LESSONS IN OBBMAN. 



opon, as may appear mart suitable to the nature of the lesson 



;md tliu mental status of thu pupils. The object of the teacher 



inn will bo to aaoertain, first, whether 



the leMon has boon uadentood { next, whether the class ha* a 

 clear and definite comprohonaiou of it* general aoope and 

 mnmiii^, ami how far they are acquainted with iU detail* ; and, 

 ., h.-thor they hare a dear remembranoe of it M a whole. 

 .....lid gladly give example* of the two last-named 

 in of the intorrogatory method of teaching, but we miut 

 y ..ilVi-iii'-.- two or throo hint* on thi* part of our nbjoot. 

 .i<:h question should grow, M it were, out of the preceding 

 answer ; and yet, on tbo whole, should follow each other so 

 it i<-;illy that all the answers put together would form a 

 tod account of the subject of the lesson. Secondly, 

 us arc bad which require only yet or no as an answer, 

 i a question is put, the teacher should ask why itnmu- 

 oftorwardfl, so as to elicit the reason for giving it, and 

 in order to load the pupil to think. Thirdly, questions should 

 be so framed as not to suggest the answer. Fourthly, every 

 .p;. -timi should bo definite, if possible, admitting of only one 

 answer. Fifthly, the answer must not be suggested by giving 

 one or more words of it. Lastly, the language of the question 

 should bo simple and cloar, and it should be put in as few words 

 as possible. It will be scon that the object of these rules is 

 to render tho lesson a searching mental exercise. The intorro- 

 gatory method has been aptly styled " tho ploughshare of the 

 mind." When skilfully used, it becomes a wonderful quiokoner 

 of ideas, unveils the errors of speech and thought which may 

 have lain before unnoticed, and imparts a relish and intense 

 interest to tho subject of study which it ia delightful to witness, 

 and still more delightful to feel. 



Young teachers, both in Sunday and day schools, ought to 

 spare no efforts to become proficient in tho art of questioning. 

 We would recommend them to place written interrogatory 

 exercises as a subject on their programme of evening studios, 

 and to spend at least ono hour a week in careful application 

 to it. A good plan is to take a portion of a Scripture or secular 

 reading lesson, and write down all tho questions and explanations 

 on paper which tho teacher would deem it necessary to givo 

 were the class actually before him. These questions should bo 

 divided into tho different kinds mentioned above, and tho rules 

 previously given should bo carefully borne in mind. But this 

 written exercise must on no account bo slavishly followed when 

 the lesson is actually given, nor should it be near at hand even 

 for reference. As the questions given during tho progress of 

 the lesson must depend on the answers of tho pupils, the 

 teacher must not allow himself to be cramped and fettered in 

 any way by his previously written exercise. At another time ho 

 may take some subject of instruction, as " tho manufacturing 

 towns of England;" arrange his ideas on it in the shape of 

 written notes ; and then write out the questions which would 

 most likely be required to bring out the lesson in a natural and 

 orderly manner, were tho pupils really in his presence. In this 

 way the young teacher would find himself continually growing 

 in readiness and teaching power, and his pupils would reap tho 

 lasting benefit of his exertions. 



4. The elliptical method. This mode of teaching consists 

 in leaving out one or more words in a sentence, and allowing the 

 scholars to supply these words. It is intended at once as a test 

 of their attention, and as a means of keeping it closely rivetted 

 on tho subject of tho lesson. It is useful when employed along 

 with the intorrogatory method. Tho elliptical method seems 

 first to have been brought into publio notice by Mr. David Stow, 

 of Glasgow. Wo may give tho following as an example : the 

 words in italics ore those supplied by the children. The lesson 

 is on the camel, and tho teacher ia speaking about the feet of 

 that animal. Ho proceeds to say, " What kind of feet has the 

 camel ? . . . soft : very spongy and . . . soft, like a ... lady's 

 hand ; not dry, like the . . . Jiorse's feet, but soft and full of 

 moisture, like tho palm of my . . . hand, (Here the teacher 

 points to tho palm of his hand.) What has the camol to walk 

 upon, children ? . . . Sand, soft . . . sand, and therefore God 

 has made its feet . . . soft, and full of ... sap, that they may be 

 . . . able to walk in the . . . deserts fora ... long time." Ellipses 

 without questions would be tame, dull, and comparatively useless. 



