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Reynolds, Annie / The training of teachers for the country schools of Wisconsin
(1917)
The academic and vocational studies, pp. 15-51
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Page 22
22 TRAINING OF TEACHERS FOR THE COUNTRY SCHOOIL In this class students should become acquainted with a number or magazines; several of theme should be on -the reading table of the school. Others may 'be found at the public library. See Lessons on the Use of the School L4brary. (b) Work in phonics. A careful study of the work in reading in the new Manual should result in the students becoming acquainted with at least one system of phonies. This ought preferably to be the system most commonly used in the county in which they are likely to teach. If the system used in the city grades in which practice work is carried on is not the one commonly used in the country, at least two systems of phonics must be studied* For suggestions in regard to the teaching of orthoepy, see Manual XIII. If the direc- tions given there are followed, no training school will organize a separate class in orthoepy, or use a textbook in this subject. (c) Dictionary work. For lessons designed to help students acquire facility in the use of the dictionary, encyclopedias, and other reference books, the pamphlet, Lessons on the Use of the School Li- brary, issued by the state department, will be found invaluable. (2) Spelling. A few days should be spent in studying the eight pages in the Manual devoted to spelling. The references there given should be consulted. The texts used in spelling are often more woefully belated than any other texts used in a county, whereas there are texts in spelling deserving the highest praise. The prefaces of some of these excellent texts are well worth study. Students should be- come familiar with the fact that the real test of anyone's spelling is found in his written work. They will not live up to this test in their own teaching unless training teachers judge the spelling of students by the freedom from spelling errors in their written work. Investi- gators have ascertained that errors in spelling can very largely be prevented by good teaching and proper assignments. Students should know that children can be safeguarded against spelling errors by teachers who anticipate their errors. They should at the same time become familiar with some of the measuring scales used in spelling. Some of the recent reports of the investigation of the material of English spelling should be at hand. (3) Language. (a) Why language is taught. Before beginning this subject as given in the Manual it may be well to ask the students to give a few cogent reasons for teaching language In any school. Let them compare the reasons which occur to them with these: 1. That pupils may form the habit of enunciating so clearly that listeners cannot help but understand them. 2. That pupils may get enough practice in talking about everyday oc- currences so that they may lose their self consciousness. 3. That pupils may become the possessors of a wide, accurate vocabulary-. 4. That pupils may know something worth white talking about which means that they must observe, read, study. think act, and listen as wetl as talk. "He who talks assists in the making of knowledge". ' See Manual, also Suggestiofas on eaching Reading issued by the state department. __ --9,
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