IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE TRAINING $1 



of it may be written on the board, where it serves as a read- 

 ing lesson; later, when the pupils can write, it is copied 

 from the board, the first composition work possible for the 

 youngest pupils. 



The errors noticed in the conversations and reproductions 

 furnish subject matter for many technical drills, which should 



be a part of the training in every year ; for 

 Technical . . , \ 



accuracy in either written or spoken lan- 



guage can be gained only by long and patient 

 observation and drill. Monotony must be guarded against, 

 that enemy of technical language drills. In the teacher's mind 

 the corrections should be grouped around grammatical prin- 

 ciples, not because the child is to learn grammar, but because 

 the teacher will do more effective work if the errors are 

 treated systematically. 



The past tense of the verb is one of the topics that the 

 teacher should have in frequently recurring drill. To be is 

 a good starting place. Were is an almost unknown word to 

 many children. It must be introduced to them, then there 

 must be explained its use when speaking of more than one 

 person or object; many drills must follow. "You was," 

 "we was," "they was," are the torments of all primary 

 teachers, and they are not unknown to the ears of even gram- 

 mar and high school teachers. Even young children can 

 learn that these forms are incorrect, and they can be given 

 the right word as a part of the conjugation : 



I was we were 



he was you were 



she was they were 



The pupil readily accepts the conjugation as correct, and he 



