CHAPTER VI

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.

The children become familiar with the written form of the smaller numbers in this way--the number of absent children is reported at each session and written on the board. On Friday the teacher records upon the board some facts of the week, or of the month, which the children learned from their weather charts--viz., the number of sunny and the number of cloudy days. The number of children in each row is ascertained and written at the board that the monitors may know how many pairs of scissors, pieces of clay, or pencils to select.

The poems, after being partially committed to memory, are written upon the board; when the pupils falter, reference is made to the line in question as it appears upon the board.

The teacher sometimes writes her morning greeting or evening farewell at the board--thus: "Good morning, children," or, "Good-by for to-day." The children read silently and respond with, "Good morning, Miss Eades," or, "Good night, Miss Farr."

Often she communicates facts of interest at the board. If the pupils are unable to interpret what she has written, she reads for them, _e.g._, the teacher writes, "We have vacation to-morrow." Quite likely some child, unable to read at all, will say, "We have _something_, but I can't tell what it is." (These same words will occur again, when needed to express a thought, and it is a waste of energy to drill upon them.) When the children have interpreted the above sentence at the board, the teacher writes, "Do you know why?" The children read the question silently and give the answer audibly, and say, "It is Decoration Day." We too often allow children to treat a question in their reading as if its end were reached in the asking. To lead the children to form a habit of answering questions asked in writing or in print, such questions as the following are, from time to time, written at the board: "Did you see the rainbow last night?" "What color was it?" "Did you see any birds on Saturday?" "What ones?" "Have you been to the woods?" "What did you find there?"

(b) _In Connection with the Literature._ The name of the story which the teacher is about to tell is placed upon the board. At the first writing the teacher tells the pupils what it is, if necessary, _e.g._, the teacher says, "We shall have a story about '_The Three Bears_,'" pointing to the title upon the board. The next day she says, "I would like you to tell me all you can about this story"--writing its name upon the board.

In the final reproduction of the story the teacher assigns topics, _e.g._: Chauncey may tell me about this (writing at the board): _Silver-Hair going to the woods_. Eva may tell about this: _Silver-Hair going into the kitchen_. Jennie may tell about this: _Silver-Hair going into the sitting room_. Willie may tell about this: _Silver-Hair going upstairs_. Should the child go beyond the limited topic, the teacher points to the board and asks about what he was to tell.

At the close of each story that can be dramatized, the teacher assigns at the board the part which each is to take, thus: After the story of "The Old Woman and the Pig" is learned, the teacher writes in a column each child's name opposite the animal or thing which he is to represent, in this way.

_Agnes_--the old woman. _Glenn_--the pig. _Sadie_--the dog, etc.

(c) _In Connection with the Nature Study._ In the spring the children are looking for the return of the birds, the first spring blossoms, and the opening of the tree buds. The teacher often makes her own discoveries known through writing, upon the board, _e.g._, "I saw a robin this morning," or "I found a blue violet yesterday," or "I saw some elm blossoms last night."

The class, by the aid of the teacher, make a bird, a flower, and a tree-bud calendar, on which are recorded the name and date of the first seen of each. These names are put on the calendars in the presence of the children, and they frequently "name their treasures o'er."

The mode of travelling is written beside the name of each familiar bird as the children make the discoveries, thus:--

{ hops. { walks. Robin { runs. Crow { { flies. { flies.

Questions arise during the recitation which the children will answer later from observation. That the children may not forget them they are placed high up on the board where they can be preserved. Frequent reference is made to them to see if the pupils are prepared to answer them. When a question is answered it is erased, making room for another.

THE READING RECITATION

For the early reading, Games, Literature, and Nature Study may form the basis.

* * * * *

(I) _Games as a Basis for the Reading._ The child enters school from a life of play. It is our purpose, so far as possible, to make use of this natural bent of the child to insure interest in his reading, as well as to give him the free exercise, which he needs, of his muscles. It may be urged as an argument against the use of the games, that they are too noisy and attract the attention of the children who are busy at their seats. Often it would be a good thing for these children to watch the younger ones at their games. It would rest them and put them into closer sympathy with the little ones. In a short time they will not care so much to watch them. The little children should be thoughtful of the older ones and move about as quietly as is possible.

