LANGUAGE 



3315 



LANGUAGE 



Steps in the Study of Language 



The person who can use the mother tongue 

 fluently, accurately and effectively in the ex- 

 pression of his thought has a power and a pos- 

 session that will serve him at every turn. 



Indiana Uniform Course of Study. 



The importance of the study of English can- 

 not be overemphasized, and in the primary 

 grades all the activities of the child's mind 

 should be made to contribute to the strength- 

 ening of his power of expression through lan- 

 guage. While the trite saying, "Every lesson 

 a language lesson," should in a measure be 

 regarded, language should not be made the 

 chief end of every lesson, because every lesson 

 has its specific purpose. A lesson on the violet, 

 for instance, should be devoted principally to 

 gaining a knowledge of that plant on the part 

 of the pupils. Incidentally wrong forms of ex- 

 pression may be corrected, but if time is spent 

 on drills in language, the lesson is diverted 

 from its main purpose. These drills, however, 

 are necessary; therefore courses f study pro- 

 vide for language lessons in every grade. 



The course of study and the suggestions for 

 its development given in the following pages 

 conform to the plans outlined in the best state 

 and provincial courses of study for common 

 schools. The chief purposes of the suggestions 

 are to set forth the underlying principles upon 

 which the teaching of the English language 

 rests and to call attention to the language 

 facts upon which special stress should be 

 placed in both the home and the school. 



Underlying Principles. The following under- 

 lying principles are applicable to all language 

 teaching, and they will be referred to as occa- 

 sion requires in the pages that follow: 



1. The child learns language by listening to 

 his mother. 



As is the mother's speech so will be the 

 child's. If the mother pronounces words cor- 

 rectly, and has a soft, melodious voice, the 

 child will from the beginning form correct hab- 

 its of speech. 



2. The child learns language from literature 

 and song. 



The child who is taught the classic nursery 

 rhymes of Mother Goose and other children's 

 favorites and who listens to the sweet lulla- 

 bies of childhood unconsciously lays the 

 foundation of a good literary taste. "It is the 

 ear and not the script or print," says Chubb, 

 "that is the first, as it is the final, arbiter and 

 nurse of all lovely speech and song." 



3. The child learns language by listening to 

 his associates. 



The playground and the street are the great 

 sources of discouragement to the teacher of 

 language and to cultured parents. Some advo- 

 cate excluding the child from these influences 

 to prevent the corruption of his speech. But 

 character is developed only through \ contact 

 with one's fellows, and there is great danger 

 that the child will lose more than he will gain 

 by such exclusion. The difficuty to be over- 

 come is not, however, as great as it at first 

 seems, provided the early home training has 

 been of the sort described above. The child 

 who has formed right habits of speech in the 

 home, and who is encouraged to use them, will 

 slough off the bad forms learned in the street 

 just as he outgrows many other childish habits 

 in the progress of his natural development, un- 

 less by repeated cautions not to use these 

 expressions they are kept before him. 



4. Language is only one means, and often a 

 limited means, of expression. Its usefulness is 

 increased by the development of other means, 

 such as gesture, drawing and construction 

 work. 



5. Language and thought supplement each 

 other. 



The language the child learns affects his 

 thought and is a strong factor in the develop- 

 ment of his character. In the language of the 

 poet 



This price the gods exact for song, 

 That we become what we sing. 



It naturally follows that only the best in lan- 

 guage and literature should be presented to 

 children. 



Language Work in the Home. The founda- 

 tion of language is laid in the home, there- 

 fore we reiterate the first principle: The child 

 learns language by listening to his mother. To 

 this we wish to add another truth of almost 

 equal importance: Early habits may be over- 

 come, but they are seldom, if ever, forgotten. 

 What are the mother's duties in leading the 

 child to take his first steps in talking? 



1. To pronounce words correctly. The child 

 will reproduce what he hears, hence care should 

 be exercised in pronouncing all words ending 

 in ing, as making, walking; and such words as 

 been, sir, sure, etc. 



2. To use correct language forms, as Whom 

 did you see? He did the work yesterday; I 

 saw John last week; I have no money. Many 



