| DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION = a “Bulletin No 2Series Cf = FOR pee. © RURAL SCHOOLS. = } ee
~- RAP ae > rec Pee let LR vy, Pe —~ w]e Se. sa Bs ac eed e dal | : neha d AL SEOGAP RS Class Graph Plan No. II—Speed in Bee VIII. Material Every School Should Have for Its Reading Course. For the Teacher’s Reference 1. Pennell and Cusack—“How to Teach Reading’’— Houghton, Mifflin Co. 2. Stone—‘Oral and Silent Reading’—Houghton, Miff- line Ga: 3. O’Brien—“Silent Reading”’—MacMillan Co. 4. Watkins—“How to Teach Silent Reading in the Pri- mary Grades’’—Lippincotts. First Grade 1. Pre-Primer Material: (1) Either the Pre-Primer Material called for or pro- vided in the basal reading system being used; or, (2) ‘Tag-board for word, phrase, and sentence cards, a rubber type printing outfit with 34 to 1 inch letters, and illus- 13 trative pictures. The early pages of old primers make “cut-up stories” that can be used late in this period. Use action sent- ences. (3) A list of words from Thorndike’s “Teacher’s Word Book” will be found in Section XIII. The teacher should se-, lect about 50 words from the list for her material. Choose those that are used in the basal primer. 2. Primers: A basal primer, a companion primer if print- ed, and at least two others, not less than four in all. 3. Teachers Helps: Secure the Teacher’s Manual, charts, flash cards, etc., that go with the basal system. Follow the Teacher’s Manual of the system used. 4. 1st Readers: ‘The basal first reader, a companion first reader if published, and at least one other, or a total of three in all. Second Grade ‘ 1. Readers: Not less than five second readers. A good selection will include a basal oral reader, a companion reader, a silent reader, and two others. 2. Teacher’s Helps: If provided for in the basal series, these should be secured. Material for sentence, phrase, and word drills. Also phonic drill material. Individual boxes of letter cards. 3. Several books for the “Library Table” or for unsu- pervised reading periods. Single copies of second readers and first readers that are not in use in the school whose content is interesting to children will serve this purpose. Third Grade 1. Readers: From two to four readers depending on the amount of supplementary material. A basal reader, and a silent reader should be included. 2. Other Books to be Read: Single copies of these clas- sics may be purchased to furnish material for the group oral reading period, and for the “Library Table.” About 8 or 10 in all should be secured. Those to be used for group reading should be reserved. Fifty Famous Stories Retold—Baldwin. For the Children’s Hour—C. M. Lewis & C. S. Bailey. Zuni Folk Tales—Cushing. Big People and Little People of Other Lands—Shaw. - Going to School in Animal Land—Cowles. Little Folks of Many Lands—Chance. Classic Stories for the Little Ones—Mrs. L. B. McMurry. Snow Baby—Mrs. J. D. Peary. Dutch T'wins—Lucy Fitch Perkins. East O’ the Sun—Mrs. G. Thorne-Thomsen. Songs of Childhood—Eugene Field. Fairy Tales—Jacob L. Grimm. — et NH SOONANRON 14 Fourth Grade 1. Readers: From two to four readers depending on the lent reader should be included. >) amount of supplementary material. A basal reader, and a si- 2. Classics to be Read: Read at least six of the following as class exercise. Others should be on the “Library Table.” CRNA WNS Fairy Tales—Hans C. Andersen. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens—J. M. Barrie. Adventures of a Brownie—Mrs. D. M. Craik. Italian Fairy Tales—Georgene Faulkner. Household Fairy Tales—J. L. & W. K. Grimm. Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp—Andrew Lang. Adventures of Pinocchio—Carlo Lorenzini. How Mr. Dog Got Even—Albert B. Paine. Hansel and Gretel—A. H. Wette. The White Indian Boy—Driggs-Wilson. Thirty More Famous Stories Retold—Baldwin. Alice in Wonderland—Carroll. Krag & Johnny Bear—Seton. Fifth Grade 1. Readers: A basal reader and a silent reader. 2. Classics to be Read: Read at least six of the follow- ing as class exercise. Others should be on the “Library Table.” nah tia rede A Naaek Abe 10. ht Wee no 14. 1: Story of David Livingston—Vautier Golding. Jack Among the Indians—George B. Grinnell. Viking Tales—Jennie Hall. Just-So Stories—Rudyard Kipling. Arabian Nights—Frances J. Olcott. Story of King Arthur and His Knights—Howard Pyle. Captain January—Laura FE. Richards. With the Indians in the Rockies—J. W. Schultz. Lives of the Hunted—F. Thompson Seton. Heidi—Mrs. Johanna Spyri. Robin Hood: His Book—Ewva March Tappan. Birds’ Christmas Carol—K. D. Wiggin. Swiss Family Robinson—J. D. Wyss. Dog of Flanders—Ouida. Wonder Book—Hawthorne. Sixth Grade 1. Readers: A basal reader and a silent reader. as 2. Classics to be Read: Read at least six of the follow- ing as class exercisé. Others should be,on the “Library Table.” hs SOON AMBWDH-e Eight Cousins—Louisa M. Alcott. Story of the Golden Age—James Baldwin. Robinson Crusoe—Daniel Defoe. Hans Brinker—Mary M. Dodge. Last of the Flatboats—George C. Eggleston. Red Arrow—Elmer R. Gregor. Ranche on the Oxhide—Henry Inman. Rip Van Winkle—Washington Irving. Jungle Book—Rudyard Kipling. Five Little Beas H. M. Lothrop. 1 2 11. Two Little Confederates—Thomas Nelson Page. 12. Wild Animals I Have Known—E. T. Seton. 13. Bee-Man of Orn—Frank R. Stockton. 14. Gulliver’s Travels—Jonathan Swift. 15. King of the Golden River—Ruskin. 16. Black Beauty—Sewall. 17. Rab and His Friends. Seventh Grade 1. Reader: One book which is a collection of material suitable for the grade should be secured. 2. Classics to be Read: Select six from the following list: Jo’s Boys—L. M. Alcott. Free Rangers—J. Alexander Altsheler. Young Forester—Zane Grey. Jack Among the Indians—George B. Grinnell. Young Alaskans—Emerson Hough. 4 Tom Brown’s School Days—Thomas Hughes. Kindred of the Wild—Charles G. D. Roberts. Two Little Savages—E. T. Seton. Buccaneers and Pirates of Our Coast—Frank R. Stockton. 10. Lost Gold of the Montezumas—W. O. Stoddard. 11. Three Colonial Boys—Everett T. Tomlinson. 12. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm—K. D. Wiggin. 13. Courtship of Miles Standish—Longfellow. 14. King Arthur Poems—Tennyson. 15. The Great Stone Face—Hawthorne. CON AUR ONE 3. Books for the Library Table: The following is a sug- gestive list borrowed from Charters (School & Society, March 13, 1920) of books reported as most popular by librarians of twenty-four of the largest cities in the country. This list may be added to or substituted for from local libraries, and other sources. Many of these books will be found suitable for younger children. Treasure Island—Stevenson. Tom Sawyer Clemens. Toby Tyler—Otis. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea—Verne. The Young Trailers—Altsheler. Huckleberry Finn—Clemens. The Fast Mail—Drysdale. Tracks End—Carruth. Jack, the Young Ranchman—Grinnell. 10. Jim Davis—Masefield. 11. Last of the Chiefs—Altsheler. 12. Crimson Sweater—Barbour. 13. Boys of Bob’s Hill—Burton. 14. Adventures of Buffalo Bill—Cody. 15. Robinson Crusoe—DeFoe. 16. Call of the Wild—London. 17. Cab and Caboose—Monroe. ! 18. Boy Scouts of the Black Eagle Patrol—Quirk. ( 19. With the Indians in the Rockies—Schultz. 20. Horsemen of the Plains—Altsheler. 21. Two Boys in a Gyro Car—Brown. . 16 SO DON Den BN 22. Jack Among the Indians—Grinnell. 23. Winning His Way to West Point—Malone. 24. Tom Strong—Mason. 25. Careers of Danger and Daring—Moffet. 26.: Bar B. Boys—Sabin. 27. Buffalo Bill and the Overland Trail—Sabin. 28. Young Train Dispatcher—Stevenson. 29. Wilderness Castaways—Wallace. HKighth Grade 1. Reader: One book which is a collection of material suitable for the grade should be secured. list: IX. 2. Classics to be Read: Select six from the following Evangeline—Longfellow. Snowbound—W hittier. Man Without a Country—Hale. Julius Caesar—Shakespeare. Don Quixote—Cervantes. Treasure Island—Stevenson. The Spy—James F. Cooper. Prince and the Pauper—Clemens. Two Years Before the Mast—R. Dana. 10. Call of the Wild—Jack London. 11. Boy’s Life of Abraham Lincoln—Helen Nicolay. 12. Bob, Son of Battle—Alfred Ollivant. 13. Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch—Alice Rice. 14. Florence Nightingale—Laura E. Richards. 3. Books for the Library Table: (See 7th Grade). ight e ETE FS Ges TNO ee Material to be Used: Outlined in Six Weeks .Periods. Grade One Six Weeks Period Pre-Primer work. The purpose of pre-primer work is two-fold. a. To teach the child to associate pictures and objects with the printed symbol; b. To familiarize the child with a word list intro- ductory to the primer list. See Sections VIII-X-XIII. Work in Primer and helps as outlined in the Teacher’s Manual of the system used. Use 30 to 50 pages basal Text and then read first section of other Primers. Introduce Phonics. Read from Primers following plan of reading earlier pages of each book, rather than completing any one. Continue Primer work, drill work. etc. Read at least five Primers before taking up First Readers. Introduce some Silent Reading. Follow same plan of sectioning First Readers as was done in Pri- mers. Group children in pairs for reading orally without the teach- er’s supervision. Continue work with First Readers. From seven to twelve books in all should be read in the first grade. Grade Two Six Weeks Period Continue throughout the year drill work in Flash Cards and Phon- ics. Read beginning portions of several readers. Follow plan of the Basal System in use. Continue drill work. Use both oral and silent reading emphasizing the former through group w ies 1 Oe -Continue work of previous session. Continue work of previous session. Continue work of previous session. At least five readers should be read in class and group exercises. Also several should be read as individual projects. Grade Three Six Weeks Period Note—When a certain classic is called for, others from the list may be substituted. 