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 MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION 
 
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
 
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 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
THE 
 
 RATIONAL METHOD IN READING 
 
 AN ORIGINAL PRESENTATION OF SIGHT AND SOUND WORK 
 
 THAT LEADS RAPIDLY TO INDEPENDENT AND 
 
 INTELLIGENT READING 
 
 BY 
 
 EDWARD Gk WARD 
 
 Associate Superintendent of Public Instruction, Brooklyn, N.T. 
 
 flDanual of Instruction _ ' 
 
 FOR THE USE OF TEACHERS 
 
 ~wi7~Z< 
 
 SILVER, BURDETT & COMPANY 
 
 New York BOSTON Chicago 
 
 1894 
 
* — * 
 
 THE 
 
 RATIONAL HETHOD IN READING. 
 
 FIRST BOOK, Part I. — Reading by the Word Method. 
 FIRST BOOK, Part II. — Sight and Phonetic Reading Com- 
 bined. 
 FIRST BOOK, Complete. — Parts I. and II. Combined. 
 Manual of Instruction for Teachers. 
 Phonetic Cards, First Set. 
 
 PHONETIC CARDS, Second Set. {In Press.) 
 Other volumes in preparation. 
 
 -* 
 
 
 **■**— 
 
 Copyright, 1894, by Silver, Burdett & Company. 
 
 )^<S^c 
 
 NorfajooU ^Prrss : 
 
 J. S. Cushing & Co. — Berwick & Smith. 
 
 Boston, Mass., U.S.A. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The method of teaching reading embodied in this book is an outgrowth of the 
 author's profound dissatisfaction with the results of the word method. 
 
 The latter method, while it possesses the undisputed merit of leading to facility 
 in thought gathering during the first stage of the work, proves slow and cumbrous 
 afterward, fails to excite the child to effort, furnishes him with but a scanty vocabu- 
 lary, and finally sends him out of school unprovided with a key by means of which, 
 without further assistance, he may gain access to the treasures of the language. 
 
 The Rational Method is a peculiar combination of the word and phonetic 
 methods. It utilizes each for that part of the work to which it is especially adapted. 
 The word method is used, first as principal, because of its value in developing a 
 habit of reading thoughtfully, and afterward as auxiliary, to remedy the short- 
 comings of the phonetic method, and increase the stock of word phonograms. The 
 phonetic method, which is introduced by easy stages during the ascendency of the 
 word method, finally becomes the principal means of growth and progress. It im- 
 parts power, while it supplies the key which the word method is inadequate to give. 
 
 The aims of the Rational Method are : — 
 
 1. To make the child not only independent in his reading, but generally self- 
 reliant. 
 
 2. To enable him to read a vastly greater amount than heretofore in a given 
 time, and thus acquire not only a fuller vocabulary, but greater maturity of mind. 
 
 3. To put him into possession during the first year or year and a half of school 
 life, of a complete key to the language, so that, no matter how soon thereafter his 
 schooling may cease, his ability to read will be assured. 
 
 The following are the leading features of the phonetic part of the work : — 
 i. The presentation of the sounds and their symbols (phonograms) in a rational 
 order ; that is, an order in which the easier precede the harder. The easiest sounds 
 to use in phonetic reading are those that may be indefinitely prolonged, and the 
 blending of which in words may therefore be most readily shown and perceived. 
 These sounds, the Rational Method deals with first. 
 
 3 
 
4 PREFACE. 
 
 2. The teaching of an Initial Stock of phonograms before any phonetic reading 
 is done. This makes provision whereby, when such reading has once been com- 
 menced, it may be carried on continuously and with sufficient wealth and variety of 
 
 material. 
 
 3. The training of the ear in the perception of phonetic blends, before phonetic 
 reading is begun. The teacher accomplishes this by pronouncing words sound by 
 sound, and requiring the children to determine, in each case, the word so pronounced. 
 
 4. An extensive and systematic use of word-phonograms and other compound 
 phonograms. The difficulty the child experiences in determining a new word, is, in 
 general, directly proportional to the number of parts he has to recognize in it. By 
 the use, then, of compound phonograms, which, being taught as wholes, are no 
 harder to recognize than simple one's, hundreds of long and hard words are practi- 
 cally transformed into short and easy ones. Thus, the word lightning, which the 
 child learning by this method reads, I ight n ing, he finds no more difficult than the 
 short word left, in which also he has to recognize and put together four separate 
 sounds. 
 
 5. A careful grading of the phonetic words introduced. The first phonetic 
 words presented contain but two phonograms each, the next but three, and so on. 
 
 6. The gradual introduction of phonetic words into the sentence reading. At 
 first but one such word is used to a sentence. This prevents the phonetic work 
 from offering any serious impediment to the thought getting. As the child's percep- 
 tion of the blend becomes quicker and clearer, the proportion of phonetic words is 
 constantly increased. Finally, when this perception has become automatic, or nearly 
 so, the reading is made almost wholly phonetic. 
 
 7. Separate daily drills in the recognition of the individual phonograms and 
 the reading of single phonetic words. The purpose of these is to cultivate expert- 
 ness. No other part of the work exceeds them in importance ; as without them, the 
 average child would never acquire sufficient facility in sound or word recognition, 
 to make successful phonetic reading a possibility. 
 
 Those who undertake this method will need : — 
 
 1. To follow implicitly the directions laid down in the Manual. 
 
 2. To do their work with great thoroughness. 
 
 3. To hold expectation in check for awhile, and exercise patience, — looking for 
 brilliant results only after the foundations have been laid broad and deep. In the 
 numerous schools that have already attracted public attention by their wonderful 
 success with this method, more ground has invariably been covered during the last 
 five weeks of the first term than during the preceding fifteen. 
 
 E. G. W. 
 
 Brooklyn, N.Y., June 1, 1894. 
 
MANUAL OF INSTEUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 
 
 EXPLANATION OF TERMS EMPLOYED. 
 
 Phonogram. A written or printed representation of a sound, either simple 
 or compound. 
 
 Examples: f, S, 1, illg, ight. 
 
 Sight word. A word that has been taught as a whole, and is therefore 
 recognized by sight alone. 
 
 Phonetic word. A word to be read by means of its phonograms. 
 
 Sight reading. The reading of sight words either singly or in sentences. 
 
 Phonetic reading. The reading of phonetic words either singly or in sen- 
 tences. 
 
 Simple phonogram. A phonogram containing but one letter. 
 
 Examples : S, 1, 6. 
 
 (Excepting I, which represents a union of the sounds of a, and e, the 
 simple phonograms stand for one sound each.) 
 
 Compound phonogram. A phonogram containing more than one letter. 
 
 Examples: ing, ight, ip, Ull, lieSS. 
 
 (Every compound phonogram represents a compound sound, which, how- 
 ever, is taught as a unit.) 
 
 Word phonogram. A sight word used as a phonogram in the representation 
 of a longer word. 
 
 Examples: old in f old , ail in sail, an in man. 
 
 5 
 
THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 (Word phonograms are really, of course, compound phonograms, but, 
 for the sake of convenience, the term " compound phonogram " is restricted 
 to combinations that are not words.) 
 
 Blend. The union or combination of sounds, simple, compound, or both, to 
 form words. 
 
 I. 
 
 FIRST HALF-YEAR'S WORK. — FIRST STAGE. 
 
 (TIME, ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS.*) 
 
 SIGHT-READING FROM THE BLACKBOARD AND PREPARATION FOR 
 
 PHONETIC READING. 
 
 Three lines of work are to be separately practiced every day : — 
 
 1. Sight-reading. 
 
 2. Drill on Phonograms. 
 
 3. Ear-training. 
 
 1. The Sight-reading. 
 
 Commence with the blackboard, using script characters only, and teach 
 the following list of sight-words comprising the full vocabulary for Part I. 
 (Primer) of the First Book : — 
 
 a, ail, all, am, an, and, any, apple, are, at, boy, bread, can, come, cow, 
 do, does, dog, drink, eat, egg, for, fruit, full, girl, give, go, good, has, 
 have, he, her, here, him, I, ill, in, is, it, Jack, let, like, look, make, 
 me, milk, much, no, not, of, old, out, play, see, shall, she, some, take, 
 tell, that, the, them, there, they, to, too, us, want, water, we, well, 
 what, where, will, with, yes, you. 
 
