HAZEN'S LANGUAGE SERIES THE FIRST BOOK OF OBSERVATION, THOUGHT AND EXPRESSION OR SEEING, THINKING, KNOWING, TALKING BY M. W. HAZEN, M. A. SILVER, BURDETT AND COMPANY NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO INTRODUCTORY. OUTLINE AND SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS. Outline. "We are bound by habits as with links of steel," and those habits that are acquired in childhood bind us the most closely in later life. The habits of observation, of careful attention, of right thinking, and of correct expression, must be formed very early in life, and with the aid of the teacher, or, in most cases, they will never be formed at all. The High School and the College can never do this work successfully. Its foundations should be well and firmly laid during the first years of a child's school life. That this work has not been well done generally can be too easily shown from the letters, the conversation, and the more formal attempts 2 at expression of the ordinary graduates of our best schools. Not every man can be a Shakespeare, a Milton, or an Addison, but every school child can be so taught as to have both the power and the habit of correct expression. But the power of correct expression without the ideas to be expressed is as useless as an engine without water at a fire. Too often we try to have the child "make bricks without straw." While the result of proper language-training may be "correct expression," this is far from being its entire purpose. Ideas must precede expression, and, to gain ideas, the great sources of knowledge must be sought and used in their natural order. 3 88837 At the beginning of the school course, the oral instruction in language should follow the plan laid down in this Series of Language Lessons. As soon as the pupils can "read for ideas," this First Book should be used, and they should learn how to study it. The lessons are simple and well graded. They interest the pupil, show him how to learn, and give him a mental strength not otherwise gained. They cultivate the powers of observation, stimulate thought, and lead to the correct, formal expression of ideas. They are so arranged as to use in order the several steps of simple composition, while the interest is sustained by a variety of exercises, and by having no set form to be always followed. They are based upon ideas gathered by the pupil from observation and reading, or from oral instruction. These ideas are made definite by reflection and reason under the skillful care of the teacher. They are retained by memory and are given form by correct expression. This is intellectual discipline, which, when combined with moral training that considers the value and the correctness of the ideas gained, will give the best possible results. Suggestions to Teachers.-While each teacher must be a law unto herself in the use of books, the author ventures to make a few suggestions in regard to the best method of instruction in language. Oral Instruction.-Oral instruction is of the greatest value when it covers systematically any field of study, or when it supplements properly the work of the textbook. It is worse than useless when it takes the place of brain exercise in study, and attempts to feed the mind with predigested intellectual food. Lead the child to study, to observe, and to think; guide him in methods and in subjects; criticise, amend, and approve his work, but never do the work for him when he can gain additional brain power by doing it for himself. The oral supplementary work consists in (1) a thorough discussion of the lesson; (2) additional practice work on the forms taught; (3) constant reviews of work previously done; and (4) the development of observation, thought, and expression, covering: (a) objects named in the lesson; (b) objects naturally connected with the thought of the lesson; and (c) material taken from books. The things seen in and near every schoolroom (see Lesson I) lead to their sources. The wood, the chalk, the glass, the clothes, the animal and the vegetable kingdoms, are never-failing sources of interest, amusement, and instruction. Objects should be brought before the class for study, and the pupils should be encouraged to find out interesting things about them, while the teacher should direct in methods of thought and should obtain correct expression of the knowledge gained. The woods, the parks, the shops, are all open for original observation, and pupils should be taught how to observe, and the best way to obtain definite knowledge. But in all this work, delightful though it may be, the end and aim of these lessons must not be lost. The child's mental powers must be cultivated by observation and thought, and the habit of correct expression must be formed. Observation.- We all see with our eyes the things around us, but few see with their brains. Accurate, definite observation will lead generally to accurate description, even if the form of expression be incorrect. Lead the pupils to observe definitely the ordinary things. that they have simply seen. Seeing, thinking, knowing, telling, is the proper order of work. Models. But observation goes beyond nature. It extends into the realm of books, and the habit of correct expression will be well cultivated by the study of simple, exact forms of thought. |