The following are some of the games which we have used in our primary school. They are given in the way of suggestion only. They are played at first by following spoken directions. When the children are perfectly familiar with the oral direction, the written direction is gradually substituted. The children do not stay long enough on one game to become tired of it. Two or three or even more are played at a single recitation. It is not the plan to drill the pupils upon the written directions, but by frequent repetitions to familiarize them with them. The games are most suitable for the very earliest reading lessons. The plan for teaching one of them, the first one given here, will be written out quite fully. The others will be given with less detail.

THE RING GAME

_Material._--Six celluloid rings, red, white, blue, yellow, green, and black. Surcingle rings can be painted the colors desired.

_Directions._--Take the red ring, Jennie. Take the blue ring, Eva. Take the yellow ring, Wallace. Take the green ring, Chauncey. Take the black ring, Gregory. Take the white ring, Lloyd.

When the children are ready to hide the rings this direction is given to the remainder of the class:--

Close your eyes.

This to the pupils who hold the rings:--

Hide the rings.

When the children have all the rings hid they announce it by lightly clapping their hands, upon which the children open their eyes. Directions are then given to those who did not hide rings, for finding the rings, _e.g._:--

Find the red ring. Find the blue ring, etc.

No notice is taken of any ring but the one called for. A limited time is given for the finding of each. At the close of that time, if the ring is not discovered, the one who hid it gets it. When the written directions are first used the whole sentence need not be put upon the board, _e.g._, the teacher need write only--_the red ring_. She says to the child, "find _this_"--pointing to the board; or _red_, alone, may be written, in which case the teacher points to the word, saying, "You may find _this ring_." There is considerable rivalry to see who will find the most rings.

When the children seem to know the written directions perfectly, a test is made of their ability, actually, to read them; thus, instead of writing, "_Take_ the red ring," the teacher writes, "_Find_ the red ring." She writes "Hide the rings," before she writes, "Close your eyes." If the children recognize what is written they will set the teacher right.

BALL AND CORD

_Material._--Small, soft rubber balls with short rubber cords attached. The cords have a loop for the finger.

Ball in right hand. Toss up. Hold. Toss down. Hold. Toss to the right. Hold. Toss to the left. Hold. Ball in left hand. Toss up, etc.

In this and succeeding games it is left to the discretion of the teacher as to when the written directions shall be introduced.

BALL GAME

_Material._--A soft rubber ball.

Form a circle. Take the ball, Roy. Toss the ball. Roll the ball. Bounce the ball. Throw the ball. Give the ball to Sadie.

In this game one of the children takes the ball to the circle. Each, as the ball is tossed to him, tosses it to another. At the direction of the teacher the game of _tossing the ball_ is changed to one of _rolling_ _the ball_, the pupils squatting on the floor; this in turn is changed later as the directions indicate. Care must be taken that all children are treated alike in this game. The children themselves will look out for this if properly directed at the outset of the game.

HUNTING THE VIOLET

_Material._--Violets scattered about the room.

Find a blue violet, Glenn. Find a violet bud, Edith. Find a yellow violet, Lloyd. Find a violet leaf, Sadie. Find a white violet, Jennie. Find a purple violet, Rudolph. Sing to the violets.

Children sing softly:--

"Oh, violets, pretty violets, I pray you tell to me Why are you the first flowers That bloom upon the lea?" etc.

A TREE GAME--(SPRING OR FALL)

_Material._--Leaves of the different trees with which the children are familiar.

Glenn may be a maple tree. Choose your leaf. Wallace may be an elm tree. Choose your leaf. Chauncey may be a birch tree. Choose your leaf, etc. Make a little forest. Toss in the wind.

(The leaves are pinned upon the children as each chooses his leaf, and they dance lightly about as if tossed by the wind.)

CARING FOR THE ANIMALS

_Material._--Wooden or paper animals. A portion of the table is marked off by a chalk line for the farmyard.

Drive in a pig, Willie. Lead in a horse, Gregory. Drive in a sheep, Sadie. Lead in a cow, Roy, etc.

They are driven in at night, then driven out in the morning. Sometimes they are hurried in because of the approach of a storm.

