and sentence structure are composed will be learned. This work will serve chiefly as an introduction to more serious efforts along this line in the next grade. TECHNICAL MATTERS 1. Capitals: proper adjectives; important words in titles. 2. Punctuation : a. Comma: to set off inverted expressions and inde- b. Question mark: in parenthesis to express doubt, (?). d. Semicolon before as' introducing an example. e. Parenthesis: for interpolated ideas. f. Dash: to set off explanatory statements. g. Caret: to indicate the unintentional omission of a word or phrase. 3. Abbreviations: important ones met in any of the subjects of the year's work, such as 'D.C.', 'M.D.', 'Ph.D.', 'A.M.', 'A.B.', 'pro tem.', etc. English Grammar The year's work in grammar should consist of the analysis of short simple, complex, and compound sentences, and in the mastery of the chief facts concerning the parts of speech. Few definitions other than those which the pupils make for themselves should be learned, and the textbook should serve merely as a guide to logical procedure. The children should, for the most part, either construct or find in books, papers, or elsewhere the sentences they analyze, as well as those illustrating the various facts studied in connection with the parts of speech. All matters of special difficulty should be postponed until the eighth grade. The discussions and illustrative sentences in the textbook should be used in establishing the facts that the teacher has led the pupils to work out for themselves. This plan will develop thought power and leave little place for simple memory work. These principles should be taught, for the most part, in the composition and literature classes; in fact, many teachers attempt to do the work entirely in this way.1 One or two recitations each week may be devoted to the grammar work, the other periods being spent in the other kinds of language work outlined for this grade. The following outline indicates the extent of the grammar study in this grade. A. ANALYSIS OF SENTENCES 1. Form: simple, complex, compound. 3. Chief elements of thought expression: a. Complex, or logical, subject; complex, or logical, predicate. b. Simple subject and adjective adjuncts (words, phrases, and clauses); simple predicate and adverbial adjuncts (words, phrases, and clauses). c. Clauses principal, subordinate; the latter as to their use, as substantive, adverbial, adjectival. 1 For a good outline of the grammatical principles that should be taught grade by grade in connection with the composition work, see Chubb, The Teaching of English, pp. 225-232. d. Phrases: substantive, adverbial, adjectival. 4. Limit use of diagram to assist analysis work only until pupils can see relations without it. B. PARTS OF SPEECH The work of the preceding years should be reviewed until the pupils are able to recognize all parts of speech and to explain their uses in sentences. No formal definitions are to be learned except those made by the children themselves. Special attention should be paid to the following points: 1. Noun: case, irregular plurals, declension. 2. Pronoun: case, person, relative and personal pronouns, declension. 3. Verb: transitive and intransitive, object, complement, conjugation of 'to be,' and person. 4. Adverb: conjunctive, in connection with complex sentence. 5. Preposition in connection with case of nouns and pronouns. GRADE EIGHT I. ORAL LANGUAGE WORK ORIGINAL EXPRESSION. 1. Recitation by Topics. 2. Oral Reports and Talks from Outlines. 3. Narration. 4. Description. 5. Exposition. 6. Argument and Debate. IMITATIVE EXPRESSION. 1. Memorizing Work. 2. Dramatization. II. WRITTEN LANGUAGE WORK ORIGINAL EXPRESSION. 1. Letter-Writing. 2. Narration. 3. Description. 4. Exposition. 5. Argument and Debate. 6. Verse-Writing. 7. Diary. 8. Preparation of Outlines. IMITATIVE EXPRESSION. 1. Dictation. III. GENERAL WORK WORD STUDY. TECHNICAL MATTERS (including English Grammar). |