ARITHMETIC READER, FOR SECOND GRADE PUPILS. BY FRANK H. HALL, AUTHOR OF HALL'S HELPS IN THE STUDY OF HISTORY, OR THE BACKBONE OF THE FARM AND WORKSHOP." CHICAGO: SCOTT, FORESMAN & CO. MARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY GIFT OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL WF EDUCATION COPYRIGHT, 1889, CHICAGO NOBT. O LAW CO. CHICAGO Much of the difficulty in arithmetical training, is due to the inability of the pupil to read the book which is put into his hands. Often at the outset, he is required to "learn definitions" which are to him a meaningless jumble of words. He is then taught to perform mechanically certain fundamental operations. In the problems which follow, his attention is riveted chiefly upon the mere figures. Thus it happens that in a little time he has acquired the habit of "juggling with figures," and blindly working for the answer. It is believed that there is a place in our courses of study for a book, or a series of books, by which the pupil may be taught to read arithmetical problems and gradually led into the correct use of mathematical terms. It is this conviction that has given birth to THE ARITHMETIC READER. No pictures appear upon its pages. These would in part defeat the purpose of the book which is to aid the pupil in getting thought from printed words. It is expected that the facts of number appearing upon any page will be thoroughly taught by means of objects, before the pupil is asked to read the page. Part I. suggests the order and amount of number work that should be taught orally in the First Grade; but the book should not be put into the hands of the pupil until he is able to read well in a second reader. Part II. suggests the order and amount of number work for the Second Grade. Page 96 is inserted to indicate the bearing of the book upon the subsequent work of the pupil. 1. Do not allow the pupil to attempt to read any page of this book until he has mastered the facts of number and can recognize readily all the words found thereon. The new facts of number, if any, appear in fine print at the top of each page. All the fine-print matter is for the direction of the teacher. It should be omitted by the pupil. All new words appear in the word-lists. Drill upon these until the pupil can pronounce them in any order at the rate of 100 words per minute. 2. To teach the "meaning and use" of a term, do not require the pupil to memorize the formal definition; rather, use the term correctly and lead the pupil to use it many times. The word must become a part of the pupil's vocabulary. The teacher can Slow work should not be tolerated. easily read almost any page of the book in one minute. The pupil that has mastered the number facts and the words, can read a page in two minutes or less. A class should be able to read five or even ten review pages at a single recitation. If this cannot be done, drill upon the word-lists and upon the number facts. Drill! DRILL! DRILL! 4. For seat work, the pupil may be required to copy a page in full, filling all the blanks. The suggested "slate work" should not be omitted. |