 * In Brooklyn, some teachers accomplish this stage of the work in six weeks, while a few 
 require as much as ten weeks. 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 7 
 
 Use the words in sentences from the very beginning. Construct your 
 own sentences and make plenty of them, but make them very short. As far 
 as possible, work them up in conversation or story style, several in succes- 
 sion relating to one topic. Do not use the sentences found in the book ; and, 
 the better to avoid doing so, work up the words in a somewhat different 
 order from that in which they are presented in the book. 
 
 Never let a single scholar read a sentence until he is ready to do so 
 without a break. At the very first symptom of hesitation or a halt, stop 
 the pupil, and tell him he must not read until he has his sentence all ready. 
 While he is getting it ready, he must have the privilege of asking (by num- 
 ber is the best way) for any word that he does not know. This mode of 
 procedure, involving, as it does, constant waiting, seems to the inexperienced 
 teacher most wasteful of time ; but those whose experience is riper, well 
 know that the facility it brings toward the latter part of the term makes up 
 many times over for the time apparently lost at the beginning. Do not fall 
 into the common error when the children show a disposition to hesitate, of 
 telling them to hurry. You do not wish them to hurry ; you simply wish 
 them to read in a natural manner without breaks. 
 
 As to expression : — When a child reads without expression, draw it from 
 him if possible, by questions or remarks on the subject-matter of the sen- 
 tence. Failing in this, read the sentence properly for him, and require him 
 to read it after you. The statement of the theorists that if the child recog- 
 nizes the words readily, the expression will take care of itself, is arrant non- 
 sense, as every practical teacher of little ones knows. With a class that is 
 particularly unresponsive in this matter, it is often a good thing in the 
 models you set, to exaggerate somewhat in both emphasis and inflection. 
 
 The scholars should be taught to recognize the s and ing forms of the 
 words just as they do the simpler forms. This recognition may be easily 
 brought about in the following manner : — 
 
 When half-a-dozen singular nouns and three or four simple verbs have 
 been learned, write any convenient one of said words on the blackboard, and 
 have the pupils tell what it is. Then add to it an s, and tell them what it 
 now is. Next write another of the words, have it read as before, and add 
 the s ; but now, instead of telling the scholars what the word has become, 
 ask them to tell you. Continue this process until they distinguish without 
 
8 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 difficulty between the simple and the s form of every familiar word. Then 
 teach them in the same manner to recognize the form that ends in ing and 
 afterward the one that ends in ings. 
 
 Avoid until near the end of the work words like goes, making, etc., in 
 which the change to the s or ing form involves the addition or the elision 
 of an e. 
 
 2. The Drill on Phonograms. 
 
 This is a preparation for phonetic reading. To be effective, it must be 
 thorough. The material used is the Initial Stock of phonograms, compris- 
 ing those employed in the first phonetic reading, which are /, I, m, n, r, s, — 
 a, e, o, — ing, ings, ight, and ights. That the preparation for the phonetic 
 reading may be adequate, the drill on this stock must begin when the first 
 blackboard work begins and continue without intermission until Part. I. of 
 the book has been read. 
 
 The following method is recommended : — 
 
 Begin with /. Write it on the blackboard, and tell the children what it 
 is. Give sound, not name. (No letter names are to be taught during the 
 first half-year.) Have them practice it a little while, then leave it. Many 
 times during the day, ask them unexpectedly what it is. Next day teach I 
 in the same manner. Now for two or three days, keep both characters on the 
 board, changing their relative positions from time to time, or writing a num- 
 ber of each and mixing them irregularly, and have frequent short drills on 
 them. Next teach m in the same manner, and drill similarly for a day or 
 two on all three. Continue in this way until you have taught from four to 
 six of the phonograms, and thereafter use Set I. of the phonetic cards (script 
 side only) for your drills, instead of the blackboard. 
 
 In using the cards, proceed as follows : — 
 
 Stand in one of the front corners of the room where every member of the 
 class can see distinctly, holding in your hand the cards for all the phono- 
 grams thus far learned. Taking the scholars in order, show each a phono- 
 gram. If he does not name it instantly (interpret this word literally), call 
 out tell, and have the others prompt him. This will cause every child to 
 study every phonogram, and will greatly increase the effectiveness of the 
 drill. If the proper rate of speed is maintained, you will "go round" a 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 9 
 
 class of fifty in two or three minutes. It will be sufficient to do this twice 
 each day. At first most of the scholars will miss. Pay no attention to this. 
 Above all, find no fault with it. In a few days you will note a decided 
 improvement. Finally, most of the scholars will be able to name any of 
 the single phonograms without the slightest hesitation. This is what they 
 must be able to do before they can read by means of these characters. Aside 
 from this, the ability to concentrate their attention quickly, which this simple 
 exercise, persevered in, will ultimately give your pupils, will be of great 
 value both to you and to them in more than one direction. 
 
 Three cautions are necessary to complete this part of the subject : First, 
 Never attempt to teach a phonogram until you are absolutely sure that you 
 know how to pronounce it yourself. (Directions for the pronunciation of 
 the more difficult phonograms in the Initial Stock will be found over Pho- 
 netic List No. 1.) Second, Never teach a new phonogram until all those 
 previously presented have been thoroughly learned. Third, Never accept 
 from your scholars anything but the exact pronunciation of any phonogram. 
 
 3. The Ear-training. 
 
 This, like the teaching of the phonograms, is a preparation for phonetic 
 reading. Like the latter, also, it should begin at the very commencement of 
 the term and be practiced daily. With brisk work, five minutes a day should 
 suffice for it. 
 
 Conduct the exercise as follows : — 
 
 Tell a little story introducing every here and there a word from Phonetic 
 List No. 1. Give the phonetic words by their sounds, not as wholes, uttering 
 the successive sounds rapidly but separately, thus : — 
 
 fold, nail, sajf, so, etc. 
 
 Let the scholars, in every case, tell the word as soon as you have thus pro- 
 nounced it. Whenever they fail to recognize the word, repeat it for them, 
 this time running the sounds together, but greatly prolonging every sound 
 except the last, so that it may be distinctly heard. As a matter of economy, 
 you may, whenever your scholars are sufficiently interested to justify you 
 in so doing, dispense with the story -work in this exercise and use the single 
 phonetic words only. 
 
10 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 II. 
 
 FIRST HALF-YEAR'S WORK. — SECOND STAGE. 
 
 (TIME, ABOUT THREE WEEKS.) 
 
 SIGHT READING FROM THE FIRST BOOK, PART I., AND FURTHER 
 PREPARATION FOR PHONETIC READING. 
 
 Three lines of work are to be separately practiced every day : — 
 
 1. Sight-reading from the Book, Part I. 
 
 2. Drill on the Phonograms. 
 
 3. Drill on the Blend. 
 
 1. The Book-reading. 
 
 The words in Part I. of the book having been thoroughly taught and read 
 in blackboard sentences, the book itself next comes into use. The book- 
 reading will now, of course, be the main reading-work of the day, the other 
 exercises being, as before, auxiliary and preparatory to the Phonetic Beading. 
 
 The transition from script to print will be found an easy one, very little 
 intermediate work being required. The following is perhaps as good a 
 method of bridging the gap between blackboard and book as any : — 
 
 The teacher begins by placing upon the blackboard, in both script and 
 print, a number of short sentences from the reader, the print under the 
 script, thus, — 
 
 Cx d€>e 'if&fst. J=^Y2" t^o-w dee P £2/ee <nve eiz€. 
 
 I see you. Do you see? See me eat. 
 
 and requiring the children in the case of each sentence, to read first the 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 11 
 
 script and then the print. After they have done this, she erases the script 
 and requires them to read the print by itself. 
 
 When reasonable success has been attained in this way, she reverses the 
 process by placing sentences as before on the blackboard in both script and 
 print, the former now under the latter, thus, — 
 
 Do I see well? Look at me, Jack. 
 
 cA^Ja Cy dee ^ae€t^ P *^£o<ar3 €%£ / ^yie J J/czcS. 
 
 and requiring the children to read only the print, using the script for refer- 
 ence when necessary. 
 
 She next writes sentences as above, the script under the print, and, cov- 
 ering the script, requires the children to read the print, uncovering the script 
 only as it becomes necessary to do so. When the children have attained 
 such proficiency in reading the print that they seldom need to see the script, 
 they are ready for the book. 
 
