New National First Reader

New National First Reader

Project Gutenberg's New National First Reader, by Charles J.
Barnes, et al. This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost
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Title: New National First Reader
Author: Charles J. Barnes, et al.
Release Date: October 25, 2004 [EBook #13853]
Language: English
Character set encoding: UTF-8
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NATIONAL FIRST READER ***

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BARNES'S NEW NATIONAL READERS
* * * * *
NEW NATIONAL FIRST READER
BY CHARLES J. BARNES HARLAN H. BALLARD S. PROCTOR
THAYER
NEW YORK--CINCINNATI--CHICAGO AMERICAN BOOK
COMPANY
1888, by A.S. BARNES & CO.
* * * * *
[Illustration: PREFACE]

The authors of this book believe,--
1st.--_That the Word Method is the most natural and practicable,_
because words are representatives of objects, actions, etc., while letters,
or sounds, in the abstract, convey no meaning to the pupil, and are
devoid of interest.
2d.--_That words of ordinary length are as easily learned as short ones,
provided they are familiar to the pupil_. No teacher will doubt the
statement that a pupil will learn the word "mamma'" as easily as "says"
or "eyes."
3d.--_That frequent "Reviews" are essential to the rapid and thorough
advancement of pupils_. By this means the words imperfectly learned
are again brought to their attention and thoroughly memorized. That
these "Reviews" ought to take up the new words in a different order
and arrangement, in order to test the ability of the pupil to recognize
them in any situation. That as soon as the vocabulary is large enough
they should be written in the form of a new exercise, as on pp. 36, 44,
52, 60, and 68 of this book. 4th.--That thorough and systematic drill in
Spelling is absolutely necessary. That the "Reading Reviews" should be
so constructed as to contain all the new words used in the lessons they
were intended to review, and no others, so that they can be used for
"Written or Dictation Spelling." That the pronunciation of the words in
the "Spelling Reviews" should be indicated by the diacritical marks of
Webster, so that they can be used for either "Oral Spelling" or "Phonic
Drill."
5th.--_That the "Script" from which the pupil gets his first and most
lasting impressions should be of large size and accurate form_, and not
of the nondescript character usually found in books of this class. That it
should be free from superfluous line and flourish, and yet have grace
and beauty. That it should be adapted for both copying and reading.
6th.--_That the lessons should be largely "conversational in style,"_ to
cultivate flexibility of voice and to break up the dreary monotone so
frequently heard among children.
7th.--_That the lessons of a book of this grade should not average more
than seven "new words."_ That all such words should appear at the
commencement of lessons, and be familiar to the pupil. That this
method secures careful gradation, and is in marked contrast with the
old custom of having from fifteen to twenty-five.

8th.--_That "Outline Drawings" of the objects first presented to pupils
should be made in the presence of the class_, as it stimulates them to
draw, and thus makes easy and profitable the copying of the "Script
Exercises."
9th.--_That the schoolbook of to-day must be beautifully and copiously
illustrated_. That there must be variety as well as excellence, both in
drawing and engraving. That well-known and famous artists must be
secured, such as Harper, Fredericks, Church, Lippincott, Eytinge,
White, Beard, Weldon, Thulstrup, Cary, Moser, Weaver, and Share;
and such engravers as Karst, Wigand, French, Held, Davis, Hellawell,
etc.
10th.--_That the exercises must be instructive as well as interesting,_
and that no artificial system of vowel classification ought to interfere
with the free and natural use of words.
11th.--That a book of this kind should be suited to the wants of graded
and ungraded schools, there evidently being nothing in the one not
readily adaptable to the other.
12th.--That every book of this class should contain a collection of brief
extracts from standard literature to be committed to memory.
13th.--That this book is constructed on the above principles.

ALPHABETS.
[Script: A a] A a
[Script: B b] B b
[Script: C c] C c
[Script: D d] D d
[Script: E e] E e
[Script: F f] F f
[Script: G g] G g
[Script: H h] H h
[Script: I i] I i
[Script: J j] J j
[Script: K k] K k
[Script: L l] L l
[Script: M m]