Spelling

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 7, 1909

A FEW years ago a cry went through the land: “Down with the spelling-book.” The old practise of learning columns of words from the spelling-book, and the accompanying definitions, was justly condemned. The definition was often as meaningless to the child as the word defined, and no attempt was made to make either intelligible. The results were unsatisfactory, and the good spellers were only those who had a “knack” at spelling. Even these were not to be relied upon when it came to the almost sole use of spelling; namely, the written expression of thought. The old-fashioned spelling-book was a splendid opportunity for the boys and girls to meet together and have a good time, but it did not make good spellers. The friends of reform (and reform was sadly needed) urged that the child must learn to use the words he needs: and these words were to be selected from his reading-book, his geography, his history, etc. Without doubt this is a sound pedagogical principle, which at once appeals to every thoughtful teacher. But still our pupils are poor spellers. The remedy is not a complete success. We have gone to the farthest extreme, and parents criticize the schools because their children are poor spellers, while teachers are obliged to admit that the results are not all that was hoped for. Of course there are many more subjects taught now than were taught in the old-time school; but with better teachers and equipment, with improved methods of instruction, more may justly be demanded of the present than of the old school. I think we must admit that the abolition of the spelling-book was a mistake. Many schools have recognized this, and have reinstated it, not indeed to its old place, but as a supplement to the spelling which is taught from every subject of the school course, in every written exercise. The child will not get enough spelling from incidental work, but must be drilled in that as in every subject. He must not be taught to spell the, to him, meaningless words, but must secure a much wider vocabulary than the incidents of his school work furnish; and there are well-arranged spelling-books which offer him just such a vocabulary.—Selected.