 Another good method is the following : — 
 
 The teacher begins by placing upon the board, in print only, any conven- 
 ient short sentence, say, for instance, — 
 
 Do } t ou see me? 
 
 She then unites, at some distance from the sentence, the word see, and, 
 after the scholars have pronounced it, requires them to find it in the sen- 
 tence. This having been done, she treats Do in the same way, then me, then 
 you; taking the words in an irregular order. When all the words have thus 
 been discovered, she requires some scholar to read the sentence as a whole. 
 
 This operation is repeated again and again with other sentences until the 
 scholars read blackboard print pretty well. 
 
 The teacher next directs the attention of the children to some convenient 
 sentence in the book, and writes its words one at a time on the blackboard, 
 having each pronounced as it is written, and then found in the book sen- 
 tence, which, when all of its words have been thus determined, is read as 
 a whole. 
 
 Either or both of the foregoing methods may be used to whatever extent 
 may be found necessary, not only as a preliminary to the first book reading, 
 
12 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 but as a preparation for successive book lessons after the first. If, however, 
 the sight words have been thoroughly taught in script, the scholars should 
 read print as freely as they do script, within a week of the commencement, 
 and should complete Part I. of the book within three or, at most, four weeks. 
 
 2. The Drill on the Phonograms. 
 
 This will proceed as before, the cards being the means employed ; but 
 now the print side will be used as well as the script side. As the knowl- 
 edge of the single phonograms is the foundation of all the phonetic reading, 
 and as the ability to utter the phonograms of a word in quick successio?i is 
 absolutely essential to perception of the blend, too much stress cannot be 
 laid upon the necessity of thoroughly following the directions already given 
 for this exercise. 
 
 3. The Drill on the Blend. 
 
 This consists in the reading of single phonetic words. It combines prac- 
 tice on the individual phonograms, with the ear-training prescribed for the 
 " First Stage " of the work, separate oral exercises for the latter, from this 
 point on, being no longer used. The material employed is found in Phonetic 
 List No. 1, which is arranged in sections according to the difficulty of the 
 words presented. Section B should not be used until the scholars can readily 
 read words from section A ; section C, until they can readily read words 
 from section B, and so on. 
 
 The following is the best method of procedure : — 
 
 The teacher at the beginning writes upon the blackboard some word from 
 section A, — let us say faL She covers the at, and, pointing to the /, asks the 
 scholars to tell what it is (sound). She then covers the /and asks what the 
 at is. Finally she uncovers the whole word and asks the scholars to put the 
 two sounds together, and tell what word they make. If they cannot do this, 
 she herself tells, making the /, when she pronounces the word, long and 
 prominent. She then uses in the same way the other at words, — mat, Nat, 
 rat, and sat, — and then words of other series. 
 
 As soon as the scholars have acquired sufficient ability to read words in 
 this way, the teacher ceases to present them in series, but takes them hence- 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 13 
 
 forth irregularly. She ceases, also, to assist the pupils by covering first one 
 phonogram and then the other. 
 
 After the first few days of blend-work, from thirty to fifty single words 
 from Phonetic List No. 1 should be read by the scholars from the blackboard 
 every day, until Part I. of the book is read through. And for the encourage- 
 ment of the weaker scholars, the first of these words, as well as every third 
 or fourth word thereafter, should be an extremely easy one that all who will try 
 can get. This is a very important point. A glimmer of light here and there 
 will keep the dull scholars trying ; while persistent discouragement will 
 ultimately kill all desire to try. The teacher should ever keep it in mind 
 that the object is not to have the words memorized, but to give the scholars 
 ability to read them by their phonograms. As there are but about 220 
 words in all in Phonetic List No. 1, the words given after the first few 
 days will involve many repetitions of words previously given ; but, if the 
 words are always, as they should be, selected at random, there will be no 
 memorizing of them as wholes to speak of, and therefore no interference 
 with the phonetic reading. 
 
 No less work than the amount prescribed above will do. Perception of 
 the blend comes slowly to many scholars ; but when it does come, it comes 
 to stay. Practice will make them perfect ; nothing else will. 
 
 The exercise must be so conducted that every scholar is constantly hop- 
 ing to get the next word. This will cause every one to attend closely through- 
 out, and get the full benefit of the lesson ; whereas a method that leads the 
 scholar to look for his turn, and nothing else, will, most likely, be barren of 
 results. 
 
 One most important direction remains to be given. If the phonograms 
 are well learned, there will be "a strong tendency among the pupils, the 
 moment a phonetic word is presented, to whisper the sounds to themselves. 
 The buzzing thus produced must not be checked, It is not disorder. It is 
 the only means by which beginners of average ability can get at the words. 
 For several months they cannot carry the sounds mentally so as to get the 
 blend. They must actually hear them. The unwillingness of teachers with 
 wrong ideas of discipline to permit this perfectly natural process to go on, 
 is one among several reasons why phonetic reading has hitherto generally 
 proved a failure. 
 
14 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 III. 
 
 FIRST HALF-YEAR'S WORK. — THIRD STAGE. 
 
 (TIME, ABOUT NINE WEEKS.) 
 
 COMBINED SIGHT AND PHONETIC READING, FROM THE FIRST BOOK, 
 
 PART II., WITH AUXILIARY EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN 
 
 AND PERFECT THE WORK. 
 
 Three lines of work are to be separately practiced every day : — 
 
 1. Reading from the Book, Part II. 
 
 2. Drill on the Phonograms. 
 
 3. Drill on the Blend. 
 
 1. The Book-reading. 
 
 This differs from the reading in Part I. in this : That every sentence 
 contains some phonetic reading. At first the quantity is small, but one, or, 
 at most, two phonetic words being used in a sentence. The reason for thus 
 limiting the phonetic work is that the children being yet somewhat slow in 
 perception of the blend, too many phonetic words would prove an obstruc- 
 tion to the thought-getting. New sight-words are added from time to time, 
 including some that may afterward be used as word-phonograms. New 
 phonograms are also taught, and, as a consequence, phonetic words differing 
 slightly in character from those previously used are constantly introduced ; 
 but in no case are new sight-words presented in the same lesson with a new 
 phonogram. 
 
 In this mixed sight and phonetic reading as in the sight-reading on the 
 blackboard used in Part I., no scholar must ever be allowed to read a sentence 
 until he is ready to do so without a halt or break. At the very first indica- 
 tion of a break, he must be stopped and told not to begin again until he is 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 15 
 
 ready ; but while he is getting ready, he must be permitted to tell (by num- 
 ber) which word he cannot get. If it be a sight-word, he must be told ; if a 
 phonetic word, he must be asked to give its sounds, and then, failing to 
 recognize the word, to give them faster. Finally, if he cannot get the word, 
 the other scholars must be called upon to tell him. 
 
 2. The Drill on the Phonograms. 
 
 This must be continued daily throughout the course. Whenever a new 
 phonogram is taught, the card that contains it must be added to the number 
 used in the daily drills. The knowledge of the individual phonograms being 
 the foundation upon which the whole superstructure in phonetic reading 
 rests, the daily repetition of all thus far taught is in a certain sense a review 
 of the entire subject, which will do wonders in the way of bringing together, 
 at the end of the term, scholars whose previous training and opportunities 
 for attending school have been widely different. 
 
 3. The Drill on the Blend. 
 
 Perception of the blend comes rapidly to a favored few, but to the aver- 
 age scholar only as a result of careful training. The practice, therefore, in 
 phonetic reading afforded by sentences that contain but one or two phonetic 
 words each, is but a small portion of what is required that proficiency may 
 be attained. For this reason, you must give your scholars, on the black- 
 board, every day, at least thirty or forty single phonetic words to read. 
 The words are to be selected largely from the Phonetic List that accompanies 
 the phonogram last learned, but many words from lists previously used 
 should be mingled with them. Remember the direction previously given, 
 to have many extremely easy words distributed among the others for the 
 encouragement of the duller pupils, and remember that the "buzzing" which 
 the scholars make in trying to get at the words "under their breath," being 
 necessary, is not disorderly, and must not be suppressed. 
 
LISTS OF PHONETIC WORDS 
 
 FOR USE IN BLEND DRILLS AND IN BLACKBOARD 
 SENTENCE READING. 
 
 RULES FOR MARKING OBSERVED IN THESE LISTS. 
 
