1. Material.
1. Material should be (1) interesting, (2) literary, so far as possible, (3) adapted to the capacities and tastes of children, (4) of enough difficulty and sufficiently above their own ordinary thoughts to have value as instruction.
2. The best material (1) folk stuff, such as the classic fairy tales, Mother Goose, etc., (2) tales of heroism and sacrifice, (3) poetry of the simpler type, like that of Stevenson and Christina Rossetti.
3. Much of the language work should be free conversation between the teacher and the children about their ordinary experiences.
2. Method.
1. During the first years much of the literary material must be given orally by the teacher. Oral work is to be held of great importance.
2. Children to be encouraged to commit good things to memory.
3. All reading aloud by the pupils to be done as naturally as possible. Importance of reading by phrases and sentences, rather than word by word.
4. Value of the dramatic element in early work.
5. The conflict between the “word method” and the “sentence method” over. Modern teaching eclectic in method. If any name can be given to the best way, it might be, perhaps, “thought method.”