1, Se asks oo eee Continue Flash Card Drill—also Phonics work. Continue work in both Oral and Silent Reading. Introduce plan of Section I of this course of study. Use-Readers. Continue work of first period. Read Fifty-Famous Stories, as well as readers. Continue work of previous period. Read Grimm’s Fairy Tales, and readers. Continue work of previous period. Read Zuni Folk Tales, and readers. . Continue work of previous period. Read Dutch Twins and readers. Continue work of previous period. Read Fast O’ the Sun and read- ers. A total of at least 8 or 10 books should be read. Grade Four Six Weeks Period Note—When a certain classic is called for, others from the list may be substituted. I CVO Cab) Follow outline of work given in Section I of this course of study. Use readers throughout the year. Read Adventures of Pinnocchio. See Ist Period. In addition read Andersen’s Fairy Tales. See lst Period. Read Adventures of a Brownie. See Ist Period. Read Little White Indian Boy. See Ist Period. Read Peter Pan. See Ist Period. Read Krag and Johnny Bear. Every child should read at least eight or ten books during the year. Grade Five Six Weeks Period Note—When a certain classic is called for another from the list may be substituted. ie Ano Follow outline of work given in Section I of this course of study, throughout the year. Also use readers during entire year; select material. Read Heidi. See first period. Read Wonder Book. See first period. Read Just So Stories. See first period. Read Lives of the Hunted. See first period. Read A Dog of Flanders. See first period. Read Bird’s Christmas Carol. Every child should read at least ten books. Grade Six Six Weeks Period Note—When a certain classic is called for another from the list may be substituted. 1. Follow outline of work given in Section I of this course of study throughout the year. Make selections from the reader during the entire year. Read Robinson Crusoe. See first period. Read Two Little Confederates. See first period. Read King of the Golden River. 18 See first period. Read Jungle Book. ; See first period. Read Rip Van Winkle. . See first period. Read Wild Animals I Have Known. Every child should read at least ten books. Shieh ie Grade Seven Six Weeks Period Note—When a certain classic is called for another from the same list may be substituted. Continue the work of the previous grades in perceptual drills. Fol- low the reading outline in Section. I. Read Two Little Savages. See first period. Read Courtship of Miles Standish. See first period. Read King Arthur Poems. See first period. Read Kindred of the Wild. See first period. Read Great Stone Face. ome period. Read Jo’s Boys. Every pupil should read at least ooks. rt eh Grade Eight Six Weeks Period Note—When a certain classic is called for another from the same list may be substituted. 1. Continue the work of the previous grades in perceptual drills. Fol- low the outline in Section I. Use selections from the Reader. Read Treasure Island. See first period. Read Prince and The Pauper. See first period. Read Snowbound. See first period. Read Julius Caesar. See first period. Read Evangeline. See first period. Read The Man Without a Country. Pupils of this grade should read at least 12 books. Deno X. The Daily Program in Reading. What can be expected as a minimum in daily reading pro- gram in the average rural school? _ First a general reading period as described in Section I participated in by all the children of the school. This provides for twenty-five to thirty minutes of reading diversified as silent reading, oral reading and tests. Such a program provides ade- quately for the needs of the upper grades so far as formal in- struction in reading is concerned. Second, with beginners, there should be provided at least one other ten to fifteen minute oral reading period under the immediate direction of the teachers: Such a class should be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the system of reading in use. Most teachers will find it advisable to follow the Manual furnished with the basal readers in use. The pur- pose should be to widen the:child’s reading vocabulary, to teach him right reading habits, and to introduce’material that may be read independently in later unsupervised periods. Third, in addition to this period a five minute phonics pe- riod should be provided during the day. Phonics instruction should be given separate from the regular reading period. 19 When it can be more easily done several five minute read- ing periods for primary children will be found even more satis- factory than one ten or fifteen minute period. Where time al- lows a second supervised reading period for other primary grades is advisable, but not absolutely necessary. Fourth, provision should be made on the study program of all except the upper grades for a number of reading periods to take the place of the usual provision for busy work and study periods. Most of the time devoted to both of these ac- tivities is wasted time. These periods may consist of: (a) Group oral reading in the back of the room. (See Section IIT.) (b) Reading by groups of the younger children under the direction of an older child who can spare the time. See Section IV.) (c) Individual reading by pupils in spdre time. It will be:found an excellent plan where room and furniture permit to provide a “Reading Table” in the rear of the room where children may read books, magazines, etc. This makes it easier to control this activity than it is when children read at their desks. Some day, rural schools will have “Library Rooms” off from the main classroom for this and other activities, so situate ed as to be easily supervised by the teacher. (d) Much of the material outlined to be read in the Course of Study in History, Nature Study, Geography, Hy- giene, etc. before formal study of an organized curriculum be- gins, can be handled successfully in these unsupervised read- ing periods. XI. Correct Habits in Early Reading. 1. The child should not point to words being read. Use a strip of cardboard or tagboard the width of the page as a place finder. 2. The teacher should set a good example in board work by not pointing to words. 3. Phonics should follow the learning of a beginning vo- cabulary, not precede it. 4. Have the child read the sentence silently clear through before attempting to read it orally. 5. Word drills should not be on single words, but with the words in sentences. 6. Keep books on the book shelf and pass them out as re- quired for work assigned. The same is true of other material used. 7. Have the child interested in the story to be read before trying to read it through; this may be accomplished by telling part of the story, talking about its pictures, etc. 20 XII. Using Group Reading as Busy Work. One of the outstanding problems of the rural school is work for the younger children during long periods of the day between recitations. These periods may be made valuable by putting in various reading exercises; these may be oral group reading in the back of the room, oral reading in pairs by the primary children, phrase or sentence drills with a child as lead- er, phonic drills with a child as leader, and silent book reading at the reading table. XIII. Thorndike Word List. The following list of words are taken from “The Teachers’ Word Book” E. L. Thorndike, published by Teachers’ College, Columbia University by special permission. The words used are the 500 occurring most commonly in child literature. a being company fall about believe corn family above best could far across better country fast after between course father again big cover fear against bird cross feel air black cut feet all blow dark few almost blue day field alone body dead fill along book dear find also both death fine always boy deep fire am bread did first and bring die five an brother do floor among brought does flower another build done fly answer burn door follow any but down food apple buy draw foot are by dress for arm call drink form around came drive . found AM) can during four at care each free away carry ear fresh back case early friend bad cause earth from ball certain east front bank change eat full be child egg garden bear children end gave because church enough general become city even get bed clear ever girl been close every give before cold eye given begin color face glad behind come fair go 21 him himself his hold home hope horse hot hour house how hundred lead learn leave left length less let letter life light like line little live long look lost love low made make man many mark matter may me mean measure meet men might mile milk mind mine miss money month more morning most mother mountain move much must my name near need never next night no north not nothing now number person picture piece place plain plant play please point poor power present pretty reason receive red remember remain rest rich ride right river road rock roll room round run said sail same 22 Saw say school sea second see seem seen send sent serve set several shall she ship short should show side sight silver since sing sister sit six sleep small Ye) soft soldier some something sometime son soon sound south speak spring stand Start state stay step still stone stop story street strong such summer sun sure sweet table take talk “4 tell ten than thank that the their then them there these they thing think third this those though thought thousand three through till to-day together too took top town train tree true try turn two under until 23 why wide will wind window winter wish with without woman wood word work world would write year yet you young your Course of Study in Language 1. Teacher’s Reference Books: Teachers should be provided with the following in addi- tion to the regular text; include them in your textbook order: Sheridan: “Speaking and Writing English,’ Benj. H. Sanborn & Co. or, Mahoney: “Standard i in ‘English, i World Book Co. Alsc. Meek and Wilson: “English Today” Book III, Scribner’ s for material on conducting an English Club.” Peterson: “First Steps in English Composition” ra sug- gestions on conducting a class, and on vitalizing descriptive matter. Adsit: “Sense Training by Games,” University of Wyo- ming. Deming: “Language Games for All Grades,’ Beckley, Cardy Co. This course is very largely based on Sheridan’s “Speaking and Writing English,” and all quotations not otherwise cred- ited are from this book. II. Plan for the Use of This Course of Study. This course is designed to accomplish certain definite pur- poses in the rural schools. Chief among these are: (a) Proper emphasis of Oral English. (b) Effective attention to the elimination of incorrect usage. (c) Fixing of definite standards of accomplishment for each grade. (d) Such combination of classes‘as will reduce the num- ber of recitations daily, with a proportionately greater time for the recitation period of each child. Consequently the proposed daily program given below provides for: First. A daily drill in correct usage. Second. A balanced course in Oral English, Written En- glish, and Formal Grammar, in the order of their importance to the child in the formation of correct language habits. Third. Such combination of classes as will allow for lar- ger groups and fewer recitations. This program is suggestive only. It should be modified to meet the requirements and conditions of each school. In some cases it will be found advantageous to place the 3rd grade 24. with the intermediate group for some written work.» The teacher should preserve fluidity in her grouping, allowing the borderline children to work in one or two groups as the needs of the children suggest. | The following daily language program will aid the teacher in formulating one fitting her conditions. Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday. 5 minutes Correct Usage, Pronunciation and Enunciation Drill 15 minutes Grades Grades Tens ral io Oral’ 4—3 Oral 15 minutes 1—8 1-8 4—6 (ral 4--6 Oral 4-6 Oral 15 minutes Vacate ea 7=—§ Orain 7-48: Oral) '7—8 Oral Oral Language lessons for grades 4-8 may be combined. Types of material to be used will be described in succeed- ing sections. III. Drill Work: The five minute drill period provided for in the preceding section should be given every day. ‘Two general types of work may be taken up. (a) Drills for the correction of incorrect language forms, as I done it, I seen it, I come yesterday. (b) Drills for the correction of faulty pronunciation and enunciation. The teacher can best make her own list of words for each type of drill. A survey of the errors of speech, pronunciation and enunciation common to the community will give better re- sults than one secured from any Course of Study. The following are types of drills for the correction of er- rors in language forms, with directions for giving them. They should be given daily. They may be supplemented by language games, in the lower grades. ‘The teacher should give either the incorrect form, or a question calling for the correct form and the children should respond in unison with the correct form. In the country school _all the children should work together m these drills. Other methods of response which may be used after the children be- come accustomed to the drills are: 1. Have children respond individually. 2. The children may be divided into two groups, and take sides, then the sentences are responded to, first by one side and then by the other. 3. Questions and incorrect forms may be written on the board and the responses made in writing. 25 Types of Drills to be Used: Teacher Pupils I seen a man. I saw a man. He et some candy. He ate some candy. I come to school yesterday. I came to school yesterday. She drunk a glass of water. She drank a glass of water. " I done my lesson. I did my lessons. I ain’t got no chalk. I have no chalk. Teacher . Pupil What did you see this morning? I saw a horse this morning. What did you eat for breakfast? I ate some mush for breakfast. Did you do your work? Yes, I did my work. What did you drink this morning? I drank some milk this morning. What have you seen to-day? I have seen a horse to-day. Who took my book? It was he. The following are types of words, expressions, and verb forms which are often incorrectly used. Either of the above two types of drills may be used for the correction of them. Forms of verb to be—am not; is not; are not. Contractions—isn’t; aren't. Past participle for the imperfect form—seen; done. Verbs with similar forms—tlie, lay; sit, sat. Double negative—I ain’t got no; I don’t have no. Inelegant expressions—off of; awfully; terrible; per- fectly lovely ; lots of. 7. Use of the wrong word—learned,taught; funny, queer; theirselves, themselves; acrost, across; feel nicely, fell well. 8. Double subject—these-they ; John-he; The boys-they ; Rose-she. The daily drills in correct forms of speech will be of more value in establishing good habits in speech than will studies given over to more detail. For enunciation drills the following list borrowed from Sheridan is given. Such a list should be supplemented by words commonly mispronounced in the community, or vy words that will tend to correct slovenly habits of speech. COIN tea ag He arctic depths e height perhaps again different history pillow athlete discovery hollow poem attacked drowned hundred poetry asked eleven jewelry strength business elm kept studied catch every length sword children fellow library to-morrow chimney geography machinery usually deaf government often vellow delivery grocery overalls In General “1. Give drill lessons to correct faults of enunciation, until the pupils form the habit of avoiding the faults in ordin- ary speech. 2. Show the proper position and use of the necessary or- gans of speech involved in the production of the correct sound. 3. Pronounce slowly, enunciate clearly and distinctly. With foreign children sound is of greater importance than the form in the beginning. 4. Give special attention to ear-training. 5. Train the pupils to listen carefully to the teacher, to watch her speak, and to imitate her. 6. Insist all the time upon careful enunciation, exact enunciation—no LWINGEIS, (Oy wahter,., OL, Sawt,.. nO “yveh’s” no “yep’s” for yes.’’—Sheridan. IV. Oral Language. ‘Oral Language is more than mere conversation. Accord- ing to Sheridan—‘Oral composition as the term is used in this course of study, means a great deal more than ordinary talking or conversation, which as often as not is fragmentary and dis- connected. By oral composition is meant a body of connected speech, large enough in scope to demand attention -to its struc- ture and form. All the qualities that are to be developed in the written composition may be, and ought to be, developed first in the oral exercise: Choice and‘variety of words, qual- ity and variety of sentences, and arrangement of sentences in a paragraph. This development will, of course, be slow and gradual. But there will be no improvement at all unless children are habituated from the first to be critical of their spoken English, in so far, at least, as the more flagrant mis- takes in syntax are concerned, and the more fundamental mat- ters of sentence structure and use of connectives.” And, “An effective course in oral composition should in- clude the following essential things: (1) Much opportunity for free self-expression. (2) Constant attention to matters of voice, enunciation, pronunciation, and inflection. (3) The training of children, by constant practice, to compose oral paragraphs upon simple themes, and the devel- opment, through these, of some elementary skill in selecting, arranging, and expressing their ideas. (4) Unremitting efforts in all grades to eliminate the common errors of speech.” (p. 5). Several other points in connection with oral composition need emphasis: 1. Sheridan advocates the three sentence oral composi- tion in 1 all erades when the work is first started. In the lower 27 grades a three or four sentence oral composition should be the standard even later. 2. One of the fundamental purposes of all composition, and especially the oral work, is to develop what Sheridan calls “sentence sense.” (pp. 40-45). One of the chief causes of error, in written composition, even up into the grammar grades, is the inability to recognize sentences. Mastery of this problem does not come through teaching a definition of a sentence, but through constant drill. Several oral sentences may be devel- oped while one is being written. Consequently oral composi- tion offers a field for the development of this ability to “feel” sentences. Do not use technical terms. Sentences either say something or ask something. Assignments in oral composition below the grammar grades should be in the form of “Prepare a (number) sentence composition on such and such a subject.” 3. Get rid of the “run-on’” sentence; “and”, “so } and “then”, participial phrases, and groups of clauses are to be avoided. Insist on short simple sentences’ in all primary and intermediate grades. 4. Use subjects that are personal and definite. The fol- lowing are examples of good and poor subjects for composi- tion work: Poor Because Im- ‘ Good personal Poor Because Indefinite My Baseball outfit The Horse How I spent my Vacation My New Dress Our Flag A Day in the Woods My Pet Dog My First Job My New Radio An Automobile The Weather Mountains A Week-end in Camp A Long Trip Wyoming See Sheridan, Mahoney, and Peterson for suggestions. 5. ‘Teach pupils to select some single phase or point in connection with a subject and elaborate on that. ‘The fol- lowing examples taken from Sheridan will illustrate this point: Good Children’s Day “Sunday is children’s day. We have to say many things. I will shiver while I am saying them.” Today “To-day it is raining. I have no coat. But I will not get wet. I have an umbrella.” Poor The Butterflies “The butterflies are very pretty. They have wings of many colors. There are many different kind of butterflies.” Flag Day “To-day is Flag Day. The first flag was made by Betsy Ross. It was made June fourteen.”’ There is also much good material in Peterson on this point with suggestions for securing a single point of view. 6. An effort should be made to secure interesting open- ing sentences that will cause one to want to read or hear the rest of the composition. Also teach the children to avoid “tag-end” sentences in concluding a composition; teach them to say what they have to say and stop. V. Written Composition. Every problem present in the teaching of oral Dertnaciien is also present in written composition. The development of “sentence sense,’ definite personal subjects, short clear-cut sentences, elaboration of a “single phase” or point of view, good beginnings and endings are just as vital to good written work as to oral language. In addition, there are the following problems: 1. Ability to write. 2. Correct spelling. 3. Capital letters. 4. Puctuation. 5. Paragraphing. It must be remembered that every one of these problems is a conscious one for the young child. Consequently, the amount of written work should be limited, until some, at least, of these problems are solved. 1. Written work in the first grade should be developed through at least four steps. (a) Devices for learning a vocabulary, closely allied with reading. Various seat exercises may be devised by the skillful teacher. See Teacher’s Manual with Bolenius’ Primer and First Reader for various devices. Prominent among them are written directions for the coloring of hectographed or cut-out figures. (bh) sCutsup stories. to be put together and ‘read- Old primers can be utilized in this way. (c) Copying of sentences from the board with word cards. (d) Copying of sentences from the board with letter cards. Note the following points: (1) Use word and letter cards having capitals on one side and small letters on the other. Have in the set period and question marks and insist on their use. (2) Do not give the child many more words or letters than he needs for the exercise. Time spent in sorting over a miscellaneous mess of letters or words is a waste of time. “At the end of every such seat-work period, the teacher should direct the class as follows: = Before I look at your work look at it yourself to see if your letters are placed in a straight line across the desk. Is there a space between words? Read it over. Is every word there? Look at each word. Is every letter there? Are the letters right side up? Is there a capital at the beginning of every sentence? Is there a period at the end of every sentence? i si (Sheridan, page 27.) 