 1. Sight-words (words taught as wholes) uncombined with other words 
 should not be marked. 
 
 2. A sight-word found within another word and having there its usual 
 sound, should be set off as a single phonogram by an underdrawn horizontal 
 line. 
 
 Examples: ail in fail, ails in f ails , lie in hegit, its in 
 
 f its , etc., etc. 
 
 3. A compound phonogram used as part of a word should ordinarily be 
 set off as a single phonogram by an underdrawn horizontal line. 
 
 Examples: igllts in f ights , im in limp, ingS in WingS, 
 
 etc., etc. 
 
 4. When a compound phonogram or a word phonogram forms by itself 
 either the first or the last syllable of a word, it should not be marked, but 
 should be slightly separated from the rest of the word. 
 
 Examples: ing in leaping, er in miller, est in smallest, 
 un in unlik^, undoing, be in become, etc., etc. 
 
 Exception. — When the compound phonogram is immediately preceded 
 
 16 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 17 
 
 or succeeded by a silent (crossed-out) letter, no other separation than that 
 made by the silent letter should occur. 
 
 Examples : er in lo^er, ish in reddish, ed in frtjted, 
 un in unknown, etc., etc. 
 
 5. Other phonograms should be marked in words as they are marked at 
 the heads of the following lists. 
 
 Examples: € and O in €0^11, a in Sap, etc., etc. 
 
 6. Silent letters and letters so slightly or obscurely sounded that their 
 3mission will not involve the loss of a syllable, should be crossed out. 
 
 Examples: e in fin0, g in ^nat, in leSS0n or mitten, 
 
 etc., etc. 
 
 -ooi»!< 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 1. 
 
 LENGTH LIMIT: THREE PHONOGRAMS. 
 
 Phonograms. — f, I, m, 11, r, s,— a, e, o,— ing, ings, ight, ights, 
 
 — and short sight-words from Part I. (Primer) of the First Book. 
 
 To make the sound of I, place the tip of the tongue against the roof of 
 ;he mouth behind the front teeth, and holding it there say ull (latter part of 
 full). 
 
 To make the sound of r, press the side edges of the tongue against the 
 lpper side teeth, curling the tip up until it almost touches the roof of the 
 nouth. Then say ur, curling the r part well (but not trilling it) and making 
 Drecisely the same vowel sound that occurs in I. 
 
 The other phonograms in this list, it is believed, all teachers can sound 
 without special instruction. 
 
18 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 Note. — The directions at the tops of the lists are for the teacher only. Do not give 
 them to the scholars. Above all, do not have the scholars learn them. They should 
 acquire the power to give the sounds by listening and imitating. A few exceptions will 
 be noted as they occur. 
 
 A. 
 
 f ail f ails , f all f an , fat, f ight , f ights , fill, fm, fit, f its , 
 f old , l and , l ight , l ights , lit, mail, m ails , man, m any , mat, 
 Mat, meat, m eats , m ight , mill, mold, nail, n ails . Nan, 
 Nat, neat, n ight , n ights , r ail , r ails , r an , rat, right , r ights , 
 rill, r ing , r ings , s ail , s ails , Sam, s and , sat, seat, s eats , 
 s ight , s ights , sill, sing, s ings , sit, sits, s old , s well , s wells . 
 
 B. 
 
 An^i, |£no\^, oji, o^fyf, fus^, ^nat, ]£ne^, ]£nit, knits, 
 lam]i, mitjt!, mus^, sno\^ 
 
 c. 
 
 a^m, e^ir, e^l, VI}, I'm, la/, Le^, lo^, ma/, Ma/, mo^, 
 ra/, Ra/, ro^, ro^, sa/, se^t, so, soa^, \^ ring , b rings . 
 
 d. 
 
 eat^n, he^l, he^ir, he^l, ]^no^n, )£no^ing, medl, medn, 
 o^ir, o^ing, o^n, seem, seen, she'll, too l, wedn, we'll, 
 we'r^, you 'll, you 'r^, you r. 
 
 E. 
 
 cannot, failing, falling, fanning, f ight ing, filling, 
 folding, landing, lighting, mail ing, molding, nail ing. 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 19 
 
 r ail ing, rail ings, r ing ing, sail ing, s eat ing, seem ing, 
 s ing ing, swelling, s well ings. will ow\ within, without. 
 
 F. 
 
 a/ming, fitting, fussing, healing, hearing, healing, 
 knitting, lading, losing, matting, meaning, moving, 
 mussing, owning, rowing, saving, savings, sitting, 
 snoring, sowing, weaning. 
 
 G. 
 
 fallen, fatj^n, fats, fe^lr, fe^l, fo^Lm, for^, fo]ir, ^nats, 
 la/n, lam^, lan^, le^if, le^n, Leo, l ight en, Htj^, lo^tf, 
 lo^in, man^, Mat's, mats, mit^n, mo^ln, mol^, Mo0r^, 
 mor^, mo^n, namji, Nat's, ne^Lr, ra/n, ratjKl^, rins^, ro^lm, 
 ro^r, rolj, saf^, sal^, sam^, satin, se^Ll, se^rn, sol^, sor0, 
 yritjt^n. 
 
 H. 
 
 flat, fle^, fl ing , fl ings , flo\^, fre^, fr ight , slam, slat, 
 sl ight , sl ing , sl ings , slit, slits, slo\^, small, snail, snails, 
 stool. 
 
20 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO 2. 
 
 LENGTH LIMIT: FOR WORDS ENDING WITH ING, INGS, OR S, FOUR 
 PHONOGRAMS; FOR OTHER WORDS, THREE. 
 
 New Phonogram : S. 
 
 (Also a number of additional sight-words used in the Header before the intro- 
 duction of this phonogram.) 
 
 To make the sound of s place the organs of speech in position for s 
 and force the voice strongly, but not suddenly or explosively, through, pro- 
 ducing a decided buzzing sound. 
 
 a|ms, Anil's, another, another's, anyone, anyhow 
 anyone's, anything, anyway, e^rs, e^s^, e^ls, falls, fans 
 f atoning, fat^ns, fearing, fe^lrs, feeling, feelings, fe^ls 
 fills, fins, fle^is, fl ing ing, flowing, flo^s, forming, fo^Lms 
 folds, fojirs, fr iend , fr iends , hedls, hedrs, he^ls, he's 
 however, ^ne^ling, |£ne^ls, )£ne^s, |£no\^s, lam^s, lamp's 
 lam^s, laming, l and s, lan^s, l ate , la/s, leafing, le^Lfs 
 leaning, le^ns, l end , l end ing, l ends , Leo's, loaning 
 logins, lo^s, man^s, man's, mate, mates, Mafs, medls 
 meaning, megins. mend, mending, m ends , mills, minjlo^ 
 nutans, moaning, mollis, molds, mol^s, Moyir^'s, m other 
 
 m others , m other's , nam^s, naming, Nan's, n ever , nos^ 
 o^rs, onto, o^s, o\^ns, overdo, overdoes, overcome 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 21 
 
 overeat, overeaten, overeats, overlook, overlooks 
 oversee, over seen, oversees, over s ight , overtake 
 overtakes, over take n, r ails , raining, ra^ns, ra|s^ 
 raising, r ate , rattles, rattl ing , ra^s, Ra/'s, rills, rinsing 
 rmsings, rooming, rowing, roaring, rojlrs, ro^s, roljing 
 rolfe, ros^, Ros^, ro\^s, R over . R over 's, sal^s, Sam's 
 sealing, se^ims, se^is, seems, s end , sending, s ends 
 
 several, she's, sills, slampfiing, slams, slate, slats 
 sl ing ing, slitting, sm other , snoring, sno^s, sol^s 
 soling, somehow, something, sor^s, so^s, stools: s up 
 s up ping, s up s, tools, upon, up r ight , wedns, wedg^l 
 will ows, you rs. 
 
 -0-0>©<< 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 3. 
 
 LENGTH LIMIT: SAME AS FOE LIST NO. 2. 
 
 New Phonograms : l and y. 
 
 S, ^s, ^ying, fi^, flf^, fif^s, fifing, fil^, fil^s, 
 
 filing, fin^, fir0, fir^s, firing, fly, fli^s, flying, fly's, 
 
 fry, fri^s, frying, fy, ]£nlfjzf, li^, li^s, lif^, lim^, lin^, 
 
 lin^s, lining, lying, mil^, mil^s, min^, mirji, my, nin^, 
 
 nin^s, rls^, rising, ry^, si^l, siting, sigjig, sl^n, 
 signing, si^ns, sly, ^ry. 
 
