THE MODERN SPELLING BOOK, FOR The Use of Schools and Private Families. BY JAMES HUTCHINSON, M.A., AUTHOR OF *Easy Lessons on the History of England,” “Easy Lessons on Geography," TWENTY-FIRST EDITION. LONDON: WRIGHT, SIMPKIN, AND CO., SCHOOL PUBLISHERS, 29, NEWCASTLE STREET, STRAND. 1859. IN preparing the following work for the press, the author has been anxious to accomplish two things, namely, to smooth the path of the learner, and to lessen the labours of the teacher. With respect to the former of these, he has endeavoured to make "THE MODERN SPELLING Book" attractive, not by embellishing it with useless wood-cuts, but purely for its intrinsic worth; its inviting open appearance-its suitable typethe simplicity of its style-its step-by-step gradations and for the useful and varied information that it contains; and perhaps, in these several respects it will vie with any work of the kind now in use. The author is fully sensible of the difficulties with which teachers of preparatory schools have sometimes to contend in teaching the Alphabet, especially when the pupil is young, inattentive, or deficient in natural capacity. Some years ago he gave considerable attention to the subject, and he is convinced, from repeated trials, that by adopting something like the following method, much labour and vexation may be avoided. The plan is simply this: the pupil is instructed to say A, aunt; B, ball; C, cat; D, duck, &c.; when the letters are pretty well known, both for ward and backward in this way, the child is to be taken into the promiscuous reading, still only naming the letters with the words attached, and not forming them into words; when the letters are thus easily known, the object is accomplished, and it only remains to discontinue the accompanying word, and this is easily done by telling the child that he must now no longer say A, aunt, B, ball, but simply a, b, c; he is now prepared to enter upon the easy reading lessons in the usual way. Probably, most teachers, who have had much experience in the elementary parts of education, have formed a plan of their own, which may answer the purpose as well as this; such the author does not presume to address; but should those entering upon the duties of the profession be induced to give the plan a trial, and it be found to answer, his object is attained. He may add, that he has had many opportunites of testing it, and he never yet found it to fail. Hitherto the author's efforts to serve the rising generation have been favourably received; and he trusts upon trial the Spelling Book will be found not less deserving of the attention of teachers in general. LONDON, 1852. |