DOLL PLAY--(GENERAL)

_Material._--Penny dolls or larger ones.

Take a doll. Rock the baby. Pat the baby. Sing the baby to sleep. Put the baby to bed. Take up the baby. Wash its face. Comb its hair. Feed it bread and milk. Take it for a walk.

At the direction, "Sing the baby to sleep," the children sing very softly:--

"Rock-a-bye Baby,"--or some other lullaby.

The bed is the chair on which the child is sitting. All stand and turn about together to put the babies to bed. They go through the movements only of washing the face and hands and combing the hair, and of feeding bread and milk. They perform these acts in unison.

THE RAINBOW FAIRIES--(SPRING)

_Material._--Large bows of tissue paper with streamers, of the various colors mentioned.

Eva may be a yellow fairy. Roy may be a blue fairy. Edith may be a green fairy. Louise may be a red fairy. Lloyd may be an orange fairy. Sadie may be a violet fairy. The others may be trees. Join hands, fairies. Dance about the trees.

As the first direction is given Eva steps to the table and takes a yellow bow which is pinned to her left shoulder: the others follow as called upon.

THE LEAVES

_Material._--A leaf of one of several colors pinned on each child. The wind calls:--

Come yellow leaf. Come red leaf. Come green leaves, etc. Dance in the wind.

At the last direction the children fly over a small area, hither and thither; some one way, some another, passing and repassing one another, simulating the leaves in a storm.

A FLOCK OF BIRDS

All the children are little birds.

Fly to the fields. Pick up seeds. Take a drink. Bathe in the creek. Preen your feathers. Fly home. Perch on a twig.

_Sing._

They sing:--

"We are little birdies, Happy we, happy we. We are little birdies Singing in a tree."

HUNTING BIRDS

_Material._--Colored pictures of birds common to the locality in which the game is used.

Find a robin, Rudolph. Find a bluebird, Gregory, etc.

The child indicated finds the picture of the bird called for and places it on the blackboard ledge which serves as a picture gallery.

HUNTING LEAVES

is a game similar to the above.

MOVEMENT GAME

Frederick may be a pony. Louise may be a kitty, etc.

(Of the other children--one may be a boy; another, a bird; another, a horse; another, a fish; another, a girl, etc.)

Trot, pony. Run, dog. Skip, boy, etc.

They perform singly, and also in a body.

MAKING GARDEN

_Material._--Trays or box-covers of sand, and a toy set of garden tools for each pupil.

Take the spade. Spade the earth. Take the hoe. Hoe the ground. Take the rake. Smooth the ground. Make holes (or rows). Plant corn (or sow the seed). Cover the seed. Water the garden.

THE FARMER'S PETS

For this game the children are all seated in chairs except one for whom no chair is provided. Each child seated takes the name of some animal on the farm, _e.g._, a dog, cat, horse, chicken, duck, or cow. The one standing is the farm-hand and says, _e.g._, "My master wants his dog." The dog must jump up and turn around. If he fails to do so, he steps to one side taking his chair with him. If when he is again called upon he answers correctly, he resumes his seat in the circle. Occasionally the farm-hand says, "My master wants all of his pets." When all rise and change seats quietly. The farm-hand tries to get a seat, leaving another child to be the farm-hand. In changing seats they change names as a single name belongs to each chair.

* * * * *

(II) _Literature as a Basis for the Reading._ The stories in the form indicated below are given after the children have become thoroughly familiar with them through oral presentation, after, too, the children have gained some facility in reading, through the use of the games, and the directions, etc., used in the general management of the school. Before the board work is presented the children dramatize the story which they are to read. They look to the board to find out what to say that they may impersonate the character in the story. Each mimics in tone and action the one whose part he takes. As no two mimic in the same way there is no lack of variety and interest. If the children are thoughtful they will know every time into whose mouth to put each sentence. They need to be alert, however. The names of the speakers, given in the margin, are for the benefit of the readers of this article. They are not put on the board. The children do not need them.

THE OLD WOMAN AND THE PIG

I

_The old woman._ I was sweeping my house. I found this dime. What shall I buy? I know; I will buy a pig. Where is my sunbonnet? Where is my cane? Here I go. Tramp! tramp! tramp!

II.

