Chapter 3
dr y c old b one ch ose fr y s old dr one th ose pr y b old ph one cl ose sh y m old sh one w ove sk y t old thr one dr ove sl y f old gr ove sp y g old r ope cl ove spr y h old h ope st ove st y sc old d ope tr y sl ope h oe wh y h ole t oe p ole c ore J oe r obe m ole m ore f oe gl obe s ole p ore w oe r ode st ole t ore j oke wh ole w ore d oor p oke r oll s ore fl oor w oke tr oll ch ore br oke str oll sh ore m ow ch oke sn ore r ow sm oke c olt st ore s ow sp oke b olt b ow str oke j olt t orn bl ow v olt w orn sl ow sh orn sn ow h ome cr ow t one r ose fl ow st one n ose gl ow h ose gr ow p ose kn ow sh ow
thr ow t ube bl ue s own c ube d ue bl own m ule h ue gr own f ume c ue fl own pl ume gl ue thr own J une fl ue t une c ure p ure
The Diphthongs oi, oy, ou, ow.
oi oy m ound ow b oil b oy gr ound c ow s oil j oy c ount n ow t oil t oy m ount h ow c oil R oy h our b ow br oil tr oy fl our br ow sp oil ou h ouse f owl m ouse h owl v oice l oud bl ouse gr owl ch oice cl oud p out sc owl c oin pr oud sh out d own j oin c ouch sp out g own j oint p ouch spr out t own p oint s ound st out br own n oise b ound tr out cl own m oist r ound m outh cr own f ound s outh dr own w ound fr own
DIGRAPHS
(For rapid pronunciation drills.)
sh ch th wh th sh eep ch ick bath wh en then sh ell ch ild both wh y they sh y ch air doth wh ere these sh ore ch ill mirth wh ich those sh ine ch erry worth wh at the sh ow ch ildren birth wh ile thy sh e ch urch tooth wh ose that sh all ch ase loth wh ite this sh ould ch est girth wh ale thus sh ake ch ange thin wh eat thine sh ame ch alk thick wh eel there sh ape ch ain think wh ack their sh are ch ance throat wh ip them sh ark ch arge thorn wh irl though sh arp ch ap three wh et thou sh awl ch apel third wh ey sh ed ch apter thaw wh isper sh ear ch arm wh istle sh epherd ch eck
THIRD YEAR
_I. Rules or Reasons for Sounds._
(The effect of the position of the letter upon its sound.)
_II. Effect of "r" Upon Vowels._
_III. Equivalents._
_IV. Teach Vowel Sounds Other Than Long and Short Sounds, by Analyzing Known Words and Phonograms._
Pupils know the phonogram "ark," learned when the following list of words was pronounced: bark, dark, hark, lark, mark, park, shark, etc. Attention is now called to the long Italian "a" sound (two dots above) and other lists pronounced; as, farm, barn, sharp, charm. Broad "a" (two dots below) is taught by recalling the familiar phonogram "all" and the series: ball, fall, call, tall, small, etc., pronounced. Also other lists containing this sound: as, walk, salt, caught, chalk, haul, claw, cause.
(The rules for sounds apply to the individual syllables in words of more than one syllable as well as to monosyllables.)
HOW TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN VOWELS AND CONSONANTS
Before the rules for the sounds are taken up, it will be necessary that the pupils know how to distinguish the vowels from the consonants.
Have the vowels on the board, also lists of words, and drill on finding the vowels in the lists. The teacher says, "These letters are called vowels." "How many vowels are there?" "Find a vowel in this word"--pointing to one of the words in the lists. As the pupil finds it he says, "This is a vowel." Find the vowels in all the words in the lists.
PHONICS AND LANGUAGE
When the vowels and consonants can be distinguished, pupils can be taught the use of the articles "a" and "an".
"An" is used before words beginning with vowels; "a" before words beginning with consonants. Lists of words are placed on the board to be copied, and the proper article supplied.
apple ball stem eye peach owl orange flower table uncle ink-stand
Use the article "the" with the same list of words in oral expression, pronouncing "the" with the long sound of "e" before words beginning with vowels, as "The apple," "The ink-stand."
