READING I. METHOD OF BEGINNING Methods of teaching reading. That teachers may distinguish good methods we begin with descriptions of several of those most in use. Some are old, long, unnatural and tedious, affording little but monotony to stimulate the child's desire to learn. Others are shorter, but none the less unnatural and arbitrary. Some are unphilosophical, and leave no cause for surprise that so many children flounder at the very threshold of knowledge, the very place that should be made most attractive. We mention : 1. The A b c or Alphabetic Method. 3. The Wood-building Method. 4. The Phonic Method. 5. The Phonetic Method. 6. The Phonotypic Method. 7. The Look-and-say Method. 9. The Word Method. THE ALPHABET, OR A B C METHOD The children by this method, are taught the names of the letters, and they begin to spell words at first. This attempts learning to read by learning to spell. Spelling may be learned through reading, but reading through spelling NEVER. The attempt to combine two things in one lesson, by diverting the learner's attention, interferes with his progress in recognizing the words. This method was universally used years ago, and even now is used in many of the ungraded schools. In the best schools, the alphabetic method is superseded by some of the modern ways. It is an imperfect method in that the letters do not guide to the pronunciation of the word. Take the word mat; by the same method, the name of the first letter is em; the second letter is e, and the third tee;-pronounced em a tee; by the phonic it become m ǎ t. This method produces halting, stumbling readers, it lays the foundation for mechanical, unintelligible reading, and it is now abandoned by all good teachers. THE DRAWING METHOD The Drawing Method teaches the child first to draw the letter, and then learn its name. Since curiosity, which is so strong in the child, seeks its gratification in finding new forms, this method of drawing can be used as a means of training his eye to quickness and accuracy of observation. Lessons should be given upon straight, curved and crooked lines, that the children may know what is meant by the terms used. By actually drawing and naming the parts of a letter its form and name as a whole may be easily impressed on the memory of the pupil. In this manner the learning of the alphabet, instead of being a spiritless task, as it has too often proved, is attractive to the child |