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Untitled Article
be 9 biy bo 9 bu , by , &c , but words only which are familiar to him , and which he is called upon to explain , such as o , x , ox ; w , e , we ; g 9 o , go , &c . € t No sooner , " says Mr . W ., cf was the elementary book formed on this principle introduced , than its good effects in inspiring animation and activity , where all had hitherto been cold and spiritless , were immediatel y apparent , and excited no small astonishment , both among- the elder pupils and the visitors of the seminary . The pleasure , which the children experienced , in
finding themselves already able to read the words which they were accustomed to speak , was not unlike the delight of the infant in his first attempts to pronounce those words which he has been accustomed to hear . And , when they were desired to explain them , or rather to give examples of their application , the whole assumed the appearance far more of an amusement than of a task ; and the only difficulty was to restrain them , so as to allow each to give his answer in his turn . In due time it also turned out that the change was no less profitable than it was pleasing . It was found that the
pupils were able to read interesting and instructive passages both much sooner and with fully as great correctness , and far more understanding , than they had done before . Habits of attention were formed , and the method of explaining and illustrating , which hitherto had commenced only at a later period of study , was facilitated to a much greater degree than had been anticipated . As a proof of the additional interest which the children began to take in reading , it was observed that they were now in the habit of turning
over the leaves even of their earliest book to see what they would have to read next ; and , as they advanced , nothing could be a greater punishment to them than to withhold the use of the school-library . It is highly gratifying also to learn that , in the many seminaries and private families in which the Sessional elementary school-books and method of preliminary education have been adopted , their introduction has been followed by the like pleasing and successful results . —Pp . 162—164 .
" After the child has become master of the lessons of three letters , he is no longer allowed to linger on the threshold . No more tables of unconnected words , nor even any more detached sentences are presented to him : but he is now , by the perusal of interesting' and instructive passages , initiated into the real benefit as well as the practice of reading . "—P . 177-" From the article on God we extract the following paragraph , in order to illustrate our mode of explanation in use at this stage .
" ' God bids the sun to rise , and he bids it set . He doth give the rain and the dew to wet the soil ; and at his will it is made dry . The heat and the cold come from him . He doth send the snow , and the ice , and the hail ; and , at his word , they melt away . He now bids the tree to put on its leaf , but ere long he will bid the leaf to fade , and make the tree to be bare . He bids the wind to blow , and it is he who bids it to be calm . He sets a door , as it were , on the sea ; and says to it , Thus far only must thou come . *
" On the above passage the child is asked some such questions as the following : Who bids the sun to 'rise ? ' What is meant by the sun rising ?* Where it rises ? When it rises ? What its rising occasions ? Who bids it 'set ? ' What is meant by setting- ? Where it sets ? When it sets ? What its Betting occasions ? What is meant by ' dew ? ' What is meant b y ' soil ?' What good is done by wetting the soil ? When ' the tree puts on its leaf ?' What is meant bjr the leaf ' fading , ' and ' the tree being bare ? ' When this happens ? What is * snow , ' and ' ice' and ' hail ? ' What causes them ? Who sends the cold ? What makes them ' melt V Who sends the heat ? What
? « ' It is quite enough that the child , in answer to this question , describe to his monitor the visible appearance of the sun * going up . ' Nothing , we conceive , would be more utiadvi gable than to tell him at this time that the sun does not * go up' at all , or to enter into any astronomical discussion with him . ' *
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382 Edinburgh Sessional School .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1829, page 382, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2573/page/14/
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