22 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 4. 
 
 LENGTH LIMIT: SAME AS FOR LIST NO. 2. 
 
 New Phonograms: k and t (as terminals). 
 
 (Also a number of additional sight-words used in the Reader before the intro- 
 duction of these phonograms.) 
 
 ant, ants, be^k, be^tks, be^m, beaming, be^ms, be^n, 
 begins, be^t, beating, befits, become, becomes, be0, be^s, 
 be^f, be^t, be^tl^, be^ts, being, didn't, e^ist, fe^t, font, 
 he^it, heating, he^ts, lak^, lak^s, le^ik, leaking, le^lks, 
 lift, mate, mates, me^t, meeting, me^ts, mint, nilt^, 
 mit^s, musk, must, not^, not^s, o^tk, o^iks, o^lt, o^lts, 
 rak^, rak^s, raking, rust, rusting, rusts, sak^, sak^s, 
 seek, seeking, seeks, she^t, sliest ing, sheets, sift, silk, 
 silks, sle^k, snif^ so^ik, soaking, so^tks, swe^t, swe^n, 
 sweats, s wing , s wing ing, s wings , we^ik, we^ik^n, 
 weaning, weikfas, we^k, we^ks, wing ing, ^rit^, 
 ^rit^s, Writing, ^rot^. 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 23 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 5. 
 
 LENGTH LIMIT: FOR WORDS ENDING WITH ER, ERS, ING, INGS, OR S, 
 FOUR PHONOGRAMS; FOR OTHER WORDS, THREE. 
 
 New Phonograms: er and ers (as terminals). 
 
 (Also a number of additional sight-ivords used in the Header before the intro- 
 duction of these phonograms.) 
 
 Pronounce the above phonograms like ir and irs in sir and sirs. 
 
 answer, answering, answers, better, betters, be^tl^s, 
 Easter, eater, eaters, father, feeler, feelers, fifer, 
 flfers, fighter, f ight ers, finer, fitjfer, fitters, folder, 
 folders, flatter, flyer, flyers, f riends , heir er, hearers, 
 inyier, kinder, ^nit|er, )£nitjt!ers, lamer, later, la/er, 
 lasers, leaner, lender, lenders, lifter, lifters, lifting, 
 lifts, l ight er, l ight ers, litjfer, littering, litters, lo\^er, 
 lowering, lowers, maker, makers, manner, maniiers, 
 matter, matters, meaner, mender, menders, milker, 
 milkers, miller, millers, mold er, mold ers, mo\^er, 
 movers, nearer, neat er, older, o\^ner, owners, raker, 
 rakers, rather, ratters, r ing er, r ing ers, roljfer, rollers, 
 ro^er, rovers, safer, sailer, sailers, s end er, s end ers, 
 
24 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 sifter, sifters, sifting, sifts, s ing er, s ing ers, slates, 
 slighter, slower, slyer, smaller, smothering, sm others , 
 sniping, snifjfs, sorer, so\^er, sobers, s up per, s up pers, 
 sweater, thinker, thinkers, up^er, uppers, weaker, 
 wetter, ^ringer, i#r ing ers, ^riter, Writers. 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 6, 
 
 LENGTH LIMIT FOR THIS AND ALL SUCCEEDING LISTS. 
 FOUR PHONOGRAMS. 
 
 New Phonograms : 6 and ck. 
 
 (Also a number of additional sight-words used in the Reader before the intro- 
 duction of these phonograms.) 
 
 acorn, befor^, be friend, belief, belo^, corn er, 
 corn ering, corners , corning, day l ight , fajfat, fe^ist, flak^, 
 flam^, fle^t, flint, flo^it, flock, flo0r, flo^n, foljo^, fram^, 
 Friday, frock, horse-fly, ^nock, Jhiocker, ^nockers, 
 knocking, knocks, knot, knots, knotting, legist, lock, 
 locking, locks, los^, lost, lot, lots, mmjio^s, mock, 
 mocker, mockers, mocking, mocks, moifo^, mos^, most, 
 6fJ, offend, offer, offering, offers, of fen, offener, Otfe, 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 25 
 
 Otjto's, rock, rocker, rockers, rocking, rocks. Koljo, 
 rot, rots, rotjt^n, rotting, sle^k, sle^t, sllm^, smedr. 
 smearing, smears, smil^, smok^, snak^, sne^ik, snor^, 
 snoring, snores, sock, socks, soft, sofjt^n, sor^o^( r , 
 s up |Sos^, uproar. 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 7. 
 
 New Phonogram: p (as a terminal only). 
 
 ap^, he^p, helping, he^ips, lamp, lamps, le^p, le^iper r 
 leaping, le^ps, lop, lopping, lops, mop, mopping, mops, 
 mop^, mop^s, moping, op^n, opener, openers, opening, 
 openings, op^ns, rejip, reaper, reapers, reaping, re^lps, 
 rip^S, rip^n, riper, romp, rop^, rop^s, roping, she^p, 
 sheep's, sle^p, slop, slop^, snip^, so^Lp, soaping, so^ips, 
 sop, sopping, sops, stoop, stooping, stoops, swe^p, 
 sweeper, sweepers, sweeping, sweeps, we^p, weeper, 
 weepers, weeping, we^ps. 
 
26 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 8. 
 
 p and t anywhere. 
 (Also a number of additional sight-ivords from the Header.) 
 
 armpit, Butler, butjfer, butting, but^n, but^ns 
 butji's, f arm , farmer, farming, farms, hand le hand les 
 hand l ing , pail, p ails , pa^n, panning, pajns, pa/nt, pal^ 
 paler, pan, pans, pan^l, pan^, pan^s, paper, papers 
 
 past^, pat, pats, patjfer, pattering, patters, patjfing 
 pa/, payer, papers, pacing, pa/s, pe^, pe^s, pe^, pe^l 
 peeler, peelers, peeling, pe^ls, pe^p, peeper, peepers 
 peeping, pe^ps, pe^pl^, pi^, pi^s, pll^, pil^s, piling 
 pill, pills, pm, pinning, pins, pln^, pining, pin^s, plp^ 
 piper, pipers, pip^s, piping, pit, pits, pitting, pla/n 
 plan, planning, plans, plan^, plant, plate, plates, platter 
 platjfers, player, players, playing, pleat, pleat er 
 pleat ers, pleating, pl eats , plot, pok^, poker, pokers 
 pok^s, poking, pol^, pol^s, P61J, PoljPs, pop, popper 
 poppers, popping, pops, pork, post, pot, potter, potjfers 
 potting, pots, po]ir, pouring, po]4rs, pout, pout er 
 pouters, pouting, pouts, pra^, Pratjli, Prates, pra/ 
 pra/er, pra/ers, prating, pra/s, prop, pup, p up s, sle^p 
 span, spanning, spans, spat, spats, spatjfer, spatters 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 27 
 
 spatjting, spe^ik, spe^ir, spend, spending, sp ends , spl^s 
 spik^, spill, spilling, spills, spilt, spin, spinier, spinners 
 spinning, spins, splr0, spit, spits, spitting, spittl^, spit^ 
 spokfi, spot, spout, spouting, spouts, spy, spying, stain 
 stak^, stal^, stall, stalls, stami/ier, stami/iers, stamp 
 stand, standing, st and s, sta/, staging, sta/s, st^ak, ste^l 
 ste^im, ste^l, ste^r, stif;f, stifjf^n, stiller, still, stiller 
 stock ston^, stol^, stop, stor^, tail, t ails , take n, tal^ 
 tal^s, t all , tall er, tam^, tamer, tamers, tam^s, taming 
 t an , tanrier, tanriers, tanking, tans, tap^, taper, tapers 
 tap^s, tast^, tatter, tatters, tatjt!l^, te^t, te^s, te^s^ 
 teasing, te^m, tennis, te^ir, te^lrs, t end , tender, tending 
 t ends , t/er, tiers, tU, ti^s, t ight , t ight en, t ight er, till 
 tim^, tim^s, tm, tinker, tinkers, thyling, tins, tln^ 
 tin^s, tlr^, tir^s, tiring, to^tst, to^, toeing, to^s, t old 
 
 Tom, Tom's, ton^, ton^s, top, top^lj^, tops, tor^, torn 
 tos^, tosher, tossing, tot, totjfer, totters, totfl^, train 
 tra/, tra/s, treat, tre^, tre^s, trlp^, trill, trilling, trills 
 try, tri^s, trying, tus^l^, t will , 't will , t will ing, t wills 
 tying. 
 