_Old woman._ Tap, tap, tap!

_The farmer._ Come in. Good morning, old woman.

_Old woman._ Good morning, sir. I want to buy a pig.

_Farmer._ All right; I have some. Will you look at them? Here they are.

_Old woman._ I like this one. I will take it. Good morning.

_Farmer._ Good morning.

III

_Old woman._ Go on, pig. That fence is low, You can jump over.

_Pig._ Grunt! grunt!

_Old woman._ What shall I do? I must have help. I will go back.

IV

_Old woman._ Dog, dog, bite pig.

_Dog._ No, no. (_Shaking his head._)

V

_Old woman._ Stick, stick, whip dog.

_Stick._ No, no. (_Shaking head as before._)

VI-XII. _Similar to two above._

XIII

_Old woman._ Cat, cat, kill rat.

_Cat._ I will if you will give me some milk.

_Old woman._ I will go to the cow.

XIV

_Old woman._ Cow, cow, give me some milk.

_Cow._ I will if you will give me some hay.

_Old woman._ All right. Tramp! tramp! tramp! Here is the hay, cow.

_Cow._ Chew, chew, chew, chew. Now you may have some milk.

_Old woman._ Thank you, cow.

XV

_Old woman._ Come, kitty, kitty, kitty. Here is some milk for you.

_Cat._ Lap, lap, lap, lap.

_Old woman._ Now catch the rat.

_Cat._ Patter, patter, patter. (_Given softly--it is the cat running after the rat._)

THE THREE BEARS

I

_The papa bear._ That soup is hot. It must cool. We will take a walk.

II

_Silver-Hair._ Tap! tap! tap! No one at home. I will go in. What is that on the table? It is three bowls of soup. I am hungry. (_Tasting of the soup in the big bowl._) That is too hot. (_Tasting of soup in middle-sized bowl._) That is too cold. (_Tasting of soup in little bowl._) That is just right. It is good. I will eat a little.

III

I am tired. Here are three chairs. That is too high. That is too wide. This is just right. I will rest here. Oh, it broke!

IV

I am sleepy. I will go upstairs. Here are three beds. That is too hard. That is too soft. This is just right. I will sleep here.

V

_Papa bear._ SOMEBODY HAS BEEN TASTING MY SOUP.

_Mamma bear._ _Somebody has been tasting my soup._

_Baby bear._ Somebody has been tasting my soup. It is all gone.

VI

_Papa bear._ SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR.

_Mamma bear._ _Somebody has been sitting in my chair._

_Baby bear._ Somebody has been sitting in my chair. It is all broken.

VII

_Papa bear._ SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING ON MY BED.

_Mamma bear._ _Somebody has been lying on my bed._

_Baby bear._ Somebody has been lying on my bed. Why, here she is!

_Silver-Hair._ Oh, my! I will jump. Now I will run.

THE FIR TREE

I

I am a little fir tree. I want to be tall. I hate rabbits. They jump over me.

II

I am three years old. The rabbit cannot jump over me now. It runs around me. I wish I were taller. I hate to be so little.

III

Now I am six years old. Here come the woodchoppers. They will take me away. Here I go. Thump! thump! thump!

IV

What a fine house. How beautiful this moss is. What are these people going to give me? I am so happy!

V

Here are the children. How they like me! See them dance about me. _Everybody looks at me._ Do not take away my beautiful dress. Do not put out the lights.

VI

Here come the servants. They will give me my beautiful dress. Oh, oh, oh! Don't put me up there. It is dark. I want to be planted.

VII

I wish I were at home. I want to see the rabbit. It may jump over me. I will not care. I want to see the other trees. The rats come. I do not like rats.

VIII

Out again! I like the air. Now I shall be planted. I am glad to see the flowers. I am glad to hear the birds. Now I shall live.

IX

That boy called me ugly. He took my beautiful star. I wish I were in the woods. I shall never be happy again. Pop! pop! pop! pop!

THE STREET MUSICIANS

I

_The donkey._ I am very old. I am very weak. I can work no more. My master will not keep me. I will run away. I will go to the city. I can make music. I will join a band. Trot! trot! trot!

II

What is that in the road? It is an old dog. What is the matter?

