C and Q, having no

C generally repre

H is the only aspirate that has no correlative sub-vocal. sounds of their own, are not placed in this table of sounds. sents the sound of s as in cent or of k as in cat. Quniformly has the sound of k, and it is always followed by u as in quit. The u in such places is a substitute for w, unless silent, as in coquette (ko-ket). Several sounds included in the table are

COMPOUNDS.

a=ĕē, î=ʊē, û=1o (sometimes yo as in use), oi=a1, ou= Ŏọ, j=dz (z as in azure), x=ks, x=gz, ch=tsh, wh=hw.

A in care is a in an modified by r; a in fast is a in arm modified by the absence of r (or rather, perhaps, is equivalent to o in on, ossify); and e in her is u in us, lacking only the modifying influence of the r. The vowels are always modified by the consonants—it is an incident of pronunciation—but the character of their sounds is not radically changed thereby, and the incidental modifications do not constitute them separate elementary sounds.

Notice the gradation in the vocal sounds in the following examples:

at, an, air; not, on, ask, are; up, us, bur, her.

[See page 8.]

INTRODUCTION.

IN the first and second numbers of this series of Readers, attention was directed somewhat minutely to the details of teaching elementary reading.

Many of the suggestions in those books would be no less appropriate here; but to save space, as well as to avoid repetition, they are omitted. Attention, however, is directed to them, and the inexperienced teacher is urged to carefully read them before beginning to teach from this book.

In the Second Reader, under the heading How to Study the Reading Lesson," attention is called, not only to the manner of studying it, but to the objects which the child should seek to gain in preparing for the reading recitation; and somewhat specific directions are given as to methods for gaining them.

In the body of this book I supplement and exemplify some of those directions, and here call further attention to them, deeming them of sufficient importance to justify necessary repetition.

Fronting and illustrating Lesson I is a full page chromo. To this the attention of the class should be called, even before the lesson itself is assigned for study. The children may be led at first to notice the parts of the picture by questions from the teacher; afterwards they should make continuous oral statements about them without such aid, and subsequently make their statements in writing, to be read at a time set apart for the purpose. Immediately following that lesson (I), the first of these four steps is illustrated.

One step in the preparation of the reading lesson, is "telling the story in writing," i.e. writing its substance (the substance of the portion assigned) in their own language as best they can. I have anticipated what the children would write in some of these lessons, and printed a few of their (imagined) stories to illustrate what I would have done. See after Lessons III, IV, VII, XI, and XVI.

In connection with the reading, by the children, of their own stories, discreet criticism should be made, and the errors, if any, pointed out and (inductively, if possible) corrected. In what Howard says about "Lazy John Warner" (Lesson III) I have purposely left two errors to illustrate a way of leading children to discover and correct, with little help, their own mistakes.

He says: "He

The first error occurs twice in the last part of the sixth verse. don't like to work, and he don't like to study." Call attention to the fact that the word does, and not the word do, is used with the word he,- that we say "he does like to work," and not that "he do like to work ;" and that we also say, he does not like to work," and not that "he do not like to work." Also, if necessary, tell them that don't is a contraction of do not. The contraction for does not is doesn't. What ought Howard to have said? The second error is in the seventh verse, viz. "Go in the house." When we are away from, we must go to, before we can go in. Howard should have said, "Go into the house."

The reading lessons should also be analyzed by means of questions, as partially shown at the close of Lesson I, and of a few others on these pages, and as more fully shown on page 8, Model Second Reader.

The main object of these exercises is to secure to the child possession of the thoughts and ideas (thought pictures) contained in the lessons. No one teaches

reading well, who does not capacitate the child's mind to hear, as it were, thoughts through the eye, and to so hear and comprehend them as to perceive clearly the ideas which lie latent-hidden in the silent page. Another prominent object is to secure readiness, accuracy and elegance in the expression of thought.

SUBSTITUTE LETTERS.

Any letter representing a sound not given to it in our "Table of Sounds" (page 6), is, where thus used, a substitute for the letter whose sound it represents. Examples:

a and y in many (mění) are substitutes for ĕ and i; c in cat (kat) for k; s in as (az) for z; etc.

All the substitute letters marked in the words in the last part of this book, together with the letters for which they are substituted, as well as all other letters marked by Webster, are shown in the following

KEY TO PRONUNCIATION OF WORD LESSONS.

(See pages 303 to 320 inclusive.)

a substitutes ay, cy, ẹ; ä; à; a s aw, ô; ǎ; â sê: — ẽ s ĩ, â :- Is y; Ĭs y: ōsōw; o são, ụ;

ē see,

Ŏ så: u sew; ŭ sò ; us o̟, 00: oi s oy; ou s ow: k s q, e, eh, ck; jsġ; gs g; s s c, c; z ss; x; ng sn; th in thy.

(See also Table of Sounds, page 6.)

SILENT LETTERS.

First, When two or more vowels are united, the unmarked ones are silent. Second, The final e is generally silent, as in love, make, receive; and in derived words with no increase of syllables, as loved, makes, received; and in such words as called, leaped, etc., the last e is silent. Third, The italic letters are silent.

THE MARKING

of letters is confined to the accented syllables, except in words liable to be mispronounced, and in such words only occasionally one is marked as a guide for similar words. See pansies and pennies as illustrations, page 313.

SOUNDS OF LETTERS.

No. 8 of "Model Reader Charts" treats of and illustrates the sounds of the English language. They are also treated of on pages 11, 12, and 13 of Model Second Reader, and on page 6 of this, and require no further attention here. Thorough drill in these sounds and their combinations will make distinct and accurate enunciation easily attainable, and without such enunciation no vocal reading is good.