28 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 9. 
 
 C and k anywhere. 
 (Also a number of additional sight-words from the Header.) 
 
 ae}4^, ae^s, acting, eak^, cak^s, call, caller, callers, 
 calling, callg, eam^, camp, camp ing, camps, can, canriing, 
 cans, c and id, candles, ean^, ean^g, caning, eap^, caper, 
 capers, eap^s, eas^, eat, eats, cat's, eats', eattl^, ela/m y 
 clam, clatter, elatjfers, ela/, ele^in, ele^r, ellm^, eling, 
 clinging, clings, elo^lk, clock, elos^, elos0, clover, eo^il, 
 eojist, eo|it, eo^tts, eoco^i, eoffe^, eofjFin, eok^, cold, colder, 
 eolds, colt, com^, combing, coning, eomi/i^n, copper, 
 eor^, eor^g, coring, cost, cot, cots, eot^n, cram, 
 erami/iing, crams, cramp, eran^, -€ran^, crate, ere^ik, 
 ere^m, ere^k, ere^p, ero^ik, crock, crop, eros^, ero^, 
 ero^er, ero^ers, eroding, ero^g, crust, Kate, Kate's, 
 ke^p, keeper, keepers, keeping, ke^ps, kill, killing, 
 kills, kit, kits, kit^n, kit^ns, Idt^n'g, kittens', oversaw, 
 overwork, p each , pr each , preacher, pr each ing, reach , 
 r each ing, sawing, seal^, scamp, scant, scatter, scatters, 
 scold, scolder, scolders, scold ing, scolds, Scott, see-saw, 
 skate, skiff, skiffs, skill, skm, skinning, slang, sky, 
 ski^g, t each , t each er, t each ing, whoever, who m, who 's, 
 whos^, whog ever, worker, workers, working, workman. 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 29 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 10. 
 New Phonogram : a. 
 
 act, acting, acts, AlJ^in, Alan's, ar^o^, ar^o^s, aster, 
 asters, attack, att end , att ends , att end ing, cackl^, cap, 
 eaps, cas]t!l^, crack, fact, flap, lack, lacking, lacks, lap, 
 lapsing, laps, mar^o^, nap, napping, naps, narrow, 
 pack, packing, packs, rack, racks, rap, rapping, raps, 
 sack, sacks, sap, slap, smack, snap, stack, tack, tack ing, 
 tacks, taljfo^, tap, tapping, taps, track, trap, ^rap, 
 ^rapjier, ^rapfiers, ^rapjling, ^raps. 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 11. 
 
 fie , • 
 
 Phonograms : j . •• and ip. 
 
 (Also a number of additional sight-words used in the Reader before the intro- 
 duction of these phonograms.) 
 
 New 
 
 In presenting these phonograms, show that they begin alike, and that 
 the first is ic because it ends with (the sound) £ or ck, and the other is ip 
 because it ends with (the sound) p. Before using them in words, drill the 
 
 scholars well in distinguishing between them. 
 
 atjfrc, attics, click, clicking, clicks, colic, comic, Eric, 
 kick, kicker, kickers, kick ing, kicks, l ick , lick ing, licks. 
 
30 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 mechanic, mice, nice, nick, nick ing, nicks, Nick, Nick's, 
 nickel, pick, pick er, pick ers, pick ing, picks, pickl^, 
 pickles, pickl ing , picnic, price, prick, prick er, prickers, 
 prick ing, prickle, pricks, r ice , seller, sellers, selling, 
 shall ot, shall ower, s ick , sicker, sicken, sickly, slice, 
 snick er, snick ers, spice, spick, stick, stick ing, sticks, 
 t ick , tick er, tick ers, tick ing, ticks, tickle, tickler, 
 ticklers, tickling, tickles, trice, trick, tricking, trickle, 
 tricks, whenever, windo^, wind ows, clip, elip^er, 
 clippers, clipping, clips, erip^l^, lip, lips, nip, nipper, 
 nippers, nipping, nips, pip, pips, pippin, pippins, rip, 
 ripping, rips, rip^, rip^l^s, ruling, sip, sipping, 
 skip, skipper, skippers, skipping, skips, slip, slipper, 
 slippers, slipping, slips, snip, snipping, snips, Tip, 
 Tip's, tip, tipjier, tippers, tipping, tips, tip-to^, trip, 
 tripling, trips, triply. 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 12. 
 
 New Phonograms: im and IS (not is). 
 
 Present by the method suggested at the head of List No. 11. 
 
 Teach the children to distinguish between the second phonogram (pro- 
 nounced iss) and the word is, by giving them to read a number of easy sen- 
 tences in which both occur. 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 31 
 
 erimp. crimps, lim^, limUs, limp, limping, limps, 
 mini ic, mimicking, mimics, mistake, mistakes, 
 mis take n, pimply, primer, primers, r im , rims, Sim, 
 Sim's, simi/ier, simple, skim, skimpier, skimniers, 
 skimi/iing, skims, slice, slim, slimi/ier, spice, Tim, Tim's, 
 trice, trim, trimmer, trimmers, trimming, trimmings, 
 trims. 
 
 Assist, crisp, fist, fists, frisk, insist, kis^, kisser, 
 kissers, kissing, lisp, lisping, lisps, list, lists, listen, 
 Hsji^n er, lis^n ers, Hsjt^n ing, Hsj^ns, Mis^, mis^, missing, 
 mist, Mister, pistil, risk, risking, risks, sister, sisters, 
 sister's, sisters', ^rist, prists. 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 13. 
 
 New Phonogram : W. 
 
 (Also one additional sight-ivord used in the Reader before the introduction of 
 
 this jihonogram.) 
 
 The real sound of this phonogram cannot be given alone. It is that 
 peculiar slide or twist that occurs between long oo and any other vowel 
 sound when we attempt to pass from one to the other without stopping. 
 Thus : 6o6t, OOa/, etc., etc. We therefore teach the children to call 
 it OO and, in words, to smother or shorten the vowel part, to the point of 
 suppression. 
 
 flour, jiours, fl our , flour ing, fl ours , s our , souring, s ours , 
 scour, s cour ing, s cours , swam, swift, swim, swimmer, 
 
32 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 swimi/iers, swimifting, swims, swln^, swor^, twice, twin, 
 twms, twln^, wafer, wafers, wail, wailing, wails, wajt, 
 waiter, waiters, waiting, wa^ts, wa^st, wak^, wak^n, 
 wak^s, waking, wall, walls, wast^, wick, wicks, wicker, 
 wif^, wife's, Avilt, wilting, wilts, win, winder, winders, 
 whining, windings, wins, win^, wln^s, winter, winters, 
 wlp^, wiper, wipers, wip^s, wiping, wir^, wlr^s, wiring, 
 wls^, wiser, wisp, wisps, wok^, wor^, worn. 
 
 -oo^c 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 14. 
 New Phonograms: 6, est, leSS, and neSS. 
 