_Dog._ I am very old. I am very weak. I cannot hunt. My master will not keep me. How can I live?

_Donkey._ Come with me. You can play the bass drum. Join a band.

_Dog._ Good! good! good! I will go.

_Dog and donkey._ Trot! trot! trot!

III

_Donkey._ What is that in the road? It is an old cat. What is the matter, old whiskers?

_Cat._ I am very old. I am very weak. I cannot catch mice. My mistress will not keep me. How can I live?

_Donkey._ Come with us. You can sing. Join a band.

_Cat._ Good! good! good! I will go.

_All three._ Trot! trot! trot!

IV

_Donkey._ What is that on the gate? It is a rooster. What is the matter?

_Rooster._ The cook will kill me.

_Donkey._ Come with us. You can sing. Join a band.

_Rooster._ Good! good! good! I will go.

_All four._ Trot! trot! trot!

THE UNHAPPY PINE TREE

I

I am a little pine tree. I do not like to be a pine tree. My leaves are needles. Needles are not pretty. I wish I had gold leaves.

II

_In the morning._ Why do the trees look at me? What has happened? Gold leaves! Gold leaves! Just what I wanted! Good! good! good!

III

_To the robber._ Do not take my leaves. I want them. They are beautiful. Give them back. No leaves! No leaves! I wish I had glass leaves.

IV

_In the morning._ Oh, how beautiful! Glass leaves! Glass leaves! No robber will take them. I can keep them. I am so happy!

V

Cloud, do not come. Wind, do not blow. Keep still, keep still. A leaf is broken. Another! Another! All gone! All gone! No beautiful leaves. I wish I had bright green leaves.

VI

_In the morning._ Oh, my pretty green leaves! No one will steal them. Nothing will break them. I shall not need to keep still. I will dance. Dance! dance! dance!

VII

Goat, do not come here. These are my leaves. I want them. They are pretty. Oh, oh, oh! All my pretty leaves are gone. What shall I do? I wish I had my needles.

VIII

Oh, mother, mother, see! I have my old leaves. I like them. They are best of all. No one will steal them. Nothing will break them. Nothing will eat them. I can keep them. My dear old leaves!

* * * * *

(III) _Nature Study as a Basis for the Reading._ The subjects in which the pupils are most interested are made the basis for the reading lessons.

Sometimes there is a guessing game like the following: The teacher, holding a flower in her closed hand, writes:--

Guess what I have. It is a flower. It is white. _It has a yellow centre._

(The children answer--a daisy.) Or--

Guess what I have. It is a leaf. It is yellow. It is long. It is narrow.

(The children answer--the willow.)

After the pupils have made a careful study of a few birds or flowers, the reading lesson describes one of these, and the pupils are expected to name it from the description. If a child gives the wrong name, one of those who know better points out the line or lines barring out this object, and reads to the one making the mistake as proof of his error.

I live in the woods. I am not a bird. I am not a flower. I am not a tree. I run up trees. I eat nuts. I have a bushy tail. What is my name? (_Squirrel._) I am a little bird. My back is brown. My breast is white. My bill is curved. I go up a tree trunk. I fly to another tree. I like insects. What is my name? (_The brown creeper._) This is a big bird. It is blue. It has black bands on its tail and wings. It has a crest. Its bill is black. It scolds. What is its name? (_The blue jay._)

The children sometimes play a game like the following: All but one personify red-headed woodpeckers. The _one_ questions from the board. If a red-headed woodpecker fails to answer the question put to him, he takes the place of the interlocutor. It is an honor to be able to answer all the questions put:--

What color is your head? What color is your throat? What color is your breast? What colors on your wings? What color is your bill? What do you do? Where do you make your nest?

To a set of questions like the following, the children give the answers, after reading the questions silently:--

What bird did you first see this spring? What have you seen a robin do? What flower did you see first? What yellow flowers have you seen this spring? What white flowers? What blue flowers? What bird builds a nest in a tree trunk? What bird builds a nest on the ground?

THE BABY ROBIN

I saw two robins on the ground.

One was a mamma robin.

The other was a baby robin.

The baby robin was as big as its mother.

Its breast was spotted.

Its mother gave it an earthworm.

At first it dropped it, but its mother picked it up and gave it to her baby again.

