stuttering. Special individual work may here be necessary to overcome individual speech defects. There is also general need for training pupils away from the distressful habit of filling pauses in their talk with "unds," "ure," "u's," and other non-essential sounds. 5. The habit of speUing correctly. Drills here should be aimed at training the fingers to spell. Exercises in enuncia- tion and pronunciation will prove helpful practice to rein- force spelKng. Words taken from the pupils' papers and notebooks should be constantly used to vitalize the work. 6. The habit of punctuating and paragraphing properly. Intelligent practice is essential here. A rule in punctuation will be followed in practice only when its inner meaning is felt. So with paragraphing. More than mere memory work and mechanical drills is necessarv to fix this habit. 332 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS 7. The habit of using the correct forms of the various parts of speech. This general habit, covering correct usage as applied to grammatical forms, may be divided for convenience into the following sub-habits: a. Using the right number forms. b. Using correctly the principal parts of speech. c. Choosing the right case forms. d. Using prepositions and conjunctions with care. e. Using intransitive verb forms correctly. f. Choosing adjectives and adverbs rightly. g. Avoiding double negatives and the use of needless words, like "aint," ''hadn't ought," "John he," ''have got," "this here" and many other "undesirables." h. Displacing such barbarisms as, bust, dumb, hisn, his- self, and other like slovenly expressions with correct speech. 8. The habit of choosing words and expressions that are both clean and alive. To cultivate this habit is to make a positive fight against the prevalent habit of using slang. This fight can be won only by the building of choice, Hve vocabu- laries. The foregoing need sounds a clear call for concerted effort on the part of the teacher. The right results in language training can be achieved only as the teachers and pupils work together. Two things in one are essential here: A good working plan of action and a series of practical lessons and drills necessary to carry out the plan. Given these, teachers can cooperate effectively in cultivating language skill. Live Language Lessons have been created with clear recognition of this vital need. They provide a well- motivated course in language expression, which offers opportunity first, to discover the real language needs of PUNCTUATION AND CAPITALIZATION SS3 the pupil; and second, to train his tongue and fingers in right language habits. Both the corrective and the constructive types of work are provided for in the live language plan. Each composition project, by opening the way for natural expression, brings out the real language of the learner, which may be corrected as occasion requires. With each project also, vitalized exercises on the type trouble- makers in speech and writing are systematically given. These drill exercises follow four main hnes: (i) Vocabulary Building; (2) Grammar; (3) Enunciation and Pronunciation; (4) Punctuation. The various lines of work are followed throughout the grades, with lessons adapted to the growth of the learner. They are tied together with reviews and clinched by practical applica- tion. The following charts give in outline the Live Language Progressive Drill plan. GRADED CHART OF PUNCTUATION AND CAPITALIZATION Grade Rules of Punctuation Rules of Capitalization Third Closing sentence with Beginning of sentences period. Pronoun I. Use of question mark. Own name and names of parents and others. Fourth Period with abbreviations. Beginning lines of Comma in series. verse. Comma, direct address. Days and months. Apostrophe in contractions. Persons and places. Titles before names. Initials. 334 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS Grade Rules of Punctuation Rules of Capitalization Fifth Quotation marks. Beginning direct quo- Comma before quotations. tation. Exclamation point. Names of Deity. Dash with broken words. Main words in titles. Writing of dates. Sixth Genitive case forms. Review of work of Summary and review drills previous grades. on all other marks previously given. Seventh Review study of various Review of capitaHza- marks of punctuation tion with especial according to the charac- emphasis on applica- teristic of each. tion in letter writing. Review drills Special study of semi- colon, colon, dash, paren- thesis, and single quota- tion marks. Eighth Complete review of all rules with special drill on those needing attention. In each grade all rules for punctuation and capitah- zation given in preceding grades are completely reviewed. Points to remember: (i) The foregoing outline should be taken only as a suggestive outline. Punctuation marks should be taught as need arises; (2) Punctuation practice should be connected closely with the pupil's composition work; (3) Drills should be continued on each rule till the habit of using the mark is fixed in the fingers. ENUNCIATION EXERCISE