5. The " picturing -out" method. This is a name given by 

 Mr. Stow to the method of illustration or description in words, 

 which is so essential to success in teaching. It is, in fact, \oord~ 



The ftnrtdiriaion in every eiarett*,"eays)t>.8tow. 



to make it etoar to UM mind in all iu mnnsmry details. 

 not too much to say, that no teacher caa Mp*ot MOOMM in hi* 

 calling who i* not tolerably expert in Uu. important part at &. 

 The methods of teaching which wo bar* UMM briefly brongfat 



...: - ' - : . .: . . - . t:. -- ..-. -., , 



employed in the best school* both of Uti* and other eonntrie*. 

 They are used, for the mo. t part, ia inetroeting eh**** of from 

 ton to fifty scholar-, but an al*o applicable to UM infraction of 

 individual pupil*. But. after all. UM spirit and rairtMM of 

 the teacher are greater denmitsl of MOOSM 'than UM akttfal 

 application of any method*, hmortnai thoogh UMM latter 0n- 

 doubtedlyare. Althomgh bMtnoting hi* p*pO* in nnben. he 

 must seek to become acquainted with their individual ebaracter 

 and progroM. He most endeavour to bind them to himself by 

 tbo bond* of love and sympathy to stimulate the indolent. 

 encourage the timid, and a**i*t those who are manfully atroggling 

 with difficulties. Thus showing binwolf the friend. M veil a* 

 the teacher, of those under hi* care, he will find hi* work a 

 happy one, and will receive the gratitude of DMA and womm, 

 who in youth obtained the priceless bl using* of hi* wi** in- 

 struction, friendly guidance, and loving help. 



LESSONS IN GERMAN. LIX 



{ 61.-DEMONSTBATIVE PROSOL'KS. 



(1.) The peculiar office of a demonstrative pronoun I* to 

 point out tho relative po.\twn of the object to which it refer*. 

 Of these there are three, namely 



Differ, this (pointing to something near at hand). 



3ener, that (indicating something rtmoU). 



Der, this or that (referring to thing* in either position). 



(2.) Diefer and ienrr are declined after the Old Form of adjec- 

 tives ; thus 



MASC. 



Nom. Differ, 



Gen. Diefrt, 



Dat. Ditt'cm, 



Ace. Diefen, 



Singular, 

 rxx. 



titfe, 

 rirfer, 

 titftr, 

 tuff, 



feirfet (tirl). this. 

 fcirjcf, of this. 

 ticftm. to this, 

 ticftl (lie*), this. 



I' -.:. 

 AU 



: 14 



DiffrT, Of 



Diefrm. to theee. 

 DM 



(3.) Der, when used in connection with a noun, is inflected 

 like the definite article. 



(4.) When used absolutely that is, to represent a substan- 

 tive it is inflected thus . 



Singular. Plural. 



MASC. rxK. ran. toa ALL anon*. 



Nom. Dtr, tie, bal. Wl 



Gan. Dfffen (bep), fctrtn (let), ttffcm (tf). !. 



Dat. Dem, ter, tern. : - 



Ace. Den, tie, tal. I - 



62. OBSERVATIONS ON THE DEMONSTaATlTES. 



(1.) The neuters titfrf (contracted form tiH). \nti, and to* are, 

 like e ( 134. 1.), employed with verbs, without distinction of 

 gender or number ; thus : Dirt ift eia SRasn. this is a man t 

 ftnt 2tttnf$cn, these are men ; [tntt ift tint 9raa. that i* a woman, 

 etc. 



(2.) Differ, when denoting immediate proximity, signifies <*w; 

 as, in tiffer SBelt ifl alle oetjingli^, in this world all i* transitory. 

 More generally, however, it answers in use to that. 3nn 

 always denotes greater remoteness than tkfrr. and signifies that 

 yon, yonder: as, ieiut tern tfl laum ftytbar, that (or yonder) star 

 is hardly visible. 



3ener and titfer. when employed to express contrast c 

 risen, often find their equivalents in the English u*pi " ** 

 farmerthe latter ; that, that one thi*. thi* one. 



(3.) The demonstrative Kr. lie. ra. i* distinguishable b 

 the article with which it is identical in form, by being *M 

 with greater emphasis, as in the following example j te 

 $at tt gffa^t, niAt jener, this man has said it, not that one. 



(4.) The form fctf is chiefly found in compounds ; as, 

 on this account. 



(5.) Sometimes Kt U, for th *ake of greater OMWMM, 

 ploved in place of a possessive; as, moltt fciat* ttcr n 