 After teaching e, write est, less, and ness on the blackboard, mark them 
 thus: est, leS^, neS^, and have them read. Finally have them com- 
 mitted as wholes without marks. 
 
 armless, arrest, cap less, coldest, coldness, crest, 
 cresting, crests, earless, e^it, ecjlo, ec|4o^s, echoing, 
 El^en, Eljen's, els^, endless, enter, Esther, fatness, 
 fattest, fearless, felj, feljo^, felt, fester, festering, 
 f esters , finest, flattest, forest, freest, fri end less, fret, 
 fusses, jionest, illness, kenji^l, kept, ketjfl^, kindest, 
 kindness, kisses, ]£nelt, lameness, lamest, lateness, 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 33 
 
 latest, lateness, leafless, leanest, leanness, le^nt, left, 
 lem^n, lent, Lent, less, lesser, lessen, l est , Lester, let, 
 letjfer, letting, lets, l ight est, l ight ness, lifeless, likeness, 
 lock less, lowest, lo^ness, meanest, meanness, meant, 
 mejlo^, mel^n, melt, men, men's, mes^, met, met^tl, 
 misses, m other less, musses, nearest, nearness, neatest, 
 neatness, neck, necks, NelJ, Nell's, nest, nesting, nesfl^, 
 nests, net, netting, nets, newest, newness, oldest, 
 pa/nless, palest, paleness, pan^less, p each es, peck, 
 pecking, pecks, pelt, pen, pens, peeper, peepers, pest, 
 pester, pestering, pests, pet, pets, pett ing , pres^, Preston, 
 rainless, r each es, r est , resting, rests, rimless, ripest, 
 ripeness, safest, sapless, s^ent, seamless, seat less, self, 
 selj, seller, sellers, selling, seljs, sens^, sent, set, setter, 
 setters, sett ing , setjft^, sets, sickest, sickness, sl ight est, 
 sl ight ness, slimitiest, slim ness, slowest, slowness, 
 sl)^ est, slyness, smallest, small ness, smeljt, sorest, 
 soreness, sourest, sourness, spelj, stem, step, stiffest, 
 stjijfness, stillest, stillness, swe^t, tallest, tamest, 
 tam^ness, t each es, tearless, teller, tellers, ten, tens, 
 tent, t est , testing, tests, t ight est, t ight ness, tireless, 
 treeless, trimi/iest, trim ness. weakest, weakness, went, 
 wept, West, Weston, wettest, wick less, wingless, wisest, 
 
34 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 witness, \^ren, ^rens, ^ren's, ^reck, ^recking, greeks, 
 
 -oo>©<< 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 15. 
 
 New Phonogram: d (as a terminal only). 
 
 Teach effect, not separate sound. Put fill and filled on the black- 
 board, and call attention to the difference in appearance and the correspond- 
 ing difference in sound. Then write call and called, and let the scholars 
 try to name the latter. Eepeat the process with other known words. 
 
 aij^d, a^m^d, arm^d, butjfer^d, but^n^d, called, ean^d, 
 clad, corned, eor^d, corn ed, corn ered, erl^d, ero^d, 
 ejis^d, eejio^d, ^y^d, failed, fanri^d, f arm ed, fe^d, 
 felj^d, festered, fil^d, filled, floured, flo^d, fo^m^d, 
 fre^d, fri^d, frilled, hand led, hedl^d, ^ne^l^d, kiU^d, la^d, 
 lam^d, le^n^d, li^d, light^n^d, lisf^n^d, lo^in^d, lo^d, 
 mad^, mailed, mlr^d, mo^in^d, mo^d, nailed, nam^d, 
 one-arm^d, op^n^d, o^d, o^n^d, pa/d, pa^n^d, pe^l^d, 
 pen^d, pestered, pil^d, pin^d, pin^d, plaj^d, po]/ir^d, 
 pra/^d, ra^n^d, ra^s^d, re^id, re^d, ro^im^d, ro^r^d, 
 rod^, rol^d, ro\^d, rusjKl^d, sailed, saw^d, scoured, 
 se^l^d, se^im^d, seemed, si^Ji^d, si^n^d, smuAertd, 
 smi^d, skimped, skm^d, snen^d, so^d, sol^d, s old . 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 35 
 
 soured, so^d, spiled, sta;!d, s well ed, tam^d, tan^d, 
 te^d, tickled, ti^d, tir^d, titjfer^d, to^d, to]d, tol^d, 
 tri^d, trilled, trimi/i^d, trod, wailed, walled, weikfaid. 
 we^tn^d, wing ed, wir^d. 
 
 fad^, find, msid^, kind, kindest, lad, ladder, ladders, 
 le^id, le^td, leader, leaders, leading, le^ids, lo^d, 
 loading, lo^tds, mad, maddest, majfd, ma/ds, maiden, 
 mild, mind, ne^d, pad, padd ing , pads, pad^l^, pla/d, 
 prid^, re^id, reader, readers, reading, re^Lds, rid^, rider, 
 riders, rid^s, riding, rind, ro^id, sad, saddest sad^n, 
 sadder, sid^, spad^, spe^d, ste^d, s\^ord, tid^, to^id, 
 tre^ld, wad^, wader, waders, wad^s, wading, we^d, 
 welder, welders, weeding, we^ds, wedding, who 'd, 
 wid0, wid^n, wider, widest, wild, wind. 
 
 -OO'&ZC 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 16. 
 
 New Phoxogram : d. (Pronounced exactly like t.) 
 
 (Also a number of additional sight-ivords used in the Header before the intro- 
 duction of this phonogram.) 
 
 ae^d, eak^d, eock^d, fif^d, fus^d, had n't, he^p^d, 
 iced, kicked, kis^d, knocked, lacked, lapji^d, le^lk^d, 
 
36 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 le^ip^d, licked, lik^d, limped, locked, lopf^d, milk ed, 
 m imick ed, mis^d, mocked, mop^d, mop^d, mus^d, 
 nip^d, over look ed, overworked, packed, pecked, picked, 
 pok^d, pop^d, pr each ed, priced, rak^d, rapj^d, r each ed, 
 re^p^d, rms^d, rip^d, rocked, sip^d, sliced, snif^d, 
 so^ik^d, spiced, s up ^d, tacked, tap^d, ticked, tip^^d, 
 tos^d, 't would , wak^d, wlp^d, work ed, would n't, ^rap^d, 
 Wrecked. 
 
 OOXXOO 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 17. 
 
 New Phonogram: ed. (Pronounced ed.) 
 
 (Also a number of additional sight-ivords used in the Reader before the intro- 
 duction of this phonogram.) 
 
 arrested, att end ed, butjfed, crested, Ed, ended, faded, 
 fed, fitjted, fled, folded, Fred, handed, heated, home- 
 mad^, home-sick, ]hiot)fed, land ed, led, lifted, l ight ed, 
 loaded, mated, matjfed, med^il, med^l^, m end ed, molded, 
 Ned, needed, netted, padded, patjfed, ped^l, ped^il^, 
 petted, pitted, potjfed, pouted, red, red^n, redder, 
 reddest, rested, rotjfed, rusted, s and ed, scold ed, seated, 
 sided, sifted, sled, sped, t end ed, tilted, tested, tinted, 
 waded, waited, weeded, wedding, were n't, wick ed, 
 wickedest, wilted. 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 37 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 18. 
 
 New Phonogram : c. 
 
 i 
 
 ge^, ge^d, ge^less, ge^sing, Cegtt, ge/1, ge^l^d, 
 gefling, ge^lings, gejls, gelj, gel^s, gent, gider, Cyrus, 
 fag^, fag^d, faging, feng^, forg^, Iges, Iging, Igicl^, 
 lag^, lag^cl, laging, mag^, ming^, min^d, minging, 
 niger, nig est, nig^ness, n^eg^, pag^, pag^d, pager, 
 pagers, paging, pe^tg^, peng^, p^eg^, pjteg^d, p/eging, 
 pmgers, prmg^, rag^, rag^d, rager, ragers, raging, sing^, 
 spag^, trag^, wmg^, wmg^d, winging. 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 19. 
 
 New Phonograms : U and un. 
 
 cluck, ertim^, cud, cuds, cud</ll^, ciif;f, euf^d, cuffing, 
 etifjfs, cut, ctitjfer, eiit]fers, cutting, cuttings, eut^, f un , 
 fmyi^l, fiii^o^, Knuckle luck, lump, mud, muff, miif;fl^, 
 miifjfs, muffin, mutter, mutji^n, num]/>, numbing, 
 numbness, numfis, nut, nuts, nutting, pluck, plum, 
 pucker, puckers, pud^, piifjf, pufjf^d, ptifjfing, ptif^s, 
 
38 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 puls^, pump, rudder, Yufflfa r un , ruiuier. runyiers, 
 running, runs, rum, scud, scuds, seiid^ing, sctim, skulj, 
 smut, snuf;f, spun, stuck, stud, stiif;f, stun, stumi^d, 
 stunning, stuns, stunt, stick, sucked, sucking, sticks, 
 sud^n, suds, sufjfer, suffers, sum, sums, stimi/ier, 
 summers, sun, sunii^d, sunning, sunless, suns, swum, 
 tuck, t ticked, tucker, Tucker, tucking, tucks, tunri^l, 
 tunyt^ls, unbe^n, unburn, un but^n^d, unending, 
 unfed, unfit, unkind, un kinder, unkind est, 
 un kindness, unlag^, unless, unload, un lock, unmad^, 
 unpack, unpaid, unpin, unpinyt^d, unpinning, unpins, 
 unrolj, unsaf^, un seen, unthinking, untl$. untied, 
 unties, until, untying, unwell. 
 