CHART 335 A reading knowledge of punctuation marks will of necessity be developed before a writing knowledge. The pupil will understand the meaning of the various marks long before he is held to their application in composition. LIVE LANGUAGE ENUNCIATION EXERCISE CHART I. Type Exercises to develop the flexible jaw just was horse children can what corn hundred get cause born pumpkin catch potato form chimney for tomato oil grandpa from fellow toil grandma or mellow boil office and yellow spoil handkerchief II. Type Exercises to Cultivate Proper Resonance singing something moon studying ringing everything soon carrying reading nothing olden hurrying writing anything golden marrying III. Type Exercises for Tongue Training throw swept grocery particularly three wept history especially think crept geography length this swiftly celery breadth those quietly library width IV. Type Exercises to Train the Lips while sleep sleeve sphere which lift line specific when shp rush Pacific whistle leap please pacifist 336 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS V. Type Exercises to Overcome the "Hurry Habit" Don't you Is he going? That will do Should have Can't you I don't know Those will do Might have Let me Quicker than Let him go Would you Give me Better than Let her go Could you LIVE LANGUAGE PLAN FOR DRILL EXERCISES IN CORRECT USAGE I. Verbs often Misused Third Grade Fourth Grade Fifth Grade see run blow ring lie speak do take fly drink sit drive come throw grow sing rise ride eat give know begin buy bite go bring write spring chmb choose freeze fall shake break II. Expressions Wherein Errors in Number often Occur The men are We were Were you They were Weren't you Weren't they Doesn't she Here are two There are three There go the boys Here come the men Where are the girls Tom and Ned have come He and I were there Expressions Wherein Wrong Forms of the Pronoun often Occur We boys are going That is ours This is hers (his) It was theirs Those are yours III. It's I (he, she, we) I hurt myself He cut himself She bit herself Whom did you tell (ask, invite, see) He and I went It was John and I DRILL EXERCISES IN CORRECT USAGE 337 IV. Expressions Wherein Adjectives or Adverbs are often Misused An apple, an egg Most beautiful Best of two This is worse I was surely tired Speak slowly Walk quietly V. Expressions Showing Errors in Use of Prepositions and Conjunctions ''off of" (from) ''not to home" "going to" "fell in" "betw^een three" "back of" (behind) " could of done it" "I hve in Harney Street" VI. Miscellaneous Trouble-makers have got" can I go"? "aint," "haint," "taint" "them things" "let me be" "this here"; "that there" ''the man he" "hadn't ought" LIVE LANGUAGE PLANS FOR DRILL EXERCISES IN CORRECT USAGE I. Verbs often Misused Sixth Grade Seventh Grade Eighth Grade swim tear learn teach beat hide drag wear love hke become lend draw bear mend fix bid tread steal swear stop stay dare stride burst catch drive ride flee weave let leave forget hang 33^ LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS II. Expressions Wherein Errors in Number often Occur Each has his Every one had his That horse steps proudly Those horses step proudly When have those How do the soldiers What are two names Ten dollars is enough It weighs ten pounds Either Tom or Ned is Music of the birds was Audience was The news was Memoranda were III. Expressions Wherein Wrong Forms of the Pronoun No better than I As good as they Between you and me For (to) her and him are often Used Review all trouble- some forms previ- ously given I did it myself They hurt them- selves Who do you think came No one but him His coming was IV. Expressions Wherein Adjectives or Adverbs are often Misused He talks well He was angry (mad) I'm somewhat better Fewer than usual came A healthful cHmate Almost done Most beautiful More swiftly Tastes bitter Acted strangely V. Expressions Wherein Errors in Use of Conjunctions and Different from Need of money Prepositions often Occur Unless you go He sat beside us Seems as if I No one besides us Neither he nor I Take it from him Man that we saw THE SEAT WORK PROBLEM 339 VI. Miscellaneous Incorrect Expressions to be Overcome ''Kind of a" "Double nega- tives" "I'll learn you" "He asked if he could" "I laid (set) down" "He raised up" "Either of three" Will you be home" "I will be ten Fri- day" "If I was you" "I only had a dime" 1. The foregoing drill exercise charts are intended only as guide lines by which the essential drill exercises may be checked up occasionally. They are not a course of study. The enriched course which includes these drills will be found in Live Language Lessons. 2. Only the types of error found over the whole country are included in the foregoing charts. Such localisms and foreign^ expressions as ''What be yous doin'"? "Powerful smart," 'Xome and go with," *'I reckon he done it," ''Me hat," "He done it aready," must be dealt with by each school wherein these special errors of speech arise. 