ADDITIONAL DIRECTIONS AND EXERCISES.

1. Whether the Alphabet be taught before commencing the Reading Lessons (on the 55th and following pages), or gradually and simultaneously with them,the young Pupil should have regular practice in pronouncing the Classified Words (commencing page 18) along with these Reading Lessons,-taking a small portion of each at a time. This can be most effectually done by the Phonic Method. For instance, after he has been informed that the syllable an is composed of the two separate sounds ah and nuh (pronounced quickly), he should be made to sound this syllable at sight, without pronouncing the letters separately. By combining with it the various consonant sounds, the Pupil will clearly understand how the sound of each entire word is formed. Thus, buh and an are ban, kuh and an are can, duh and an are dan, &c., to the end of the column or set of words. When this has been done, he should pronounce the words at sight downwards, upwards, and promiscuously, until every one is mastered. The next column ought to be treated

*Besides the methods indicated in the notes p.p. 10 and 11-another good plan is to have all the letters on separate slips of wood or card, and require the child to point out or fetch any given letter until familiar with the shape of each. These separate letters could afterwards be so placed as to form short words. This will be a great source of delight to the child, as well as a means of his instruction.

L

in the same manner, and then the other should be revised. This may be slow work at first, but it will be the surest and quickest in the end. The common method of spelling may be occasionally practised, but the distinction between the names and sounds of the letters should be always kept in view.

2. It has been already stated that, in commencing Reading, ideas ought always to precede signs and sounds—that is, the Pupil should be made to understand the subject of the lesson before he begins to pronounce the words at sight. The following steps might then be taken:-(1.) The Teacher is to read the whole lesson very slowly and distinctly, and give what additional explanations may be necessary. (2.) He is to begin again and read the first sentence only (or a part, if it is a long one), and the Pupil is to follow him word by word. (3.) The Teacher is to read the sentence again, and, when he has done, the Pupil is to read the whole after him. (4.) The next sentences are to be treated in the same way, and when each is finished, the preceding ones are to be recapitulated.

3. After the lesson can be read by the young learner with ease and correctness, he should be questioned upon its meaning, and be required—if able to tell the whole of it in his own words. The principal words should then be selected for spelling, both by the phonic and the usual methods. Lastly, he ought, if possible, to write the lesson with pencil, then read it, and sketch an outline of any object or engraving which has reference to it.

4. To assist the Pupil to understand, and re-produce in his own language, the substance of the lesson which has been read, the elliptical method* might be advantageously used. For example, after he has finished reading the lesson on page 84,the Teacher might proceed thus (pausing at every place where there is a word omitted, and requiring the Pupil to supply it):—

.....

'Objects are of different sizes, colours, or distances, and these we can perceive by means of the ... By it we can tell that a mountain is ......, and a mouse ; that a rose is . and the grass" ; and so on to the end-omitting such words as "far off, ear, out of doors, storm, stones, glass," &c.

......

5. The various engravings in this work (even when they do not directly relate to the subject of the adjoining lesson) can be rendered effectual means for developing the child's faculties of observation, comparison, &c. Hence, if his attention is directed to the cattle on page 77, such questions as the following might be asked:-What kind of an animal is the cow? How many legs has it? What are they for? Has it anything like our shoes? Why? Like our clothing? What colour is the skin? Name some other animals or things of the same colour. Has the cow any hair on its skin? Has a sheep? What is the sheep's hair called? How used? What has the cow on its head? Are they of any use? Has the sheep horns? or the pig? The difference between a pig and a cow?-Between a pig and a sheep? sheep and a cow? What is the hair of the pig called? How used? The flesh of the pig? Of the cow? Of the sheep? In how many ways is the living cow useful to us? What other animals are very useful to us when they are living? &c., &c.

A

6. Such a lesson as the one on flowers, page 94 (with the illustrations on p.p. 5, 6, 7, 8, 34 and 90), might be rendered very interesting and instructive in the following interrogative manner, and especially if a few real flowers were placed before the learner-Where are flowers found? Tell me the names of all you can think of

* That is, the intentional omission, by the Teacher, of some important word in each sentence, in order that the Pupil may supply it.

that grow in gardens. All in fields. Which do you like best? Which smell the sweetest? What flowers grow first in spring? Last in autumn? How many principal parts has a perfect flower?-(Four.) Point them out. What part is called the corolla? What colour is this? Have all flowers the same colour? Why? What other colours are there? What holds the corolla? What colour is the cup or calyx? What use? What do you call the small part in the middle, like a thread? The others all round this? Of what use are the pistil and the stamens? Where are the seeds? Of what use are they? Different kinds? Most useful sorts? Difference between seeds and fruits? The sweetest fruits? The most useful fruits? Name the fruits that grow in our gardens. What fruits grow only in very warm countries? Cannot they be made to grow in this? When are most flowers found? What makes the bee visit them? Where does it take the honey? What is a little flower called?-(A floret.) A flower-gardener?-(Florist.) What is meant by flowery? flowerless? florid?

