26 Skeleton of Leaves, Preparation of... 184 276 25 311 Sonoma. Siskiyou and Modoc Counties. Mountains and Valleys, Formation of..... .34, 65, 99, 169, 201, 234, 282, 383, 414 Plants, Textile... Politics, Intellect in.... 20 120 197 140 265, 293, 387 129 25 92 27 175 System of Education. 92 276 Systematic Thinking... 403 90 394 Popular Delusions on Technical Education 212 271 Preparation for his Work, the Teacher's.. 18 184 53 Principles of Prussian System of Class Prize Essay on Froebel's Kindergarten Sys- 92 Teaching Language, Fundamental Princi- 10, 43 Professor Louis Agassiz 302 Teaching of Course of Studies, Programme .74, 118 Programme for Teaching Studies. 74, 118 Teaching Reading... 78 Teaching Spelling. 120 Teaching vs. Hearing Lessons.. 299 227 27 The Brain... 116 78 129 Report of the San Francisco Common The Sleep of Plants.... 276 Schools. 312 Report of the State Normal School.. 134 Respect for Children... Revenue Law, Drafts of. Rules, Use of, in the Study of Language... 324 180 San Francisco, Statistics of Schools of..... 312 376 Valleys and Mountains, Formation of .... 26 25 Schools. Common, of San Francisco, Sta- 312 Schools, Common, of State, Statistics of.. 129 Water, Circulation of, on Surface of the 376 Waters of Sea, Experiment Showing Cir- 275 275 School Fund, Manner of apportioning in Women, Eligibility to Educational Offices 383 Having now spoken, firstly, of the principles of teaching language, I will, secondly, designate what, in my opinion, are the main points in the plan of teaching language; these, however, need not necessarily be considered in the following order: a. This instruction is to be given conjointly with a readinglesson. The reason why is found in the foregoing. But it is not meant by this that all oral instruction or discussion in regard to language, not connected with a reading-lesson, is to be avoided. On the contrary, such separate discourse is often advisable. b. The reading lesson is to be read by teacher and by pupils in conformity with the foregoing requirements, and, when too long or when the ability of the pupils is insufficient, then, by questioning, let it be drawn out by sections or paragraphs from the pupils themselves, or, where possible, let them repeat it by sections. c. Unintelligible or obscure expressions which, in reading, questioning, and recitation, have been brought to the notice of the teacher, are to be explained to the pupils and erroneous ideas corrected. d. The reading lesson is to be considered in its separate sections-that is, the principal or larger groups are to be noticed. e. The different thoughts contained in the separate sections or larger groups of thoughts, are to be so brought out that the learner becomes aware of them. By mere reading these thoughts pass in too quick succession through the child's mind, so that, often, the child does not know what he has read. f. The particular manner of utterance or expression of these separate thoughts is remarked upon, also the reference or relation of these thoughts to each other, and herewith we enter upon the proper and peculiar sphere of instruction in language. Here the attention is to be fixed upon the separate sentences of the reading lesson, and the pupils must learn to perceive the signification of the phrases and separate parts of the sentence, their relation to the complete sentence and the ideas and forms of words, etc., thus introduced. Still further, this will lead us to notice classes and families of words, separate words, and the manner of writing them. In this treatment of Instruction in Language in its essential characteristics, I would offer to consideration the following points confirmed by my own experi ence: 1. Not to dwell too long upon the reading of one and the same piece. In general but few lessons are to be given to one selection. Otherwise, besides the danger of losing the interest of the pupil, we also fail of our aim in bringing before the young mind many and varied forms and structures of language-language pictures and neglect many other things already mentioned. What one is thus obliged to omit in regard to one piece selected for reading, can be introduced in regard to future ones. 2. In this method of linking instruction in language to a reading lesson, it is necessary to keep to some systematic order of gradual progress. By this I mean that the teacher is not to lay hold indiscriminately of some reading lesson and then speak promiscuously of grammar, orthography, etc.; but that, having fixed upon the subject matter to be taught an arranged it in the form of a successive series, he shall, in connection with this selection for reading, take up one or more of these themes according to their order. Whatever is introduced that is new |