3. All drills on forms of speech should be connected as closely with the pupil's real language needs as possible. The drills also should be made secondary to the main purpose of language work — the expression of real thought and feeling. SOLVING THE "SEAT WORK" PROBLEM What shall be done to keep pupils profitably employed during the study periods, is a troublesome question with all teachers. The question assumes its most difi&cult form when linked with the rural or ungraded school. 340 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS A satisfactory solution of the problem can be found only through: 1. Finding worth-while seat work for the pupils. 2. Making the seat work Hnk with the recitation. 3. Getting the ''interest push" in the work to come from the pupil. Seat work is worth while only as it leads towards the central purpose of the lesson. A mere assignment of scrappy, unrelated work given to keep pupils busy is next to valueless. The work should be such as will reinforce the lesson just recited or lead into the next to be given. Continuity is essential to successful seat work. How long the pupil may be kept interested in doing a certain type of study will depend on the age and the nature of the pupil. Each lesson, however, should lead to a follow- up lesson till the central object of the study is reached. Variety within the continuity is also essential. Monot- ony kills the spirit necessary to keep the interest alive and growing. The problem is, how to reHeve the grind by changing the exercise and yet keep the work moving steadily towards the goal. Real motivation is the key that will solve all these problems. Given work that has a natural interest for him individually, the pupil can be led to give his best to the effort. So far as language work goes there are several types of seat work that offer natural motivation. Among them are the following: I. Making language booklets. THE SEAT WORK PROBLEM 341 2. Real letter writing. 3. Blank-filling exercises for vocabulary building. 4. Reading stories to tell and to play. 5. Correct-usage exercises. 6. Sentence and paragraph studies. 7. Spelling games and drills. 8. Illustrative work in form of drawing, cutting and picture mounting. The Language Booklet may be worked out either by the class or by individual pupils. In the primary grades the composite, or class booklets are best for most of the work. If the pupils, for example, are working on birds, let each contribute one or two stories for the class book. Perhaps, later, as suggested in the closing months of the third grade, each pupil may work out a playtime booklet for himself. In the intermediate grades, the individual booklets may be increased. Occasionally, however, the class booklet should be produced. The essential point is: Do not overdo any one type of exercise. The booklet is less likely, however, to grow tiresome, since it combines many things in one. Composition, illustrations, games, letters, and other forms of expression may be brought within it. In the grammar, or junior high school grades, greater individuality should characterize the work. Here the pupils may carry forward various language projects largely on their own initiative. Among the various things they may do are these: (i) Create a book of tales; (2) Gather local history stories; (3) Make a scenic sketch book; (4) Write biographies or an autobiography; (5) Create newspapers; (6) Develop an industrial book- 342 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS let; (7) Make a booklet of verse original or collected; (8) Create a series of real travel tales; (9) Make a recreation booklet. A great many interesting forms of expression, offering an inviting opportunity for original self-expression, are possible in the junior high school grades. Solving the seat work problem is mainly a question of stimulating in the pupil an individual interest in express- ing himself along worth-while lines that link with the lessons at hand. LIVE LANGUAGE COMBINATION STUDY PLAN SUGGESTED ESPECLAXLY FOR RURAL SCHOOLS The multiplicity of grades, and subjects to teach in most rural schools makes economy of time and teaching effort imperative. In many of these schools also there are too few pupils in each class to give a social stimulus to the work. The composition lesson calls naturally for an audience. The providing of this audience and at the same time the cutting down of the number of classes, is made possible by the Live Language Combination Plan. By bringing two classes together, or even more if absolutely necessary, the composition side of the work can be given during the recitation conjointly. The drill exercises and individual work can be carried on during the study period. The following outline reveals a systematic plan showing how the various studies may be brought into combination: Third and Fourth Grades: J Ave Language Lessons, First Book J I Summer Stories ,-j-j. ( Little Laborers II Fun in the Country [ Home Helpers I Autumn Time [ Autumn Gifts 343 344 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS IV 1 VI VII Indian Stories and Thanksgiving Hallowe'en Stories Santa Stories Christmastide Snowflake Fun Snow