7. All, or as many as possible of the classified words, should be explained, whether these be used as exercises in pronunciation or in spelling. The names of common objects, of minerals, vegetables, animals, &c. (commencing on page 22), can easily be illustrated (especially the last) by reference to the objects themselves, when accessible, or to the numerous engravings distributed throughout this work. The list at the end will greatly facilitate this reference. The Pupil might be further exercised on the Adjectives (page 26), thus:-What is meant by bare? Name some things that are bare.-(Bare ground-skin-head-feet.) Also, on the meaning of the Verbs (page 27), thus:-Add figures, ask questions, beat a dog, bind books, boil potatoes, puddings, &c.

8. (Vide paragr. 6.)—Natural History is particularly attractive to children, and therefore the numerous engravings of animals contained in this book may become the means of greatly increasing their interest in the animal kingdom. By directing their attention to these engravings, and by such questions as the following, their perceptive and thinking faculties will be gradually developed :-Name some of the different kinds of animals. What is the difference between a beast and a bird? Between birds and fishes? Fishes and insects? Beasts and reptiles? Is a horse a beast or a reptile? A worm? Is a butterfly a bird or an insect? A sparrow? A hen? A bee? Have all animals the same clothing? What kind have birds? beasts? fishes? insects? Are feathers heavy or light? Why? Do they keep birds warmer than scales would? Why? Are feathers of any use to man? What use? Is hair? What kind of hair is of the most use? Are the coverings of shell-fish of any use? What do birds live upon? What are those called that live upon flesh? What kind of claws have they? How are their bills shaped?—(p. 86.) Name some birds of prey. Name some beasts of prey. What kind of teeth have these? Are they stronger or weaker than other animals? Swifter or slower? Point out the pictures of beasts of prey. What is there curious about the lion? What kind of a look has the tiger? &c. What kind of dwellings have beasts? Birds? What makes their nests so soft and warm? Why are they so? Are eggs all of one size? Colour? Is it right to take nests, or to hurt young creatures? Has the ostrich large wings? Slender legs? Why is it so made? What has the snail on its back?-(p. 39.) Is this of any use? What has it stretching from its head? What good do they do it? Point out the bee-hives.-(p.p. 69, 27.) What have they inside? cells made of? Where does the honey come from? Who taught the bees to do all these things? Why have they stings? Are they ever idle? Why do they store so much honey up in cells? What lessons do they teach us? &c.

What are the

9. Exercises on Form, &c.-(vide p.p. 13, 14.) What are the three principal positions in which anything can be placed? Take a pencil and make it vertical or perpendicular-horizontal-oblique or slanting. What are angles? How many different kinds? What are those in the letter H?-(p. 14.) Letter Z? Y? _K? If these letters were sloped, would they contain the same angles? What difference between the upright and sloping H? &c. In what position are the posts of a door? The ceiling of the house? The floor? The legs of a table? The top? That part of a writing-desk on which the paper is placed? Show what other things than windows in a house contain right angles. In what articles can you point out acute angles? Obtuse? What is meant by concave? Convex ? Point out the convex surface of a cup or basin-the concave. What other things are concave? Convex? Name the different parts of a chair.-(p. 22.) (Seat, legs, back, &c,) What position has each part? What angles are formed when the parts join? Is any part concave ? Convex? Name the different parts of a jug.-(p. 23.) What kind of curves has it outside? Inside? Name the different kinds of lines, angles, and curves, in the cooking utensils-(p. 22). Point out the various parts of a book. (Cover, leaves, back, front, sides, edyes, corners, &c.) What kind of substance is the leather at the back? Cloth at the sides? Paper inside? Gilt letters of the Title ?

In a similar manner almost every picture in the book, or real object around, can be made subservient to the development of the senses or the intellect.-(Vide also next paragraph.)

10. After the Pupil can readily distinguish the different colours, and tell whether each is a primary, secondary, or tertiary colour, he might be exercised in pointing out these colours in every object that is brought before his attention. A walk through a flower-garden or in the fields, the sight of coloured pictures of animals,

of different articles of dress and furniture, of toys, fruits, &c., will furnish suitable opportunities for this exercise. He might be required to tell or write all the things he could think of that were white,-all that were black-yellow-blue-red-orange -green-purple-citrine-russet-and olive. His attention should then be directed to objects that had different colours each, and be exercised in distinguishing them. Such objects as a tulip, a pink, a geranium, a daisy; apples, grapes, currants; hens, ducks, doves, parrots; butterflies, shells, paper-hangings, coloured pictures or maps, evening clouds, &c., would afford abundant scope for this exercise. Nicety of perception and manual dexterity might be cultivated by requiring the Pupil to thread beads of different colours, according to a pattern or direction; to cut paper of different colours into the shapes of well-known objects, &c. Again, he should be exercised in placing objects of different colours together, and to notice which harmonized and which did not. For instance, a strip of red ribbon will look well if placed beside one of green-but not one of orange. Why? Blue looks well with orange, but not with green-&c. Such questions as the following might also be put:Why is ink black, and paper white? What colour is slate? What kind of a mark does the pencil make upon it? Why? What advantage in having the fields Suppose the grass had been red, what harm would be done? Is it best for the snow to be white or black? Why? What good does it do for fire to be of a bright colour? &c., &c.

green ?

11. All the senses might be exercised thus:-Place some familiar object-say an orange-before the Pupil, and desire him to tell what his senses inform him about