_The_ apple is on the table. The peach is ripe. The flower and _the_ orange are for you. _The_ owl has bright eyes. _The_ ice is smooth and hard. Grandfather sits in _the_ arm chair. Is _the_ envelope sealed? _The_ old man leans on the cane.
RULES OR REASONS FOR SOUNDS
The real difficulty in phonics lies in the fact that the pronunciation of the English language abounds in inconsistencies. Its letters have no fixed values and represent different sounds in different words.
While there are but twenty-six letters in the English alphabet there are forty-four elementary sounds in the English language.
Thus far but one sound for each consonant has been taught and emphasized. Incidentally the fact that some of the letters have more than one sound has been discovered, as c in city, g in gentle,--but now definite teaching is given concerning them. The new sound is taught with its diacritical mark and the reason given, e.g. "c before e, i, or y is soft."
When a reason or rule for marking is given, lists of words illustrating the rule should be sounded and pronounced. The teacher marks the word as the reason is given. Lists of words may be marked by the pupils as a dictation exercise.
The above use of _diacritical marks_ does not apply to the pernicious practice of marking words to aid in pronunciation, but to show the purpose of marks, which is merely to indicate the sound.
_Teach that the sound of the letter depends upon its position in the word, and not upon the diacritical marks._
REASONS FOR SOUNDS
1. When there is one vowel in the word and it is at the last, it is long.
me he my sky be the by cry we she fly try
2. One vowel in the word, not at the last, is short; as, mat, nest, pond.
(Refer to short vowel lists to test this rule.)
3. When there are two or more vowels in a syllable, or a word of one syllable the first vowel is long, and the last are silent; as: mate, sneeze, day. (Teacher marks the long and silent vowels as the reason for the sound is given.)
Children mark these words and give reason: game, kite, make, coat, meat, wait.
After rules (1 to 3) are clearly developed, apply them by marking and pronouncing these words and giving reasons.
coat man neat he nine box sun feel kite she run me take we seam heat bit tan bite mad made take cape the mane cap lake
Rule 4.
When double consonants occur, the last is silent; tel_l_, bac_k_.
back bell kill dress duck Jack fell till Jess tack pack Nell fill less press lack Bell pill neck luck sack sell will Bess still tack tell hill block stick shall well mill peck trill shell yell rock clock struck
Rule 5.
T before ch is silent: ca_t_ch.
hatch switch ditch match stretch pitch latch thatch stitch patch sketch fetch hitch scratch match watch snatch crutch
Rule 6.
N before g, the sound of ng ([n=]): sing, also n before k--[n=]g,--i[n=]k.
bang song lank rang long bank sang strong sank hang thing tank wink cling sung sink swing lung think sing swung brink sting stung
Rule 7.
Initial k before n is silent--_k_nife.
knee knew know knack knot knock knob knell knife knelt known kneel
Rule 8.
Initial w before r is silent--_w_rite.
wry wren written wring wreak wrist wrong wrote wriggle write wretch wrench wrap wreath writing
Rule 9.
Initial g before n is silent--_g_naw.
gnat gnarl gnu gnaw gneiss gnome
Rule 10.
C before e, i or y is soft.--cent, city, cypress.
face cent nice lace cell price place ice slice race rice twice Grace mice cypress cylinder cyclone
(Hard c is found before a, o, and u or a consonant.)
Rule 11.
G before e, i or y is soft,--gentle, giant, gypsy. (Get and give are common exceptions.)
age gentle gem cage gin gypsy page gill giraffe rage ginger wage sage giant gipsy
Exercise--Pronounce and mark the following words, and tell whether they contain the soft or hard sounds of g.
go gay gate globe dog bag garden glass gentle cage general forge geese gather wagon glove gem game George forget germ Gill Grace grain
Note effect of final e on hard g.
rag rage sag sage wag wage stag stage
Rule 12.
I before gh--i is long and gh silent--ni_gh_t.
light right fight night bright fright sight high slight might thigh flight tight sigh plight
Rule 13.
Final y in words of more than one syllable is short,--cherry.
dainty pity ferry plainly city lightly rainy naughty berry daisy thirty merry daily dreary cherry
Rule 14.
Final e in words of more than one syllable is silent.--gentl_e_, Nelli_e_.