2. Copying in script may be begun late in the first year or in the second grade. The sentences to be copied should be those developed in Oral Language. 3. The goal to be reached in the elementary grades (1 to 8) is defined by Sheridan to be: “1. To turn out pupils able to stand before the class and talk for a minute or two upon a subject within the range of their know- ledge or experience, speaking plainly, in clean-cut sentences, and without common grammatical mistakes. 2. To turn out pupils able to write with fair facility an orig- inal paragraph upon a subject within the range of their experience or their interests. Such a paragraph should show: 1. An absolute mastery of ‘the sentence idea.’ 2. Freedom from glaring grammatical mistakes. 3. Correct spelling of all ordinary words. 4. Unfailing use of the commonest marks of punctuation. 5. Some evidence of attention to matters of sentence struc- ture and to the choice of words.” (Sheridan, p. 3) See Minimal Essentials by grades, in Secton X. 4. QOne-paragraph compositions and letters are recom- mended throughout the course. Eliminate from the text-book assignment lessons calling for a larger amount of written work. No paragraph should exceed seven or eight sentences in length. Focus the attention on doing well a smaller amount of written work than has been the custom. 5. Much time is misspent in the correction of composi- tions by teachers. The following means of improving this situation are suggested: (a) Substitute for much after-class correction inspection of the work while it is being done. Individual errors may be corrected in this manner, or common errors may be discovered and the attention of the class called to them. (b) Do not forget that the purpose of this correction is not a perfect paper, but a better writer. It is not necessary to find and correct every error. ‘Hold the pupil to as:near per- fection as possible in the points he should know; ignore punc- tuation, spelling, etc., that are beyond the point he has reached in the course. Remember most children can think and say things they have not yet learned to write, and cannot be ex- pected to know how to write. (c) Center your attention on a few errors and attempt to eradicate them. Get the cooperation of the children in elim- inating these. - 6. ‘Teach pupils to correct their own compositions. Sher- idan says: “Now it is not the pupil's composition that we want to make perfect. We want to make the pupil’s power to write one a little less imperfect. The product upon which teachers expend so much time in their correction is of little importance. It is the pupil’s power to see his own defects and 30 to remedy them that is all important. The whole purpose of the teacher’s correction should be to cultivate in their pupils the habit of self-criticism. Therefore the only correction of compositions that is of any earthly use is that which trains pupils to correct their own.” As a means of assisting the child in the correction of his own composition the following points should be observed by the pupil: “1. To select a subject out of his experience which he is sure can be handled interestingly in a single short paragraph. 2. To settle what particular phase of his experience he shall choose for the “point” of the paragraph. 3. To think over in advance a title for the paragraph which shall best express the particular “point” selected. 4. To think out in advance a good beginning sentence that will lead straight to the heart of the thing, instead of wasting half the paragraph “getting ready to get ready” to tell the story. 5. To think out an ending sentence that will clinch the point of the story—preferably a sentence carrying the writer’s personal reaction upon the experience narrated or described. 6. To hold himself to the use of fairly short sentences, each of which has one and only one principal thought. 7. After the first rough draft, to correct and improve the paragraph, by reading it “out loud to himself” several times, paying attention separately to such matters as, these: (a) The first time to inspect and improve the paragraph as a whole; good title; prompt beginning; snappy ending; no trivial detail; better choice of words—more expressive verbs, more telling adjectives. (b) The second time to improve his sentence structure and his grammar; to note when a long sentence may be broken into two shorter ones with advantage, or when a succession of very short sentences, giving a “choppy” effect, may be made into slightly longer sentences, connected by some other words than “and,” or “but,” and other overworked connectives; to see that every verb agrees in number with its subject, and every pronoun with its antecedent. (c) The third time to make sure that every sentence be- gins with a capital and ends with the proper mark; to see that commas are used where they are necessary to the sense; to run his eyes over the words to see that each is spelled correctly, particularly those words which have proved his downfall many times before.’’—Sheridan. ~ 7. No written work is to be done in grades one to three, inclusive, that is not supervised by the teacher. Wherever possible, composition lessons in all grades should be super- vised. 8. Language work should be closely correlated in the lower grades with History, Geography, and Nature Study. VI. Formal Grammar. 1. No formal grammar should be taught that cannot be directly applied to the improvement of the child’s, English, _ written and spoken. 2. It is questionable if studying the rules of grammar assists much with most children in securing better diction, either oral or written. 3. The amount of grammar to be taught should be deter- mined by the needs of the elementary child and not by the de- mands of the high school teacher. 4. The following is suggested as about the amount of technical grammar that can be justified in the light of present day thought : (a) “The child entering the seventh cme should be fam- iliar with terms such as are necessary for the intelligent dis- cussion of language errors and forms that belong in the lower grades of the course. Among these are: singular and plural, possessive, sentence, etc. (b) A reasonable course for the child leaving the eighth grade might include parts of speech; elements of a simple sen- tence; how to use phrases and clauses; such classification of parts of speech as apply directly to good usage; the inflections that affect language forms; and the past participle in perfect and passive forms of the verb. (c) The following points can hardly justify their place in an elementary school course on the grounds of applicability to correct usage: classification of sentences according to form, classes of nouns other than proper and collective, classes of adverbs and adjectives, classes of pronouns, classes of verbs, case of nouns, conjugation of verbs, mood, extensive analysis of sentences, parsing, person of nouns, etc. 5. Grammar can best be taught as the child feels the need of an explanation or the reasons for language corrections. It should always be so applied. Until the child is mentally devel- oped to the point where he seeks such reasons, the teaching of formal grammar will be a waste of time. 6. If the plan suggested in Section II for the organiza- tion of the language period is followed, and an organized course in Grammar is desired, it will be necessary to provide a separate period for it during the day. VII. Memory Work and Stories. Many of the poems listed below as well as many stories can be found in “Children’s Literature,’ Curry-Clippinger, published by Rand McNally Co. ) At least six poems should be taught in each grade. First and second grade children should be grouped together, each 32 list being given in alternate years. the work may be individual, or groups of children may learn The latter will be found the most satisfactory way if the poems are to be the basis of other lan- Children may be allowed to select from each the poems of a given year. guage lessons. grade list the six poems they prefer. Stories should be read or told to the children, and made the basis of Language Lessons. — SOC LO ss Shoes — Sas ct ie ee Ot Graded Memory List Grade I (Stevenson) Rain. The Friendly Cow. My Shadow. Time to Rise. My Bed is a Boat. The Swing. The Land of Story-Books. Where Go the Boats. The Wind. Land of Counterpane. Mother Goose Rhymes. Grade II (Eugene Field) Mother and Child. Why do the Bells for Christmas Ring. The Night Wind. A Norse Lullaby. Good Children Street. Sugar-Plum Tree. The Rock-a-bye Lady. Wynken, Blynken and Nod. The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat. Little Boy Blue. Grade III The Children’s Hour—Longfellow. Hiawatha’s Childhood—Longfellow. Hiawatha’s Friends—Longfellow. The Piper—William Blake. My Playmate—William Blake. The Barefoot Boy—William Cullen Bryant. Who Has Seen the Wind—Rosetti. Boats Sail on the Rivers—Rosetti. Daisies—Frank Dempster Sherman. Snowbird—Frank Dempster Sherman. 33 Above the second grade —" — — —_— — OM a Sa OR a= ae fa ee ar Se had eae ne te a EN Rectiee oT NS tor C9 IN Grade IV The Mountain and the Squirrel—Emerson. October’s Bright Blue Weather—Jackson. A Visit from St. Nicholas—Moore. The Walrus and the Carpenter—Lewis Carroll. America—Smith. Wyoming State Song—Winter. The Village Blacksmith—Longfellow. In School Days—Whittier. Nature’s Hired Man—John K. Bangs. Robin Redbreast—Allingham. Grade V Old Ironsides—Oliver W. Holmes. The Brook—Tennyson. Landing of the Pilgrims—Hemans. A Psalm of Life—Longfellow. Star Spangled Banner—F. S. Key. Lochinvar—Scott. ‘ Bugle Song—Tennyson. Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind—Shakespeare. Paul Revere’s Ride—Longfellow. The Sand Piper—Celia Thaxter. Grade VI Columbus—Joaquin Miller. Charge of the Light Brigade—Tennyson. Hohenlinden—Campbell. Incident of the French Camp—Browning. He Prayeth Best—Coleridge. The Day is Done—Longfellow. To a Waterfowl—Bryant. Abou Ben Adhem—Leigh Hunt.. The Flag Goes By—Bennett. Breathes There the Man—Scott. Grade VII Flanders Field—McCrae. The Name of Old Glory—Riley. The Chambered Nautilus—Holmes. For a’ That—Burns. Vision of Sir Launfal—Lowell. “What is so rare as a day in June?” Daffodils—William Wordsworth. Battle Hymn of the Republic—Julia W. Howe. The Shepherd of King Admetus—Lowell. Home Thoughts from Abroad—Browning. From “Horatius’—T. B. Macaulay. Grade VIII O Captain, My Captain—Whitman. Tree—Kilmer. Address at Gettysburg—Lincoln. Song of the Chattahoochee—Lanier. Recessional—Kipling. The Rhodora—Emerson. I Would Be True (My Creed)—Walters. The Soldier—Rupert Brooke. Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight—Lindsay. Elegy Written in a Country Church Yard.—Thomas Gray. 34 “4 VIII. Picture Study in the Language Course. Material for the Teachers How to Show Pictures to Children—Hurll, Houghton, Mifflin Co. Appreciation of Pictures—Bulletin U. S. Bureau of Edu- cation, Washington, D. C Art Bulletin No. Walls and Pictures, University of North Dakota, Fargo, North Dakota. Home iho tetera Bulletin— Pictures Suitable for Home and School, State Agricultural College, Ames, Iowa. Leaflets dealing with the different painters may be se- cured ata isirinsene! cost from C. M. Parker Publishing Co., Taylorville, Il. Where to Secure Pictures Prints may be secured from any of the following, as well as from others not listed: Campbell Art Co., Elizabeth, New Jersey. Lincoln Art Co., Lincoln, Nebraska. Elson Art Publishing Co., Belmont, Mass. . Brown Robertson Co., Inc., 415 Madison Ave., New York. Colonial Art Co., 1336 W. Ist, Oklahoma City. Picture Study in the Language Class For work in picture study, schools may use the miniature prints in booklets, calendars, and for other decorative pur- poses. In addition the school should have a larger print, large enough to be seen over the room, of the picture being studied each period. These can be bought in excellent color prints at a very nominal cost. It is suggested that the eroup recommended for First Grade be bought the first year, for the rural school, and that they be studied by the entire school. The following year, the second grade group may be bought, and studied with a brief review of the previous year’s list. This plan may be con- tinued from year to year, at a very small annual cost to the school. At the end of an eight year period the school will possess a very fine collection of 48 color prints, and the child- ren who have covered such a course will be familiar with good reproductions of a number of the world’s great paintings. Prints of a uniform size, not less than approximately 8 by 10 inches, should pe secured, mounted, if possible, on mounts of uniform ‘size. A frame with removable back can then be bought or made by the boys in manual training of a size to fit these mounts. and the picture of each period can be hung ina prominent place while being studied, to be replaced by the next on the list, the following period. The prints not in use should be kept in some durable receptacle to prevent their be- ing injured and getting soiled. 35 Miniatures of each picture should be used, of course, dur- ing the same period in which it is studied. An effort should be made to study pictures that are appropriate to the period in which they are being used. For example, one of the Ma- donnas should be studied at the Christmas season; patriotic . pictures during February; etc. Grade I Six From the Following List: Feeding ‘Her Birds. Moc aeere oR as a ee Millet Interior (of a Cott ge. 5 ae 65 ee ne ae Isreals Baby cssttar ta cetncstaccecaey lrpes amare ei ceane te eee eee Van Dyck SUPPER DAMM | ooasece peer eaten nicceeteeacree tree ones cgay i gee Klumpke Madonnaot ‘thé! Chairie cio ot Re Se Fone ee Raphael Girl With A pple 222g 0 ee Ee rte tee ee Greuze On (the Beach eee eer ce ee a ee Blommers Cat and (Kittens [iio eae see se ce ee ee Adam Amyel tbl ends: 00S. so cs Seb ie As Pe cece ee Reynolds There :Is' No’ Place Dike’ Home.) 22.4525.22 eae eee ee Firle Grade II Six From the Following List: In Pear and, Trembling... 7 noes cater ee ea SOWA eke 2 Oe eo aes eee eee Pa ee ee eee Barber The Helping Hand U3 20g ee cee dee Renouf SVE aa Ree eect ncn ey TAR sapien ces 90 pag Pe ee ee ee Landseer The’, Divine; Shepherdivnk Qawnk Wie ee eee Murillo Children iiCatching (Mumowsau4:2.4... 225he eee ee eee Ae 1 Oe Et Se ene n et Min cn men cas ec DR ea eT Sullen TH ar va py OAC Cn oat coe ee gee sconce tanthg aa eMac ees Ee tes ee Maud Earl Par’ the PASt Ore ee ow coche ce tence ant ae cate och eae ge ete Dupre Av Scanty “Meal 2 test. 2 Ee eee, ee Herring Grade III Six From the Following List: GChildrén:ot/ Charles Aine fortis ei ei ee ee Van Dyck The’ Sewing, chools 0G nthe ges ei alata ate Pee ee ADEA OTe LDMOCEN COLT sou eeuk aes es ee ees ee Reynolds A Distinguished Member of the Humane Society..........0............... Landseer The Childrenwf the Shella yagi AR ee ee eee Murillo The Boyhood ‘ottRaleighrsivec ee eee Millais ThepFog. Warning 23 cha ene ee Homer Aésthe Cottawe Doorsi0 ii eh Be ee eee Mauve In the Pas trre ee ee ee eee ee Jacque A Flower Girl m Hollands ee ea ee Hitchcock Grade IV Six From the Following List: Lhe knitting alessome 3 ale ee ee Millet Deertin :the: Horestace Go ae ee Bonheur The Coming of the White: Mairi ee eee ceria ee Reid Shoeitip ‘the Bay" Mare sons fhe Te eee Landseer Adoration sofithen lagi. Giese ee ae ei ae ees Velasquez The Appeal to the Great Spirit......... PP TEAMS Lala! WR ce R DS ee APF ate Bad yo Dallin A’ Golden Antumn sDayie Bet ole ehh he ce ea Marche SOLiNn gg es, tee cel wie eoede ts OPE cane i 2 Be Sn re een ee Douglass By the: River i654 56 oe lo ere eee Lerolle Bringing’ Home, the. New’ Borns Cali. coe. eae Millet 36 Grade V Six From the Following List: eyed Tad sa aah «FUE CES BEE 9 SB Melee? ee OR oC RE eae WR eed Mauve SUCRE Uh S52 JEON AU MU RY steel 5 ASD a SOIR cee EER CO MIRON ae 200 A Mauve ale pte aLe Ges Cale vera) hy Relelay As ANAS Shae Re al ks WR Uo foda Sembee Pec CSN Johnson ABT ASC ALES Ti ig, asia at eg Sa ae AS aa eel a GOL aR 8 Dupre Lae Care at dead DEG og acl ei a EEE DINE 5 Papell a ER adh gE a Troyon Taf P TE alee RE CoML ON FT bared eo MAP Rape LE AG RESS At aes 4 WAG A El eRe eka The Shepherdess... ye Ay PEM TRG kare PR eR ... Lerolle Washington Crossing Mien Dlelaw ater Uli aee Late cc aeete Lentre are Oe ETON CROs ee stre liie en a ee aa aw Lerolle CLCKEL Wa Ta REE Peerage Cel NLD tp 5 A Mea OR pete ae Rh aE De Forest Brush Grade VI Six From the Following List: Re OOS a eee ieee a rues Ob) el ala A) ely Hobbema EUSP OCR ih 9 vif abe? JA GL as Se ct i ROC er an Re ly Daa an RNAI LE Breton Deemer he erivena tierra s ete inl Vln nes oe Moag ) ut ees aed Turner pi iemaa sey Hiairmm cues? Coke apm heey oh y ee eee eg Cl Bonheur NT oh wt aot &a ns ENP CATE one ula? SUT God Re CH ey ee AON AE UN iTS We Peete ELS Bonheur BOTSIOT Ci ld PERS AYCAT «Vad het Se Sena Roe EN LA RUG AL est el AMEN TDM aR 8 Millet SRarVMR rare RTS en er aeh es Nester ain oe Ly ral eee el ed by Millet Sirermt terior c. takear eh ono Jo Welvew aks ee SMA Be ee Ne Mee |) Millet oe MC ea Nye a EAR es Wed flere Aa a Rs a ee On am ..Watts hn 2) LET On IV E UA ai OR a AL enge Mak Ee PRD To EAB Set _-Ruysdael PEM tUa Riad On tthe UCDO mii cous. sole ead Ae eet Bouveret Grade VII Six From the Following List: FOal OroArc: Fearing’ the) Voicess cs 20 i wie eh Bastien Le Page MC ATA PEM gE cb ah Shas of gtevay Ns Wh Mtg Bea. Oa AS te Par EEL ODI NPE RA RE MP Corot SERB CICeH i> turret ar hr mun eee ee Se ie ah Jones PACE NCeT Gey TILT) Sentero ae Ween mene rmes Mine eh) Corot COT ANSGAR MES 28 SEG on a es Aa, SN 0 ee ORLY bh UH ya Opportunity and hie PS cables ac AP tated UAL ah” A ot CO ne em ese LTE Ryland Spier isu. Pa 3 Bas Ok ep, | Sy ae eS i a LD 9 5 Pe emai herr ist suki other ies. cies) yeti Go iN SONNE Whistler EINE b oo ki Yo Dc WE Wap 8 NY Dione lea Be AD Ei U9 AUN | A OT Ue eg a ek RET COM VE ALOT Ila LOK lesey bl Scene tacit aor Ate ee Ed ia a ae Raphael Grade VIII Six From the Following List: PON dpe td LE at aie Che eal I aD ail 2 CENA a atic oY A SILO in a AB Guido Reni Be GPS SP oT bE hn W222 SANE ae a ae STE RY Se OR A Fat ORME END OY OREM Rembrandt Piliawe ea Citipnirom ¢hLOmen! wale. wisi ea ON Ae a, Alma ‘Tadema ineeasinoiippenor Nonanl tsa hes Leonardo de Vinci APG ROE SS for 3G QM ga ag A GS PMG USAT NOS Nan A Pate OMG PA URE NR Al aa Willard Signing the Declaration of Independence........0.2..21..20..2.-.ececeeneeeeoee Trumbull rT) PeLTHAL IT PESTITGOIIT ste Se ten Hsin) UGB Rh RL a ee Saint Gaudens Bye corr rics ri arent sos Seale se gu rt Med Wales nk eed Youll Gh a Gilbert Stuart ERTL Ct AAT OAL ACIS@ LL AYRE) Vecith spiel ade udkaccustictassabene sabes peeacoul Munkacsy em Me eaten ral cami Ua eet Me Leia tiene cat th Te DleCaay may cua PIM AC Thee teks wh er, ore ene ea Ue ete ene e weee COLT eS B10 wo “NI IX. Work of Each Grade—Use of the Text Book. There has been outlined above, work in each of the fol- lowing fields: Correct Usage, and Pronunciation. Oral English. Written Composition. Memory Work. wricture-study: Methods have been suggested for carrying on these lines of work. Four and five are to furnish material for both oral and written composition, as well as to be pursued for their intrin- sic worth. In the primary grades, the courses in History and Geography and in Nature Study will also furnish material for language work. The teacher should plan each six weeks ses- sion so as to care for the work called for in each of the above fields. What is the function of the text-book in such a course? The oral language work, carried out as it is in groups ignor- ing grade lines, must of necessity be independent of regular text book assignments. There will be found, however, in every text many excellent suggestions for work in this field. The written work may be carried on either as group work or as individual assignments. In the latter case the text may be very closely followed, eliminating those technicalities not in the course and exercises based on such technicalities. As a source book for material a good text is very nearly indispen- sable. wR ON X. Minimal Essentials for the Grades. What should a child know in English who passes from the fourth grade? Few teachers can answer such a question. The following standards are an attempt to answer this and similar questions. These standards are derived from two sources: The general plan, with examples of compositions are from Sheri- dan’s “Speaking and Writing English.” In addition ten to twelve of the most commonly used text books on the market have been analyzed to find what technical points are common to the majority of these. All such material has not been in- cluded in the work required to meet standards, but some add1- tions to Sheridan’s standards have been made on this basis: © Fach year, before taking up the advance work, teachers should make sure that children are able to meet the standards of previous years. First Grade (a) The child should be able to give oral composition as good as the following, and should be able to copy them from the board with letter cards meeting the requirements in (b): 38 “1. In vacation I went to Boston. I saw the animals in Franklin Park. I liked the elephants best.” “2. Mary and I took a walk. We found a lost baby. We took it home to its mother.” “3. I wanted a ball very much. Mother has just given me one. It is a big blue one.’’