HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY GIFT OF GINN & CO. THE Second Reader carries forward progressively the work of the First Reader. A judicious combination of the Word and Phonic methods has been adopted. These can be used to supplement each other, or separately as the teacher may prefer. The lessons preserve the same easy gradation as those of the First Reader. The stories in prose and verse are well adapted to awaken a lively interest in the minds of the pupils, and at the same time to instil principles of truthfulness and honesty, and sentiments of kindness and honor. Most of the new words are placed at the head of the lessons in which they first occur. Their pronunciation has been indicated by appropriate diacritical marks, so as to enable the pupil to pronounce them at sight. The questions and language exercises at the end of the lessons are designed to cultivate the constructive powers of the pupil. The aim has been to present a suggestive variety of exercises, rather than to develop any special line of work. These exercises may be modified or enlarged by the teacher to suit the requirements of the class. Others should be added where it is possible to make the lesson more interesting and in. structive. The phonic exercises are simply and conveniently arranged, and are believed to be suited to the demands of a Second Reader. The script exercises have been prepared with great care expressly for this book. Pupils can be trained to read the written form of words as easily as the printed form. The Editors take pleasure in acknowledging their obligations to several teachers of large experience in the class-room for valuable assistance in the preparation of this book. Acknowledgment is also due to the publishers of "Our Little Ones" for a single selection. 1694 COPYRIGHT, 1886, BY THE UNIVERSITY PUBLISHING COMPANY. TO THE TEACHER. THE phonic exercises are intended for short and frequent drills in articulation and enunciation. Such drills do much to correct slovenly reading, and are effective also in training the vocal organs. Two or three sounds are provided in each exercise. These are sufficient for a single lesson. If the new words at the head of the lessons are thoroughly mastered, the reading will be easy. Before the pupils read these words, they should learn to pronounce and recognize them quickly. Oral and written spelling of them will be found a useful aid to this. The pupils should be made familiar with the diacritical marks and their signification. The language lessons are to familiarize the pupil with the practical use of oral and written language. The more readily pupils can employ words and sentences in speech and on slate, the more quickly will they appreciate them in print. And a correct appreciation of the words and sentences to be read is clearly essential to fluent and intelligent reading. The script models furnish a large written vocabulary. The questions placed at the end of the lessons are to encourage conversation on the subject of the lesson. The exercises in filling blanks will lead to a correct idea of what is necessary to constitute a sentence. All of these exercises, however, are only subsidiary to the main object of the book, which is to teach the pupil to read. |