Rule 15.
Effect of r upon vowels.
[~er] [~ir] [~or] [~ur] her bird work urn fern sir word turn term stir worm hurt herd girl world purr jerk first worst burn ever chirp worth churn serve whirl worse burst perch thirst worship church kernel fir worthy curve verse firm worry curb verb third fur germ birth blur herb birch curd stern thirty curl
OTHER EQUIVALENTS
a==e [(a]==[(e]
they eight care heir obey weight bare their prey freight fare there weigh neigh hair where sleigh veins fair stair reign whey chair pear skein rein pair
a==[)o] a==[(o] au==aw==ou
what not call nor haul ought was odd raw for fault bought watch cot want corn cause sought wasp got walk cord pause caw wash hop salt short caught saw drop dog hall storm naught paw spot fog draw horse naughty draw talk morn thought thaw
ou==ow [=ew]==[=u]
our how dew due out now few hue hour cow mew blue flour bow new June trout plow Jew tune shout owl pew plume mouth growl hue pure sound brown glue flute mouse crowd ground flower house drown
ew==[=oo]==o==[u..] o==oo==[u..]
grew do poor rude wolf wool chew you soon rule could foot crew to noon tool would good brew shoe whom school should hood drew prove food spool woman wood threw broad whose roof shook stood screw moon tomb broom crook pull strew goose stoop roost hook bush shrewd took full brook put book puss look
o==[)u] oy==oi
come fun boy oil none gun joy soil son run Roy voice dove sup toy spoil love cup troy joint some sun join point ton hum coin choice won drum noise noise does plum toil moist touch nut glove shut month much none must
FOURTH YEAR
I. Review and continue to apply the principles of pronunciation, with a more complete mastery of the vowel and consonant sounds as found in Webster's dictionary.
II. Teach the diacritical marks found in the dictionary to be used. The marks needed will be found at the foot of each page of the dictionary.
III. Teach the use of the dictionary.
(1) See that every child owns, if possible, one of the new dictionaries, in which unphonetic words are respelled phonetically.
(2) See that all know the alphabet in order.
(3) Pupils practice finding names in the telephone directory, catalogs, reference books, etc.
(4) Practice arranging lists of words in alphabetical order, as in the following dictation exercise.
Rewrite these words in the order in which they would occur in the dictionary.
chance value alarm hurdle green evergreen window feather indeed leave sapwood monkey bruise kernel double jelly
Also lists like these:--a step more difficult.
arbor angry alarm after artist age afford apron apple appear athletic approve assist answer always anchor
After teaching the alphabetical order, with dictionary in hand, have the pupil trace the word to its letter, then to its page.
Having found his way to the word, he must now learn to read what the dictionary has to tell him about it. His attention is called to syllabification as well as to diacritical marks. (Those found at the foot of the page will furnish the key to pronunciation.)
He finds that his dictionary is a means of learning not only the pronunciation of words, but their meaning and spelling. Later, as soon as the parts of speech are known, he should learn the various uses of words--their grammatical uses, derivation, etc., and come to regard the dictionary as one of his commonest tools, as necessary as other books of reference.
But here the teacher's task is not done. Provided with the key to the mastery of symbols, her pupils may still fail to use this key to unlock the vast literary treasures in store for them. They must be taught _what to read_, as well as _how to read_. They must be introduced to the school library and if possible to the public library. Dr. Elliot has said: "The uplifting of the democratic masses depends upon the implanting at school of the taste for good reading."
Moreover that teacher does her pupils the most important and lasting service who develops in them not only _an appreciation of good literature_, but _the habit of reading it_.
Transcriber's note:
Non-ascii diacritical marks represented as follows: [(a] a below inverted breve [)e] e below breve [(e] e below inverted breve [)o] o below breve [(o] o below inverted breve [)u] u below breve [=u] u below macron [n=] n above macron [u..] u above diaresis [~er] er below tilde [~ir] ir below tilde [~or] or below tilde [~ur] ur below tilde [=ew] ew below macron [=oo] oo below macron
Words such as thot, thotfully and thoroly are spelt as per original.
End of Project Gutenberg's How to Teach Phonics, by Lida M. Williams