—Sheridan. (b) The following are the standards for the letter card work at the close of the year: Speedy handling of cards. Placing letters right side up. Correct spacing of words. Making an even line across the desk. Correct use of capital and period. Correct spelling. Pupil’s name. Pupil’s address. . Name of School. (c) Six poems as well as Mother Goose Rhymes are to be committed to memory. (d) Children should have some familiarity with six pic- tures. (e) Asaresult of drills and games children should know that 15 or 20 of the common errors of speech are wrong, what the correct forms are, and should have made some progress in eliminating these errors from their daily speech. Second Grade ~The Second Grade should be able to meet all standards set for the First Grade, and in addition, the following: (a) Oral composition as good as the following: “1, My cat cried and woke me up. I took her into bed with me. She got black hairs all over the bed.”’ “2. I pulled a string around the room. I didn’t know the cat was lying under the stove. He jumped out. That made me jump.” “3. When I[ was going up the walk, I saw a black thing on the porch. I was afraid. When I got upon the steps, I saw it was only my dog trying to get in.”—Sheridan. Elimination of the “run-on,”’ “and,’ and “and so” sen- tences should be a goal set for this year. (b) Written compositions: 1. Ability to write three or four sentence compositions like those in (a) of original composition. 2. Correct use of the capital at the beginning of the sen- tence, in persons’ names, and in the child’s address. 3. The period and question mark at the close of the sen- tence. . 4. The name of the school. (c) Six additional poems. (d) Six additional pictures. (e) A continuation of the drill work for correct usage, pronunciation and enunciation. 39 SO CO NID) on BO De Third Grade All standards set for grades below with the following in addition: (a) Oral compositions as good as the following: “This morning was the first time I drove my uncle’s horse. When I took him back to the barn and gave him some hay, he jumped. I think he jumped for joy.” “When I cross the street, I walk to the corner first. I look both ways. Ifa car or an auto is coming, I wait until it passes.” “My letter carrier wears a gray suit with brass buttons. He carries a leather bag over his shoulder. In this bag he puts the mail. He blows a whistle when he comes to the door.” —Sheridan. (b) Written Composition: 1. Paragraph form should be introduced in this grade in three or four sentence compositions. 2. Same uses of capitals as in the second grade and in ad- dition with names of places, days of the week, months of the year, town or postoffice, and Wyoming. 3. Periods at the close of sentences, and after abbrevia- tions of Mr., Mrs., Dr., St. or Ave., Wyo., and possibly the abbreviations of the months. 4. Question mark and exclamation point. (c) Six additional poems. Review those learned befo¢e. (d) Six additional pictures. (e) A continuation of the work in correct usage, pronun- ciation, and enunciation, with written work in correct usage added. Fourth Grade All standards set for grades below with the following added: (a) Oral compositions up to the following standards: “THE SURPRISE “This morning I woke up at five o’clock. I hurried and dressed so I could surprise mother and father when they got up. When I went out into the kitchen they were all dressed. It was a surprise to me instead of to them.” A’ POOR) VACATION PORV ME “During vacation my sister is going to work. I will have to keep house in her place. I wish vacation would never come this year. I would rather go to school one hundred years than keep house one day.”—Sheridan. Work for clear enunciation, voice pitched low, just loud enough to be heard clearly throughout the room. Do not ex- ceed four or five sentences. Emphasize the “single phase” idea, and good beginnings and endings. (b) In written composition, keep up to all standards set in previous years. In addition teach: 7 1. One paragraph friendly letters. 2. Capitals. As in previous grades, and in names of holi- days and geographical names, first word of line of poetry, and initials. 3. Period as in Third Grade and after initials. 4. Comma used in letter writing. 5. Abbreviations used in letter writing. 6. Contractions: Isn’t, didn’t, and others in common 7 . Arrangement of words in alphabetical order. (c) Six additional poems. (d) Six additional pictures. (e) Continue drill on correct usage, pronunciation and enunciation. Do not teach technical grammar. (f) Use of markings of letters as a guide to pronuncia- tion. Fifth Grade All standards set for grades below with the following in addition : | (a) Oral compositions up to the following standards: BURIED TREASURE “Theodore and I buried some treasures. We dug a hole about fifteen inches deep. We put into it an old nail file, two cents, and a secret sign. I wonder what they will look hke when we dig them up a year from now.” NO CATS WANTED “When I went out to water my garden last evening whom should I see sitting among my radishes but my cat. She does not like to get wet, so I sprinkled water all over until she scampered away. I guess that taught her not to sit in my garden again.”— Sheridan. Continue to emphasize the sentence idea, the “single- phase” idea, and good endings and beginnings. Insist on sub- jects being personal and specific. Not over four or five sen- LENGes: (b) Written Composition: 1. Standards set for Grade Four. 2. Limit all compositions to the single paragraph. 3. Capitals: Titles of compositions; addressing envel- opes. 4. Apostrophe in possessives. 5. Expand work on contractions. (c) Six additional poems. (d) Six additional pictures. (e) Continue drill on correct usage, pronunciation and enunciation. Continue written work. Also introduce some work in reason why forms are incorrect. No formal grammar. ({) Introduce dictionary work. (¢) Singular and plural. 41 Sixth Grade (a) Continue work for points already emphasized in oral composition. Do not exceed five or six sentences in length. Debate may be introduced in this grade. Example of standard sixth grade oral composition: CANT H © laa be “Bessie told me that she could tell if I liked butter or not. I thought she was silly, but I let her test me. She put a buttercup under my chin. The reflection made my chin yellow, so she said I liked butter. As a matter of fact I don’t like butter. So I told her she wasn’t so wonderful after all.’-—Sheridan. (b) Written composition is confined to the one para- graph composition of five or six sentences. Keep up to all standards of lower grades. Additional work for the 6th Grade: -~ 1. The Business Letter. 2. Quotation marks and other punctuation of simple quo- tations. Do not go in for involved uses of quotation marks. 3. Abbreviations of titles in common use not already taught. (c) Six additional poems. (d) Six additional pictures. (e) ‘The drill work should be continued. Reasons for in- correct forms and formal instruction may be extended. ({) Formal grammar, if taken up at all, should not go beyond the more common parts of speech and subject and pre- dicate Singular and plural, possessives, etc. should be taught. (g) Children when they leave this grade should be able to use dictionary for both pronunciation and definitions of words. Seventh Grade Hold to all standards of previous grades. (a) In oral composition introduce argumentation through debate. Not over seven or eight sentences. Some conscious effort may be introduced here in the improvement of sentence construction. Do not allow the effort to make the child self-conscious, however. Example of standard composi- tion: A GOOD LESSON FOR ME “When our principal came into my room the other day, my teacher handed him a paper I had written. -As he read it out loud to the pupils he kept stumbling over the words. I knew he didn’t stumble because he didn’t know how to read. I knew well enough it was because my writing was not good. It was a good lesson for me. Now I am trying to write so people can read it.” —Sheridan. (b) In written composition work for sentence better- ment. The following methods are suggested by Sheridan: 42 ‘4 “1. Expanding the short simple sentence by amplifying the subject and predicate by (1) a word, (2) a phrase, (3) a clause. 2. Combining sets of short sentences that have unity of thought into a single sentence. 3: Contracting long sentences, by reducing a clause to a phrase, a phrase to a word. 4. Seeking variety in sentence beginnings, and through mixing long and short sentences in the paragraph.” 1. Give work in the use of the comma in the sentence. Do not over emphasize this. 2. Fix the letter form, friendly and business. (c) Six additional poems. (d) Six additional pictures. (e) Continue drill on correct usage, etc. All technical grammar taught should be applied directly to correct or im- proved English. If it cannot be so applied, it is not yet time to teach it. ({) Read the section on “Formal Grammar.” Highth Grade The standard for Eighth Grade pupils as given by Sheri- dan is as follows: (a) Oral. bore Aims: “The aim in oral work for the eighth grade is, as was set forth in the foreword, to turn out pupils at the end of the year able to stand before the class and talk for a minute or two upon a subject within the range of their knowledge or experience, speaking plainly, in clean-cut sentences, and without common grammatical mistakes. The points emphasized in the seventh year (erect standing, clear enunciation, etc.), should be reemphasized in the eighth grade.”—Sheridan. 