Primary Reading through Incidental Exercises and Games
BASED ON SCHOOL MOVEMENTS, STUDIES, AND GAMES
Before entering upon the discussion of the usual methods of introducing children to the art of reading we will give a treatment of the incidental opportunities offered by the other studies, by school movements and games in primary classes, for introducing children to the written and printed forms.
It is assumed that the more closely the written or printed words and sentences are related to the children's activities, or the more dependent these activities are made upon a knowledge of the word-forms, the quicker and more natural will be their mastery. To put it briefly, the teacher abstains from the use of oral speech to a considerable extent and substitutes the written forms of the words on the blackboard in giving directions, in games, and in treating topics in literature and science. The following chapter is taken wholly from the lessons given by Mrs. Lida B. McMurry in the first grade. Many other similar lessons were worked out, but these are probably sufficient to fully illustrate the plan.
The teacher's aim in the beginning reading is to lead the child to look to the lesson, either word or sentence or paragraph, to find what it has to say to him—to present the lesson in such a way that the child shall quicken into life in its presence—shall reach forward to grasp this much-desired thing. The attention of the child is centred on the thought; he grasps the symbols because he must reach, through them, the thought.
Much of the early reading can be taught in a purely incidental way—in the general exercises of the school and in the literature and nature-study recitations.
READING TAUGHT INCIDENTALLY
(a) In the General Management of the School. The directions which are at first given to children orally, e.g., rise, turn, pass, sit, skip, fly, march, run, walk, pass to the front, pass to the back, are later written upon the board. When the children seem to have become familiar with the written direction, the order in which the directions are given is sometimes changed, as a test, e.g., the following directions are usually given in this order—turn, rise, pass. Instead of writing turn first, the teacher writes pass. If the children understand, they will rise at once and pass without waiting to turn.
The names of the children, instead of being spoken, are often written; in this way the children become familiar with the names of all the children in the school. The teacher, writing Clarence upon the board, says, "I would like this boy to erase the boards to-night." The first time it is written the teacher speaks the name as she writes it. It may be necessary to do this several times. The teacher does not look at Clarence as she writes his name. If he does not recognize his name after it has appeared repeatedly, his eyesight may well be tested. If heedlessness is the cause of the failure, another name is written at the board, and Clarence loses the opportunity to do the service. No drill should be given on these names. The repetition incident to the frequent calling upon the child is all that is necessary to fix the name.
The names of the songs and of the poems which the children are memorizing are written upon the board as needed. The teacher says, "We will sing this song this morning." If the children do not recognize its title as the teacher points to it, she gives it. After a while the children will recognize the names of all the songs and the poems which are in use in the room.