Sports Fireside Story Hour Around the Fireside VIII IX X Stories for Little Americans Little Folk of Other Lands Springtime Stories Spring in Song and Story Plays and Playmates Maytime Fifth and Sixth Grades : Live Language Lessons, Second Book I II III IV V Vacation Stories Streamsideand Seashore The World's Workers Fairs and Festivals Thanksgiving Stories of Industry Christmas Stories and Songs Recreation Schooldays and School- mates Life in the City Brave Boys and Girls VI \ Stories of Our Coun- I try f Our Animal Friends Wild Animal Life VIII IX X Spring Work and Spring Sports Bird Life Orchard and Wild- wood General Review Ex- ercises Beginnings in Gram- mar Seventh and Eighth Grades : Live Language Lessons, Third Book For Regular Work Stories and Story Telling, (pp. I to 32) For Supplemental Studies Writing Stories. (pp. 195 to 200) COMBINATION PLAN FOR RURAL SCHOOLS 345 Local History Stories. (pp. s8 to 45) Homes and Home-making. (pp. 107 to 133) The Newspaper. (pp. 175 to 189) Travelers' Sketch Books. (pp. 201 to 207) The Poet and His Art. (pp. 151 to 174) History of Home Town. (pp. 45 to 51) A State Day Edition. (pp. 191 to 194) Debates. (p. 19 Addresses. (pp. 217 to 222) Sketch Books. (pp. 52 to 66) Recreation. (pp. 208 to 215) The supplemental studies suggested should be given only in case there is ample time for them. In the six studies suggested for regular work will be found com- position work — oral and written--*enough to fill half a year. During the other half of the time the class should probably be divided to study the more formal side of the work each grade studying separately as follows: Seventh Grade 1. Paragraph Studies. (PP- 33 to 37) 2. Study of the Sentence. (pp. 67 to 106) 3. Word Studies and Correct- Usage Drills, (pp. 134 to 149) 4. Enunciation Practice. (pp. 160 to 163) Eighth Grade 1. Sentence Structure. (pp. 223 to 276) 2. Parts of Speech. (pp. 277 to 368) 3. Inflections. (pp. 369 to 418) 346 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS The minimum course only can be covered well during so brief a time. For this minimum it is suggested that the following lessons be omitted : 1. From the seventh grade work: Exercises 17, 49, 57, 58, 92, 94, 96. 2. From the eighth grade work: Exercises 140 to 149 inclusive, 165 to 170 inclusive, and Exercises 187, 188, 189, 194, 226, 230, 235. Live Language Uniform Program for Year Suggested Especially for Rural Schools The season arrangement of the Live Language studies in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades makes possible a concerted plan of action covering the school year. Subjects may be taken up during the time when the interest is naturally created for them. By such a plan the work of the school may be effectively cor- related with economy of time and effort, and the various classes, in graded schools especially, be kept working in unison. The following outHne to guide this work is given only as suggestive. It will bring richest results by being followed, not slavishly, but somewhat faithfully. Approximately three weeks may well be given to each general study in composition and the tongue training and finger practice accompanying each of these studies in oral and written expression. UNIFORM STUDY OUTLINE 347 UNIFORM STUDY OUTLINE FOR LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS COVERING THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIXTH GRADE WORK Group Third Grade Fourth Grade Fifth Grade Sixth Grade I Summer Stories Fun in Country Play for Young Workers (i) Summer Sports II Little Laborers Home Helpers World's Workers Stories of Industry III Indian Sum- mer Hallowe'en Time Indian Life Fairs and IV Thanksgiving Time Autumn Gifts Thanksgiving Festivals V Santa Stories Christmas- tide Christmas Stories Entertain- ments VI Snowfiake Fun Snow Sports Outdoor Sports (2) School Days VII Fireside Stories Around the Fireside Animal Friends Wild Ani- mal Stories VIII Little Ameri- cans Little Folk of Other Lands Brave Boys and Girls Stories of our Country IX Springtime Spring Songs and Stories Spring Work and Play (3) Life in the City X Playmates and Pets May Flowers Bird Life Orchard and Wild- wood (i) Taken from Exercise 7. 348 LIVE LANGUAGE LESSONS (2) The study "Spring Sports" on page 124, may be readily adapt- ed for the winter time. (3) Chapter on "Springtime Fun" is added to "Spring Work" here. The foregoing uniform plan has several things to commend it: 1. It offers opportunity for the school to follow the waves of interest brought by the various hohdays and seasons. 2. It gives each grade a content of its own, but offers also a chance for team work. 3. An opportunity for correlation of language hterature, art and music is in the plan. A FINAL WORD The aim kept foremost in producing this manual has been to give teachers such practical suggestions and directions as will best help them to help themselves. To get the desired results the teacher must inspirit and enrich these suggestions. This done, the language lessons cannot fail of being not only alive, but joyful and efficient.