 3^KC 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 20. 
 
 New Phoxograms : sll and isll. 
 
 ash, ashes, eash, clash, crash, crush, ^y^lash, finish, 
 finished, finish ing, f ish , fished, fishes, fishing, Fisher, 
 Fisher's, flash, flesh, flush, fresh, Irish, lash, lashed, 
 lashing, mash, mashed, masher, mashers, mashing, 
 mush, pettish, plash, plush, Polish, polish, punish, 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 39 
 
 p unish ed, punishing, radish, rash, reddish, relish, rush 
 rushed, rushing, shad, shado^, shad^, shaded, shades 
 shading, shad^less, shak^, shaken, shaker, shakers 
 shakes, shaking, shalj, shall ot, sham, shamia^d 
 shami/iing, shams, shap^, shaped, shapes, shaping 
 shatter, shed, shedding, sheds, sheepish, shelf, shelj 
 shelj^d, shelving, sheljs, shi^d, shield, shi^s, shift 
 shifted, shifting, shifts, shin, shins, shln^, shiner 
 shiners, shines, shining, ship, shying, ships, sho^l 
 shoals, shock, shocked, shocking, shocks, shod, shon^ 
 shop, shopj^d, shopper, shoppers, shopping, shops 
 shor^, shores, shorn, shot, shots, sho^ sho^d, showing 
 sho\^n, sho\^s, shuck, shucks, shudder, shudders, shiif;fl^ 
 shun, shunri^d, shunning, shuns, shut, shutting, shuts 
 shutter, shutters, shuttl^, shy, shyer, shyest, shying 
 skittish, slush, Spanish, trash, wish, wished, wisher 
 wishers, wishes, wish ing. 
 
40 THE RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 PHONETIC LIST NO. 21. 
 
 New Phonogram : V. 
 
 Sound by placing the lower lip against the upper teeth and forcing the 
 voice strongly but not suddenly between. 
 
 advig^, anvil, canvas, eav^, eav^d, eav^s, eaving, 
 elov^, erav^, e^Lv^s, Ev^, ev^n, evening, evenings, evil, 
 fever, fevers, fiv^, fiv^s, msid^, insist, mvlt^, Tv^, Iv^s, 
 knives, le^v^, le^v^s, leaving, leavings, lev^l, llv^, 
 llv^s, lo^iv^s, ov^l, ov^ils, pav^, pav^d, pav^s, paving, 
 peevish, rav^l, rov^, rov^d, rov^s, roving, Rover, 
 Hover's, sav^, sav^d, saver, savers, sav^s, saving, 
 savings, sev^n, shav^, shaved, shaver, shavers, shaves, 
 shaving, shavings, sle^v^, stov^, uneven, vail v ails , 
 va^n, van, vans, vanish, vas^, ve^l, vend, v end ing, 
 v end er, vends, ves^l, vest, vin^, vin^s, vot^, voted, 
 voter, voters, vot^s, voting, wav^, wav^d, wav^s, 
 waving, wedv^, weaver, weavers, wedv^g, weaving, 
 we'v^, wlv^s, wov^, wov^n. 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 41 
 
 WRITING AND SPELLING. 
 
 The teaching of writing and spelling should begin almost simultaneously 
 with that of reading. Up to the time of the completion of the First Book, 
 there should be no attempt at oral spelling, and the calling of letters by their 
 names should be carefully avoided; for, until the scholars have become 
 strong in the use of the letters as phonograms, their names prove stumbling- 
 blocks in the reading. 
 
 The words used for writing and spelling should be presented, then, as 
 wholes; and when it becomes necessary to direct attention to a particular 
 letter, it should be designated as "this letter,'' "that letter," "the first 
 letter," "the last letter," "the second letter," etc. 
 
 The following plan for the teaching of written spelling (writing and spell- 
 ing), having produced most excellent results in connection with this method 
 of teaching reading, is heartily recommended. 
 
 The teacher selects for the first lesson some very short and easy sentence 
 that the children have already learned to read, — say, / see. 1 This she writes 
 upon the blackboard over and over again in the presence of the scholars 
 before she suffers them to copy it, calling attention each time to the place 
 at which she begins, the direction in which she makes her strokes, etc. ; so 
 that, before the scholars try, they know quite definitely what they are to do. 
 
 She next requires them to copy and recopy the sentence until she finds 
 by trial that they can reproduce it without copy. 
 
 She now sets them a new copy, containing the two words already used and 
 one other that they have already learned to read, — say, can, — making the 
 sentence, I can see. This they copy and recopy like the first sentence, until 
 it is found by trial that they can reproduce it unaided by a copy. Proceeding 
 in the same way, she gives them for their next copy, I see a man ; for their 
 next, See me, man; for their next, See me eat; and so on, until they have 
 acquired a writing vocabulary of from eight to twelve words. 
 
 1 Other selections will do as well as those used here. 
 
42 RATIONAL METHOD IN READING. 
 
 Before teaching any more words, she makes as many new declarative 
 and imperative sentences as possible with the words already acquired, no 
 sentence containing more than four words, and has the scholars write them 
 from dictation. 
 
 She then resumes the word-teaching process, using for her copies inter- 
 rogative as well as declarative and imperative sentences, and teaching, of 
 course, the use of the interrogation mark. Now, however, instead of pre- 
 senting one new word at a time, she presents tivo, but without increasing 
 sentence-lengths. For example, if, at this stage of the work, four words are 
 deemed a proper length for the sentence, the make-up should be two old 
 words with two new ones, not three old words and one new one: experience 
 having proved that the length of the sentence remaining the same, two new 
 words are acquired almost, if not quite, as quickly as one. 
 
 When a few additional new words (perhaps half-a-dozen) have been thus 
 acquired, word-teaching again ceases for a short time, and is replaced by 
 exercises in writing, from dictation, new sentences, both declarative and 
 interrogative, made up of the words thus far learned. 
 
 The sentences used during the first half-year, whether for copy or dicta- 
 tion, should never exceed six words in length, and should attain this dimen- 
 sion only toward the end of that period. 
 
 Dictated sentences should be read to the scholars clearly and deliberately, 
 no one being permitted to begin writing or even to look down at the slate 
 or paper until the teacher has ceased to speak, and should never be repeated 
 for inattentive or forgetful scholars. The only possible justification for 
 repetition is an interruption (such as loud noise or the entrance of a 
 stranger) that prevents attentive as well as inattentive scholars from catch- 
 ing the matter dictated. 
 
 In selecting material for the written work, good judgment will need to 
 be exercised. At first, whatever the nature of the words employed, they 
 should be composed of short letters only and should begin as far as possible 
 with letters that are alike in both the capital and small letter form. After 
 the first few weeks, however, no attempt should be made to grade the 
 written spelling work from the standpoint of penmanship. The faults in 
 the latter should be corrected by means of separate exercises or drills. 
 
MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION FOR TEACHERS. 43 
 
 The words chosen for spelling should all be taken from matter previously 
 read. That is, they should be words that the children already know by 
 sight. The main consideration in the choice of a word should be its useful- 
 ness, the most useful words being those from which the largest number of 
 sentences can be formed. These are not confined to any one or two parts 
 of speech, but have numerous representatives in every one. Among the 
 words selected a few of the homonyms should find places. No one of these 
 should ever be presented to the children except in such connection with 
 other words as will absolutely ensure the proper association of meaning with 
 form (spelling). On no account should both members of a pair of homo- 
 nyms be taught together. The scholars should be confirmed in the correct 
 use of one by weeks of practice before the other is presented. Above all to 
 be avoided, is the pernicious practice of using both members of a pair in 
 one and the same sentence : a practice that even with older scholars leads 
 to the most deplorable confusion. 
 
 The sentence method above described for written spelling is the only good 
 method. In its beginnings it is slow, and, unless the teacher is prepared 
 to be patient, discouraging. The teaching of the first little sentence will 
 consume much of her time and energy. The progress of the children, how- 
 ever, after they have gathered a little impetus, will compensate her many 
 times for her first trials. Many teachers in Brooklyn who formerly taught 
 written spelling by the use of single words, with but indifferent success, 
 now accomplish during the first half-year, upwards of two hundred words. 
 
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