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accompanies his reading lessons till he reads without hesitation, will show him the difference in words of a somewhat similar form and sound, as now and how, noon and moon.

Under ordinary circumstances, in families and in private schools, about a quarter of a year will be found sufficient for the instruction of a child in reading, spelling, (acquired by copying the reading lessons,) and plain writing. Under favourable auspices, where the plan can be brought into full operation, a shorter period may suffice. The characteristics of the proposed method are: -the education of the ear and voice, by which a perfect pronunciation may be recognised and produced the education of the eye, by means of which minute objects shall be discovered and discerned, preparatory to its being exercised on types and writing; and the preliminary education of the mind on a variety of subjects, by which it may be prepared to enter the wider fields of knowledge, as soon as the teacher has recourse to the assistance of books.

With respect to writing, perhaps a few additional remarks may be necessary. We are not advocates for large writing; experience by no means recommends it for young children. It is impossible for them to give the requisite thickness to the down-strokes of a largehand, and for this reason the middle-hand is preferred, commonly called round-hand. They may soon be taught the arts of penmanship, if necessary, but as the smaller hands are those of business and of ordinary use, the acquisition of a large hand occupies time which might be more profitably employed, unless fine writing be required. When the pupil has gone through a few of his first lessons, which have been copied from the writing of his teacher, the printed book containing his

lesson may be placed before him, the lesson being written for him to copy from, as at first: thus his eyes will be directed to the types, as well as to the written hand, and he will insensibly acquire the power of transferring what is expressed in types into writing, without giving his teacher the trouble of first copying it for him from the types into the written hand.

It may be remarked, that some part of the course here recommended is derived from Jacotot. The writer begs to explain that this coincidence is accidental. A short time ago he ascertained, with surprise, that such principles had been discovered, and made public. It was to a train of thought, originating in the study of Dufief's work on the French Language, that the principles here recommended were suggested to the writer. This, and some experience in the work of instruction, in ascertaining the powers of youthful minds and in giving them a direction, have led to the conclusions here detailed.

The applicability of what has been advanced to public instruction, especially to the education of the poor, is an interesting part of the subject. The children of the labouring classes go to school under less favourable circumstances than the children of the middle and higher classes. If they have not had the advantage of infant-school education, it would be well to form them into a preparatory class, before they are taught to read, in which they might be instructed in the names and qualities of objects, by means of pictures and other convenient illustrations. Perhaps such a class might be found useful in all the National and British Schools. In such a class, pronunciation ought to be carefully attended to, and every means taken to

exercise the eye, and to enlarge the understanding. Afterwards, reading may be commenced; the names of objects, animals, plants, furniture, tools, &c., being first conveyed to the pupils. Such columns of words will be found more interesting than the columns of spelling words generally met with in schools. These words will speak to the pupils of things with which they are acquainted, and in which they take some interest. The names will soon be known, and recognised, and written on their slates. A hundred words a day, well learned, will shortly give them a competent knowledge of the language, and the analogies, which they will not fail soon to perceive, will make their future acquisitions more rapid and easy. From the names of things, it will be proper to proceed to their qualities; a red flower, a white flower, a black hat, a long pencil, a dry slate, a wet day, &c. After the more common adjectives are exhausted, verbs may be taught; a man mowing, a horse kicking, the cat catches mice, the horse eats hay, grass, and corn, &c. Then it will be desirable to proceed to connected lessons, short stories, Scripture narratives, and the various other subjects connected with the work of a general education. Pleasing subjects should be selected, while the power of reading is being acquired. With all the interest which can be given to teaching reading, by means of factitious helps, it will still remain a difficult attainment for a child to make. But many of the evils which have been formerly encountered need be obstacles no longer. By methods somewhat similar to that now submitted to the attention of teachers, children may be made good readers in a few months, even under circumstances not generally considered favourable to the growth and expansion of the infant understanding.

ON THE SPELLING OF WORDS, AND A RATIONAL METHOD OF TEACHING THEIR MEANING.

BY

G. F. THAYER, PRINCIPAL OF CHAUNCY-HALL SCHOOL,

BOSTON.

(Delivered before the American Institute of Instruction, August, 1830.)

THE subject on which I have been appointed to address you is, I am aware, when compared with many others, of inconsiderable moment. Still, it was thought to be worthy the attention of this association; and, in accepting the invitation of your committee to treat upon it, my duty to them and to you requires that it should receive all the consideration which its intrinsic importance demands.

I shall detain the Institute but for a very short time in this lecture, because its subject is one very simple in its nature, and not fairly admitting that scope which those of a more diversified character might seem to invite.

It is a matter of fact topic, which demands simple statements, rejecting all ornament and amplification. I shall, therefore, be brief, plain, and direct; and not aspiring to offer a single new idea on this branch,-lying at the very threshold of the temple of education,— to those who have ministered any long time at its altar, I shall hope rather to aid those who have been recently invested with its robes.

Experience would perhaps suggest to most minds seeking for improvement a course of teaching not dissimilar to that which I intend to present to you; but to save the time to the young teacher, and to enable him at once to avail himself of the experience of others, that the progress of his pupils may not be retarded while he is acquiring a personal knowledge of his art, cannot, as it appears to me, but be a desideratum.

Correct spelling I shall assume to be necessary ; 1. because on that, in a degree, depends our understanding of written language; and it would not be difficult to show, that, in a language like ours, derived from so many sources, the very opposite idea from that intended to be conveyed may be expressed by the omission or transposition of a single letter.

2. Although correct spelling is more rare than a thorough acquaintance with the sciences, still every man is a critic in it, and inflicts the penalty of ridicule upon those who transgress its rules.

3. It is important in the education of the young, as it leads to habits of accuracy in other things in which the want of accuracy might be far more fatal to our own interests and happiness. He who is exact and careful in trifling affairs, seldom, if ever, fails to be so in more momentous concerns.

4. The state of literature generally, and especially the estimation in which thorough education is held, may be inferred from the correctness or inaccuracy of the manner of spelling a language.

5. Good spelling is essential to the permanency of a language. By this alone are we able to trace many words to their etymology, without a knowledge of

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