THE SIXTH OR ALPHABET CL

Happily the alphabet can no longer as the "first torment of children." I an Infant School partakes more of t interesting amusement than of a task. means must however be taken to facilit of the little learner; and as many infar first admitted, cannot speak distinctly training has often to be gone through can commence; for this purpose, the na ing objects and of pictures of common correctly repeated after the teacher; rhymes may be recited and sung with It is a good plan to teach the first geom figures before commencing the alphabe forms are more simple, they prepare t the more difficult shapes of the letters. assistance to the learner, as the separati into their elements serves to distingu accurately, and fixes them in the mem an instance, I, a perpendicular line; P, a semicircle; B, a perpendicular with t Or, in the small alphabet, 1, a perpen same with a small circle at the right; d a circle to the left. As the letters in then fectly unmeaning to infants, they are de that by this process they can make som out of them. In the same manner, wh directs them to observe how the lips: placed in forming the different sounds. new subject of interest to them, and emp tative faculties. Sometimes, to attract still more to this point, the teacher whis slowly, and the children do the same. T sary to distinguish the sounds in this attention of the children, and leads them movement of the lips. Several tablets sl

having the letters in large type arranged promiscuously to prevent repeating by rote. The black board may

also be frequently referred to, and the letters written on it to produce variety. To assist the memory in first acquiring the sounds of the letters, they are formed into a song and set to music, as are syllabic sounds, each consisting of a vowel and a consonant, as ba, be, bi, bo, bu, &c. These are of great use in familiarizing the ear with the combined sounds of the letters, and are pleasing to the children. "It is incredible," says Pestalozzi, "to those who have not seen it, how much the attention of babes is excited by the repetition of a few simple sounds and their combinations, such as, ba, da, ma, la, and so on. But the charm which it has for them, is not its only advantage; it contributes to develop their faculties and prepares them for future greater exertions."

The alphabet class is usually taught in an Infant school seated in the gallery in open order, so that each child can easily come down when required by the teacher to point out the letters. Three points should be particularly attended to: first, to train the ear to a correct perception of the sounds of the letters; secondly, to make the eye acquainted with their forms; and thirdly, to secure a distinct and pleasing pronunciation. To these may afterwards be added the imitation of their forms. Nothing is more pleasing to little children than the use of a slate and pencil; and they may be occasionally employed to trace the letters, by way of fixing them in the memory, by each child holding a small slate on the lap, as they sit on the gallery.

While in the alphabet class, the children should be much exercised in spelling, after the teacher's dictation, either the names of surrounding objects, or of common well known things, or such easy words as will admit of interesting explanation. In this way, the ear becomes familiarized with all the principal combinations of the letters long before the child is required to know them on paper; indeed it appears surprising that it should

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have ever been thought necessary to difficulties of reading in one mixed proc ing at once with books. Under a tol large class of children will, in a few wee the alphabet, but also, by practising a become quite adepts in spelling, so t they have acquired a knowledge of t are able to form them into short word this we may state that in the Model Sc in the alphabet class, at the commenc 73 pupils, who were under the charge tress; during the year there were ad class, 309 fresh pupils; at the close of were remaining 43. The time given three-quarters of an hour each day for week; the average number of reading d attended, previously to being drafted int until well acquainted with the alpha giving 25 hours as the time actually child in acquiring the alphabet.

rhyme on the parts of speech may now be learned, as it leads to a commencement of the classification of words, which, if taught from the first, presents no difficulty.

This class is most important, and requires strict attention, as on its management much of the pupil's future progress in reading depends. Pronunciation and manner of speaking should be carefully watched. The

children must not bawl, or speak above the natural pitch of the voice, or lengthen out their words with a drawl, nor, on the other hand, speak too quickly; but all should speak in a natural tone and even time.

nouns.

The commencing tablets for this class contain only The thing signified in each may be explained as they are named, and the reason they are called nouns given. The articles are soon remembered, and then tablets containing adjectives of common occurrence may be used; two or three of these will enable the teacher to form sentences on the black board, as, 66 A good ox," ," "An old cap," &c. Verbs can then be added; and by degrees simple reading lessons taken up; but the distinguishing feature of this class should be, that, from the amount of other information communicated, the children should hardly be conscious of learning to read, which is kept, as it ought to be, a secondary feature in the lesson, the chief attention being directed to the things signified by the words, and not to the words themselves; by which means, reading becomes at the outset delightful to the learner, and to be looked upon as a vehicle of knowledge, and not a mechanical repetition of words. The lesson may be conducted somewhat in the following manner.

Teacher points to the word hat, which the children pronounce.

How many letters are there in this word? Which is the vowel? which are the consonants?

What part of speech is it?

What is it

shape is it? What colour is it generally?

made of? Is it light or heavy? Is it hollow or solid?

Wall. What is a wall made of? vowel in wall? Has it the same sound you close your lips to say wall? Wha What word is next to wall? Bat.

your lips in saying bat?

How do you p Look to the next word, w What is a bird? How does it move? what keeps it up in the air? What is Try to do good.-What are we to try know what good means?

Men go on the sea.-What is the men go on it? What is a ship? Why ships!

At the commencement of the year 1 in the fifth class 70 pupils; 252 more during the year, and 95 remained at average time for each pupil in the cla giving 32 hours as the time spent in class.

As soon as the children are drafted they commence reading from the first the Board, and are seated in a group with the tablet (corresponding to the learning in the book) suspended before t 55 Some of the most advanced read th from the tablet, the teacher pointing to correcting any errors they may make. then reads the lesson over carefully on the children, who afterwards study it i

and repeat it to the teacher in sections.