2. Examples of Oral Composition. DA re AB be EAI “Tt was the oral language period, and at last my name was called. I had no composition ready. We had several visitors and their eves were fixed upon me. What opinion would the visitors form about me? What would they say about our language work? I was terribly frightened and terribly sorry. Somehow all of a sudden I picked up my courage and gave a short composition. When I sat down and saw the visitors looked pleased, I was a happy girl. But never again shall I come to school without hav- ing thought of something to talk about in the oral language period.” DEMONSTRATING “Father put in his application to have a garage built in the yard for the store truck. That afternoon a man that we knew came with a new seven-seater Packard and took us for a ride. As we spun along the boulevard, he explained how to operate it. 43 Suddenly he said, “Mr. Hill, this would be a-good car for your family.” Father had not guessed his motive until then. Although we have no intentions of buying one I wish a few more demon- strators would come around.” LH E LOS LAL LN Gh “Last year in the seventh grade our teacher read us many in- teresting books. Among these was Burnett’s “The Lost Prince.” Although it was not a girl’s book, I can truthfully say that most of the girls enjoyed it immensely. It has a strong plot, and it holds the attention to the end. Our teacher usually reads to us for about five minutes in the afternoon just before dismissal, but if we scored one hundred per cent in spelling we had the pleasure of hearing her read for half an hour. Each day I went home full of praises of the wonderful book. At Christmas I was fortunate enough to receive a fine copy of the book I like so well.” —Sheridan. (b) Written: “The ability to write with fair facility an original para- graph upon a subject within the range of the pupil’s experi- ence or interests. such a paragraph should show: 1. An absolute mastery of “the sentence idea.”’ 2. Freedom from glaring grammatical mistakes. 3. Correct spelling of all ordinary words. 4. Unftailing use of the commonest marks in punctua- —Sheridan. (c) Six additional poems. (d) Six additional pictures. (e) Continue work of 7th Grade. By this time the com- mon errors should be well eliminated, ({) For Formal Grammar, see (e) and (f) of 7th Grade. ’” tion. XI. A “Good English Club.” One of the effective methods for motivating a course in oral English is through the organization of a good English Club. All children, except possibly the very youngest, can profitably belong. The teacher should, of course, act as Critic usually; sometimes an older pupil, if capable, may perform the duties of this office. The following description of the organization of such a club is taken from Meek and Wilson, “English Today” Ad- vanced Book, Charles Scribner’s Sons: One very important part of school business is‘ for boys and girls to learn to speak correctly. 1. Why is it important to speak correctly in business? 2. Why is it a social advantage to speak correctly? 3. How may incorrect speech embarrass you in life out- side of school? 4. Why should you begin at once to improve your Eng- lish? 44 “4 Not only is it necessary to speak correctly but more than that, it is important to speak effectively, which means speak- ing in such a pleasing and forceful way that what you say will have the desired effect upon your audience. The audience may be one person whom you want to influence or it may bea large group. © Think of the occasions when a person should be able to talk well. Many such times occur in your daily experience such as when you must make a good recitation at school; when you may wish to talk to strangers and when you want to per- suade others to do something. When you grow up you will need to be able to speak effec- tively if you are a business man, a lawyer, a teacher, a sales- man, or in any occupation in life. Perhaps you will be called upon to talk at Community Meetings, Commercial Clubs, Farm Bureau Meetings, and Women’s Clubs. You will also be called upon to entertain others in social gatherings. One of the best ways to improve your ability to speak well will be to organize a club which will have as its purpose to en- courage and develop effective speech. You can choose a name for it yourselves. Call it the “English Club” or the “How to Speak Club,” or whatever you like. At each meeting you are either to learn something which will aid you in speaking, or practice something which you have already learned. Be sure to remember that. ~You should organize your club at once and name it. The next lessons will tell you how to organize it and how to con- duct a meeting. 2. How to Organize a Club Someone must act as a temporary chairman of your asso- ciation until a president has been elected. If this is your first club, it will be well to ask the teacher to be chairman. It is the business of this chairman to preside until a presi- dent has been elected. The chairman stands at the front of the room and says, “Nominations are in order for president.” Any one may then nominate the person whom he thinks will be a good president by rising and saying, “Mr. Chairman or Madame Chairman, I nominate * * *.” Have in mind that the president must be able to manage the club efficiently. You should nominate such a person re- gardless of your inclination to favor your personal friends. When two or three persons have been nominated, some one may say, “I move the nominations be closed.” The chair- man says, “All those in favor of closing the nominations, make it known by saying, ‘Aye’”. If the motion carries, the club proceeds to vote. It is best to write the names of persons nominated upon the blackboard and to vote by ballot. A ballot is a paper or 45 ticket upon which the names of candidates are written or printed. The voter either puts a cross against the name of his candidate or writes in a name and puts a cross beside it. The chairman may appoint two tellers to collect the votes. Tellers must never look at the votes as they collect them. Af- ter collecting they go to the front of the room. One reads aloud the names as he looks at the ballots, while the other puts a mark after each name as it receives a vote. Every fifth vote is called tally, and the names will appear something like this: John 1111 1111 1111 Fifth count to be drawn through. Mayan ltl Tapa dasit } Hdithe bik aeeo il You can see that this plan makes it easy for all in the room to count the number of votes’each receives. After the president has been elected he takes the chair and the club proceeds as before to elect a vice president, a secre- tary, a treasurer, and a critic. The president may appoint such committees as he finds are needed. 3. How to Conduct a Meeting The president or chairman calls the meeting to order by some simple statement, such as, “The meeting will now come to order.” He asks the secretary for the report of the last meeting and then states the business of the present meeting. There are a few rules to be observed: 1. A member of the club who has something to say rises and addresses the chairman or president as “Mr. President.” The president then recognizes the member by calling his name, as “John Randall.” 2. In case a member has a talk to make to the whole group, he rises and says, “Madame President and members of the club,” and then gives his talk. 3. Itis the business of the president to see that every one has a chance to participate in the work of the club. It is the duty of every member to do his share. To the President of the class: You are responsible for good club meetings. You should therefore read some of the advance lessons and choose an ex- ercise from which you can make a programme for a profitable meeting. See to it that the class studies the exercise carefully and that every one to whom a part has been assigned has his work well prepared for presentation. Try to give every member of the class an opportunity to contribute something to the meeting. At the close of each meeting the critic should be called on for a discussion of the program Ate the part taken by the members of the club. Z 46 To the Members of the English Club The most interesting feature of your club meetings should be the general discussion that rounds up and closes the pro- gramme. Unless your audience is aroused enough to ask ques- tions, to contribute additional argument or information, to make objections or express approval, your message has not been effective enough to catch and hold their attention. A good standard by which you can measure the merit of your talk is the amount of comment and discussion it provokes. It should inspire interest rather than arouse antagonism, so that your audience will want to investigate the subject under dis- cussion.—Meek and Wilson. On the first one hundred pages of this book will be found many suggestions for meetings of such a club. At least one copy should be secured. XII. Correlation. The good English teacher will go to many other fields for material to be used in her English course. Correlate with Geography, History, Nature Study, Art Work, Reading and Civics. 47 Course of Study in Spelling I. Text Book. The plan of this course is adaptable to any text book. It will, however, fit better those texts consisting of a graded word list. It is an extension of the plan suggested in the Horn-Ashbaugh Speller in use, widely, throughout the state at the present time. It is adapted, in its entirety, from the plan of the Individual Speller, published by the World Book Co., Yonkers, New York, the author of which is Superintendent C. W. Washburne, of Winnetka, Illinois. Some modifications have been made in the plan to adapt it to rural conditions, and others have been suggested by Superintendent Washburne, himself. Special acknowledgments are due Superintendent Wash- burne and the World Book Company for their kind permission to reproduce this plan. All quotations, not otherwise credited, are from the Teachers Manual, and textbook, “The Individual Speller.” It is recommended that teachers secure a copy of this manual and text, even though another is in use in the school. II. Material. Each child should be supplied with a permanent spelling blank, durably bound. This book should last him throughout the spelling course and should be preserved from year to year. (This provision is not necessary if “The Individual Speller” is in use.) With children old enogh to use pen and ink profi- ciently, the “Pre-Semester Test” should be written in ink. Daily and weekly tests should be written on scratch paper, and may be in pencil or ink as the teacher prefers. III. The Preliminary Test. It will be found advisable in the first test when this plan of teaching is first inaugurated to start all pupils low in the spelling list. This test will take some time, but will be worth while, since it will be a final check on all back words in the spelling list. These words may be written on scratch paper in pencil. The purpose of the test is two-fold: 1. To place the child in the spelling list by finding out what words he, as an individual, does not know how to spell. 