VIII.
Rover.
Household pets, anything and everything that is familiar to a child and in which he is interested, will serve as material for reading lessons. Rover is a universal name for a dog and hence is arbitrarily used for illustrative purposes in these lessons. If Dash happens to be a better name known to the child, use that. Sentences like the following will suggest themselves:
| Rover can run. | ||
| Rover can jump. | ||
| Rover can run and jump. | ||
| I can hop. | ||
| Rover and I can run. |
IX.
Kitty.
Kittens are a never failing source of interest to children. At a suggestion from the teacher the children themselves will give sentences like the following:
| Kitty can jump. | ||
| Kitty can run. | ||
| Kitty and I can run. | ||
| Kitty and I can jump. | ||
| Kitty and Rover can run and jump. |
The teacher writes these sentences upon the blackboard as they are given to her by the different children. She then calls upon other children to read them. A child may pretend that she is Kitty and dramatize the action. This dramatic instinct is universal in children and should be recognized throughout the school life.
X.