Notes of Lessons: Reading, Class Ia

[We have thought that it might be of use to our readers (in their own families) to publish from month to month during the current year, Notes of Lessons prepared by students of the House of Education for the pupils of the Practising School. We should like to say, however, that such a Lesson is never given as a tour de force, but is always an illustration or an expansion of some part of the children’s regular studies (in the Parents’ Review School), some passage in one or other of their school books.—Ed.]

Subject: Reading • Group: English • Class Ia • Time: 15 minutes

By D. Brownell
The Parents’ Review, 1904, p. 310

Objects

I. To improve E_____’s reading.

II. To enlarge his vocabulary.

III. To make him think.

IV. To develop the habit of attention.

Lesson

Step I.—Tell E_____ a little about the piece of poetry—“A Friend in the Garden,” by Mrs. Ewing—that he is going to read, so as to arouse his interest.

Step II.—Take the first line, “He is not John the gardener,” and let E_____ read the word “gardener,” using the powers of the letters, and not their names. Write it up on the blackboard, in order to impress its appearance on his mind. Then take the word “John,” and then “not,” and from this last make a column of words on the blackboard, by simply changing the initial letter, letting E_____ furnish the words. Then let the line be read straight through.

Step III.—Take the next line—“And yet the whole day long,” beginning again with the most difficult words, “whole” and “long,” and from “and” and “long” write columns of words on the board.

Step IV.—Take the third line—“Employs himself most usefully,” in the same way, beginning with “employs” and “usefully.”

Step V.—Take the fourth line— “The flower-beds among,” in the same way.

Step VI.—Let E_____ read the verse straight through.

Step VII.—Read the other verses of the poem to him, and show him a picture of a “friendly toad.”