FOREWORD
LEARNING TO READ
FIRST YEAR
SECOND YEAR
THIRD YEAR
FOURTH YEAR
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How to Teach
Phonics
By
LIDA M. WILLIAMS
Primary Supervisor and Instructor of Methods,
Northern Normal and Industrial School,
ABERDEEN, SOUTH DAKOTA
Hall & McCreary Company
CHICAGO
Copyright 1916, Hall & McCreary Company
P 2143
Printed in the U.S.A.
FOREWORD
Phonics is not a method of teaching reading, but it is a necessarypart of every good, modern method. It is the key to word mastery, andword mastery is one of the first essentials in learning to read. Aknowledge of the sounds of letters, and of the effect of the position ofthe letter upon its sound, is an essential means of mastering themechanics of reading, and of enabling children to become independentreaders.
A knowledge of phonics not only gives power to pronounce new words, butit trains the ear, develops clear articulation and correct enunciation,and aids in spelling. Later, when diacritical marks are introduced, itaids in the use of the dictionary. The habit of attacking andpronouncing words of entirely new form, develops self-confidence in thechild, and the pleasure he experiences in mastering difficulties withouthelp, constantly leads to new effort.
The little foreigner, greatly handicapped where reading is taught by theword and sentence methods only, begins on an equal basis with hisAmerican neighbor, when the "Alphabet by sound" is taught.
In recent years only has the subject of phonics found a place on thedaily school program; and there is perhaps, no other subject on theprimary program so vaguely outlined in the average teacher's mind andtherefore taught with so little system and definite purpose.
The present need is a systematic and comprehensive but simple method ofphonics teaching thruout the primary grades, that will enable anyteacher, using any good text in reading, to successfully teach thephonetic facts, carefully grading the difficulties by easy andconsecutive steps thus