Special Method in Primary Reading and Oral Work with Stories

by Charles A. McMurry

After the children have learned the above rhyme, acting it out, by imitating the voices of the two speakers, and by driving the nails, the two questions are asked at the board, and the children respond orally. Sometimes the second question, slightly altered, is asked first, e.g., "Can John Smith set a shoe?" Sometimes "Who is within?" appears on the board.

5. Old Mother Hubbard.

There are many stanzas to this poem, a few of which the teacher will wish to omit, as those referring to the visits to the ale-house and the tavern. The pupils become perfectly familiar with the jingle, so they can with ease give it orally, then the teacher writes the first line of a stanza at the board and pointing to it asks a pupil to give the remainder of the stanza. The mistake is ludicrous if the wrong lines follow the first, and the pupils wish to avoid such a mistake.

6. There were two birds sat on a stone,
Fa, la, la, la, lal, de.
One flew away and then there was one,
Fa, la, la, la, lal, de.
The other flew after and then there was none,
Fa, la, la, la, lal, de.
And so the poor stone was left all alone,
Fa, la, la, la, lal, de.

The children act out this rhyme at first as they say it, later, silently, as they see what is called for at the board.

Any number may be substituted for two in the first line, but when they come to the third line the number substituted for one should be such that only one will remain, e.g., There were eight birds sat on a stone, Seven flew away, etc. The children are sometimes caught by the wrong number being told to fly. The children should not fly until they are sure that it is all right.

7. What are your eyes for?
What are your ears for?
What is your nose for?
What is your tongue for?
What is your mouth for?
What is your hand for?
What are your fingers for?
What are your teeth for?
What is your brain for?
What is your heart for?

These questions are read silently by the children, then answered orally in complete sentences, one child only answering at one time. The answers are so absurd when wrong that each child is careful to know what is asked.

These are only a few of the ways in which "Mother Goose" may be used as reading material. Each teacher will think out for herself ways in which these rhymes may be profitably and happily employed.

Mrs. Lida McMurry.