1. It shows the teacher all the words which are in the text.
2. It enables the pupil to find the word which has occurred in the year’s work.
3. The asterisk shows which words have been previously taught.
4. It gives a list of words with which to test the pupils at the end of the year’s work.
SUGGESTIONS FOR SEVENTH YEAR
The Story
The work of each book begins with a story intended to impress the children with the importance of seeing the word exactly, hearing the word correctly, and pronouncing the word accurately. “The Efficient Guide” emphasizes these points together with the necessity of learning to spell the word correctly the first time. The right use of the story will help to impress upon the children the fact that in spelling, as in the industrial world, there is no second chance. A thing is right or it is wrong.
Roots and Derivatives
The Aldine Speller has emphasized throughout its text the importance of developing a “spelling consciousness.” A simple list of words is inadequate to accomplish this. The work of the seventh grade continues this development by emphasizing the importance of roots and derivatives. Teachers have been repeatedly urged to present all derivatives whenever the root word has been given. The formal study of roots and derivatives is a large part of the work of the seventh grade. Emphasis should always be given to the part which is already familiar, at the same time calling attention to any changes in the vowel or in the consonant through the formation of the derivative.