PART I. THE design of "THE ESSENTIALS OF SPELLING" is to apply to the teaching of Spelling the improved methods which experience has suggested and approved of in the teaching of other subjects. The principles upon which all effective teaching is based, areEASY GRADATION, SYSTEMATIC CLASSIFICATION, GENERAL PRINCIPLES, illustrated by familiar FREQUENT REPETITION. There has been hitherto no comprehensive and systematic classification of the anomalies of English Orthography with a view to teaching Spelling,—Dictation being chiefly relied on for this purpose. It is felt, however, that, though Dictation may be an excellent test of Spelling, it is not alone sufficient to teach Spelling effectively, because, in the natural order, direct teaching should precede examination. In large classes it is difficult to correct all the exercises in dictation, and there is the risk of confirming the pupil in error. It is a waste of time-especially in the more advanced stagesto dictate every word in a sentence. By teaching Spelling by Dictation alone, the principle of classification so important in the acquisition of knowledge is not applied; but the gigantic task is undertaken of teaching every word in the language singly. The experience of teachers shows that mistakes in Spelling occur in short and common words, perhaps as often as in long and unusual words; and many short words of frequent occurrence are very difficult to learners-e. g., friend, been, said, any, knee, &c. In his report to the Committee of Council for 1862, Mr. ALDERSON has the following remarks on this point "Correct spelling is a rare accomplishment among children of the labouring classes, and proportionably difficult for the teacher to secure. I find the long and difficult words spelt correctly, the short and easy words wrongly. The same boy who wrote afraid, correctly, doubled the vowel in do." Monosyllables, moreover, form the basis of the longer words in the language. Parts I. and II. of the Essentials of Spelling, are, for these reasons, mostly devoted to words of one syllable classified according to their vowel sounds. On account of the diversity of pronunciation among the best authorities, and the modifying influence of the succeeding consonant, especially of the liquid r, upon the vowel sound, this classification was a task of considerable difficulty, which will not fail of being appreciated by those who have given attention to the subject. The number of monosyllables in the language is about 3000, the greater part of which are classified in Parts I. and II., according to their vowel sounds, under the three heads of Regular, Anomalous, and Exceptional words; those words of which there is a considerable number formed in the same manner being considered regular--the anomalous words having but a few in the class deviating from the general type-the exceptional words being quite irregular. The number of anomalous words is about 200; of the exceptional class about 100. MODE OF USING THE BOOK. The following mode of using the book is suggested as the most advantageous: The teacher will read a portion slowly and distinctly, the class repeating after him: this will, at the same time, familiarise the eye with the appearance, and the ear with the sound of the word. The meaning of any unfamiliar words should be explained, because the memory retains more easily that which the mind understands. The portion thus read and explained, should be copied by the pupils on their exercise books or slates; because writing a word is the most effectual method of impressing upon the mind the arrangement of the letters. On the importance of Writing as a means of teaching Spelling, see "Marsh's Lectures on the English Language,” which illustrates Lord Bacon's motto "Writing maketh an exact Man." The words may also be spelt orally from memory. Thus the spelling of the words will be firmly fixed in the mind, by means of the eye, the ear, the hand, and the voice; -a fourfold cord which cannot be broken. With the anomalous words, pp. 17-19, and the irregular words, p. 23, 25, it will be necessary to use frequent repetition, as it has been found by experience that these words form the greatest stumbling-blocks, not only to children, but to more advanced students. Under the heads Anomalous, Irregular, and Silent Letters, it is believed that all the monosyllables with the peculiarities therein indicated are given. |