INTRODUCTION

The Third Reader marks a further development of the plan on which the first two books of the Series are based. The general character of its subject-matter is the same as that of the Second Reader, but the pupil’s increased vocabulary and greater facility in reading make possible a wider choice of literature.

The stories of child life are of a pure and wholesome influence, but in none of them has the pupil’s interest in the story been sacrificed by the insertion of an obtrusive moral. The fairy stories will be found stimulating to the imagination, and it is believed that they will lead to an appreciation of what is permanently good in literature. A few of the Greek classic stories are also given. These are well adapted to a child’s comprehension and give an early familiarity with themes constantly recurring in literature and art.

In this book, as in the Second Reader, word lists and language and phonetic exercises are provided in abundance. It will be noticed, however, that in the lists of new words at the head of the lessons those of the simplest phonic construction are omitted.

The primary purpose of a reading book is to give pupils the mastery of the printed page, but through oral reading it also becomes a source of valuable training of the vocal organs. Almost every one finds pleasure in listening to good reading. Many feel that the power to give this pleasure comes only as a natural gift, but an analysis of the art shows that with practice any normal child may acquire it. The qualities which are essential to good oral reading may be considered in three groups:

First—An agreeable voice and clear articulation, which, although possessed by many children naturally, may also be cultivated.

Second -Correct inflection and emphasis, with that due regard for hetorical pauses which will appear whenever a child fully understands what he is reading and is sufficiently interested in it to lose his self-consciousness.

Third—Proper pronunciation, which can be acquired only by association or by direct teaching.

Clear articulation implies accurate utterance of each syllable and a distinct termination of one syllable before another is begun.

Frequent drill on pronunciation and articulation before or after the reading lesson will be found profitable in teaching the proper pronunciation of new words and in overcoming faulty habits of speech.

Attention should be called to the omission of unaccented syllables in such words as history (not histry), valuable (not valuble), and to the substitution of unt for ent, id for ed, iss for ess, unce for ence, in for ing, in such words as moment, delighted, goodness, sentence, walking. Pupils should also learn to make such distinctions as appear between u long, as in duty, and u after r, as in rude; between a as in hat, a as in far, and a as in ask.

The above hints are suggestive only. The experienced teacher will devise for herself exercises fitting special cases which arise in her own work. It will be found that the best results are secured when the interest of the class is sustained and when the pupil who is reading aloud is made to feel that it is his personal duty and privilege to arouse and hold this interest by conveying to his fellow pupils, in an acceptable manner, the thought presented on the printed page.