This time it got a better hold. By several gulps it swallowed the worm.

The mother looked proud of her baby. (This is the teacher's experience which she tells the children from the board. Sometimes she writes the observations which one of the children have made.)

As no two teachers will have the same material for Nature Study, the reading material will not be multiplied here.

Gradually, as the pupils can stand it, the sentences are lengthened a little as necessary, and massed into paragraphs.

The use of the "Mother Goose Rhymes" as a means of enlivening the first year reading lessons is also treated as follows by Mrs. Lida McMurry. (Taken from _School and Home Education_ for October, 1902.)

Many of the children on entering school are well versed in Nursery Rhymes. They enjoy repeating them. Other children may not know them so well, but soon learn them from their classmates. Teachers and pupils may have a happy time together with Mother Goose, and at the same time the pupils are learning to read without realizing that what they are doing is something that they are not accustomed to.

I will suggest a few ways in which these rhymes may be made the basis for reading lessons:--

Take this rhyme--

1. Dance, Thumbkin, dance, Dance, ye merrymen, every one; For Thumbkin he can dance alone, Thumbkin he can dance alone.

The second, third, fourth, and fifth stanzas are like the first, only Foreman, Longman, Ringman, and Littleman are in turn substituted for Thumbkin.

The children first learn to act out each stanza as they recite it together. The thumb is held up and moved about as if dancing, as the first line is given. All the fingers dance as the second line is recited. The thumb dances alone as the third and fourth lines are repeated.

The teacher then repeats the stanza alone, and the children's fingers accompany her.

Later, when the children have learned to act out the story well, as the teacher repeats it, the teacher writes the first line at the board, and, pointing to it, asks the children to do what the board directs. They cannot tell what it is, so the teacher says, "The board is talking to _Thumbkin_," writing the name on the board as she says it. "What do you think it wants Thumbkin to do?" pointing to _Dance_ in the line on the board. The next line is written on the board. The children quite likely will guess rightly what it says, because of its setting. If not, the teacher will help them as at first. In the same way they connect the third and fourth lines with the oral expression of the same, and act them out accordingly. That the children respond readily to the directions as written is no proof, at first, that they know even most of the words in the lines. The teacher's test is a part of the play. To-day, instead of writing the first line, she writes the second. Many get caught. They will be more alert another time. As they can never tell which line will appear first, they learn to discriminate by giving closer attention to the form of the words.

Sometimes the teacher writes the six names--Thumbkin, Foreman, etc., and Merrymen, on the board. She points to the name or names of the one, or ones, that should dance. The children do not like to make mistakes in responding with the fingers.

Sometimes the teacher points to a name on the board, as Foreman, and writes "dance alone," or "dance every one." The alert children see that the latter does not apply.

The words are not drilled upon. The game, with variations sometimes, is played quite frequently, but never so long at a time that the children weary of it. Three or four plays or games are given at a single recitation. The interests of the children are studied, and rhymes which they do not enjoy as reading material are dropped, and others substituted. The rhymes should often be repeated, just as they occur in "Mother Goose," that the children may not forget them.

2. Eye winker. Tom tinker. Mouth eater. Chin chopper. Chin chopper.

The children point to the parts of the face as they are named. They first learn to give the rhyme with its accompanying motion orally, then they respond to it as written on the board (Tom tinker is the other eye). When they do this readily the directions are written out of their order. This tests the children's ability to distinguish one form from another. No child likes to give the wrong motion in response to a direction, _e.g._, point to his mouth when Eye winker is called for.

3. The children, we will suppose, know a number of rhymes, as, _e.g._,

A diller, a dollar, a ten o'clock scholar. A little boy went into a barn. Baa, baa, black sheep. Rain, rain, go away, etc.

The teacher writes the first line of one of these rhymes on the board and asks a child to give the rhyme. He cannot at first. Later he will learn to recognize it; so with all the rhymes he knows. When he can give any rhyme called for in response to the first line as written at the board, another line (not the first) is written, and the child asked to give the rhyme of which it is a part.

4. Is John Smith within? Yes, that he is. Can he set a shoe? Ay, marry, two. Here a nail and there a nail, Tick, tack, too.

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.