2. ‘To group the children into pairs of about equal abil- ity. Good spellers may be excused from the early part of this test, if the teacher feels sure they can spell all words, Dictate twice a day until all children are placed, using as long a period as possible during which the children respond without ex- treme fatigue. These papers should be corrected by the teacher, or the teacher may allow good spellers from the upper grades to assist her. Mark every word wrong, when there is the least doubt as to the child’s ability to spell it, or where the child hesitates, erases, or in any way indicates any doubt. Where does the child stop spelling in this Preliminary Test? Divide the words assigned to each year in the spelling text into two groups, about 40% for the first semester, and 60% for the second. The child continues to spell in this “Preliminary Test” until the end of a semester list gives him a total of from 100 to 200 misspelled words. When this “Preliminary Test” is completed every child should be placed in some semester list with from 100 to 200 misspelled or doubtful words to study. Also the children at the conclusion of the test are to be paired, placing together children of equal ability as nearly as possible. If three children fall in the same group and no other group is near them in ability, the three may work together. _ These misspelled and doubtful words should then be writ- ten in the permanent spelling blank, and they constitute the child’s spelling list for the semester. IV. The “Pre-Semester Test.”’ This ‘Preliminary Test” is given only once to a child. After the first test, which places him in the spelling course, he thereafter proceeds in one of two ways: either covering one semester’s assignment of words in the text each semester, or covering as many half-year assignments as he can in a semes- ter. The former is advised except in the case of children re- tarded in spelling. After the system is once in operation, at the beginning of each semester, the teacher, with the aid, when desired, of older pupils, pronounces to each group or grade its semester list of words. The words missed are copied in the spelling blank cor- rectly spelled. The entire list is then pronounced again, and any additional words missed in the second pronunciation are added to the list. Words spelled correctly both times are con- sidered as words the child knows how to spell. ‘The words in this missed list constitute the child’s spelling course for the SCIMeSter, The children must have no opportunity to study the spell- ing book during either the “Preliminary” or “Pre-Semester” ANS 49 V. The Daily Lesson and Weekly Test. After this preliminary work is done, and the children grouped in pairs, the daily pronunciation of words is done by the children in each pair to each other. On the first day each child tests his partner on ten words from his spelling list. The child then corrects his own paper, checking any word mis- spelled. The following day these misspelled words of the pre- vious day are pronounced together with enough advance words in the spelling list to make ten. The paper is then cor- rected by its owner, and he copies the words missed with enough from the list to make his assignment of 10 for the fol- lowing day and studies them. The following day at the be- ginning of the spelling period he hands this list to his partner. who pronounces them to him. It may be found advisable for the partners to check each other’s papers after doing their own, thus making doubly sure the finding of all misspelled words. This is done for three days in the week—Tuesday to Thursday. On Friday, the time is spent in studying all words misspelled during the week; no test is given. On Monday, each child pronounces to his partner all words of the week before. These papers are handed in to the teacher for correction This is the “Weekly Test.” These papers should be returnd on Tuesday, and any misspelled words should be the starting point for Tuesday’s lesson. Observe the following points: 1. The teacher corrects only the “Weekly Test.” 2. The child has four advance lessons each week—Mon- day, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday—including words missed the day before. , 3. The Spelling Blanks should be collected at the close of each lesson. The child has his lesson for the next day on the sheet of paper used. 4. The child studies only words he has misspelled. 5. Impress upon children the fact that any cheating or carelessness in correcting the daily test means that the child is eheating himself only, since the teacher corrects all words weekly. 6. The daily test is given before and not after the study period. The child should not be allowed to study spelling just before this test. The same is true, especially so, of the “Weekly Test.” 7 VI. The ‘Semester Test.” At the close of the semester, the partners pronounce to each otherall words in the spelling list for the semester plus all words of previous semesters that do not have two red O. K.’s following them. (See Section VII for explanation of Checking System.) This list may cover several days. Im- 50 .' ‘ mediately at the close of each day’s testing, papers-and spelling blanks should be collected, so that children may not study for the test. The words missed in this “Semester Test” are to be added to the words missed in the “Pre-Semester Test” of the follow- ing half year to form the spelling list for the new semester. They need, not, however, be copied again in the Spelling Blank. VII. The Checking System. How do the child and the teacher know when the pupil is through with a word that he has once missed? After each “Weekly Test” the teacher goes through the child’s spelling blank and makes a black O. K. in ink after each word spelled correctly. The child is through studying that word for the semester, but must spell it in his “Semester Test.” It may be found advisable for the teacher to use her initials rather than an O. K. check indicating correctly spelled words. At the conclusion of the “Semester Test,” the teacher okehs or initials in red the words correctly spelled. When a word has been misspelled, the child must receive two red O. K.’s before the word is dropped from his “Semester Tests.” VIII. Words Missed in Daily Work. Words missed in daily work that the child can reasonably be expected to know how to spell should be added to his se- mester list and be treated exactly as is a word missed during the “Preliminary” or “Pre-Semester” Tests. Words should not be so added that will occur later in his spelling text book, or technical words that he will have no future need of know- ing how to spell. IX. The Spelling List. 1. The Spelling list for the first semester that this sys- tem is in operation, will be all words missed in the “Prelimin- ary Test” plus words added from his daily work. 2. After the first semester the list for each semester will consist of: | (a) Words missed previously in the course but without two red checks; (b) Words missed in the “Pre-Semester Test” of that half year; and (c) Words added from daily work. ot X. The Spelling Blank. The Spelling Blank is not necessary if the Washburne In- dividual Speller is used; it makes provision for the care of misspelled words without a separate blank book. However, even if the text is used, the “Preliminary Test” should be* given, and the requirement for red checks reduced from four to two. (This suggestion is contained in a letter from Supt. Washburne. ) The Spelling Blank, when used, is, in reality the Child’s Spelling Book. It should be taken up by the teacher daily after the list for the following day is copied by the child. -Oth- erwise, children will be tempted to okeh words for themselves. The Blank should also be taken up at the close of the school term and passed on to the next teacher along with grade books, record of grades, the daily register, etc. The loss of the book would necessitate a new start on the part of the pupil. The book should not be left in the child’s hands, unless he is transferring to another school. XI. Directions to the Pupil. The following directions should be given the pupil. These directions may be read to the pupils until they are familiai with them, or better yet copies may be hectographed and given each child: 1. The words in your spelling blank are the words you need to study in spelling. 2. ‘The words you miss each day are a part of your spell- ing lesson for the following day. Copy enough words from your spelling list to make about 10 altogether. as 3. “See if you yourself can tell why these words were hard for you. Look most carefully at the middle parts of these words. Be sure you know how to spell each one.” 4, Each day, at the beginning of the spelling period, you and your partner will give each other the lists of words you studied the day before. You pronounce his list to him, and he pronounces your list to you. Try to get every word right. 5 After you are through pronouncing to each other, each of you correct his own paper; then exchange and you correct your partner’s paper and he, yours. Use your spellers or word lists while doing this. 6. Be very careful to find every misspelled word. These words do not count on your grade. Only the weekly test, ‘which the teacher corrects, counts on your spelling grade. If you do not find a misspelled word in these daily tests you will probably miss the same word in your weekly tests. 7. When you have corrected your words write the ones misspelled at the top of a clean sheet of paper. Add enough 52 * to this from your spelling list to make 10 altogether. Study this list for the next day. 8. Keep these daily lists for your weekly test. 9. The following tells you what to do each day: Monday—You and your partner pronounce to each other all the words each studied during the week before. Give each other the four sheets of- the week before, and pronounce all these words to each other. When you are through lay these lessons on the teacher’s desk. Then copy 10 words from your list for your Tuesday lesson, and study these words. Tuesday—Pronounce to each other the list of ten words you made on Monday. Correct this paper and copy on a fresh sheet the words you have missed. Get your test of Monday from the teacher and copy on the same sheet the words you missed in this test. If this does not give you ten words add enough from your spelling list to make ten. Study these for Wednesday. Wednesday—Pronounce to each other your Tuesday’s list, correct, and make a new list of 10 words for Thursday, as you have done before. Study these. Thursday—Follow the same plan as Wednesday. Friday—Do not prepare any advance lesson. Study your lists of the four previous days. Get ready for Monday’s test. When you have finished all the words in your list in this way you will be excused from spelling for the rest of the half- year unless you are backward in spelling; if you are behind your class, you will go ahead with a new list. XII. The Lesson Assignment. A daily assignment of 10 words is suggested in the course of study. This may be increased or made smaller if the teacher decides that a modification is advisable. Also, the needs of the individual should decide whether the child who has com- pleted the assignment for a semester drops the subject.