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MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FACTORS INVOLVED IN EDUCATION. 305 
mechanism of expression rather than on the thought to be expressed; 
to have to think how to spell a word hinders expression. The problem 
then is to insure the same standard of accuracy, but by means which 
will not hinder development or waste time. 
Parr Il.—Investigation of this Problem with Scholars ages 8 to 10. 
(a) By the tests referred to in the paper the following points were 
noted :— 
1. The highest standard of accuracy was reached by the eight year 
olds in Class II. who have no free written composition. The subject 
matter of their writing is given orally by the scholars, written on the 
blackboard by the teacher and copied by the scholars into their books. 
They see and write only the correct forms of words, and their written 
vocabulary is thus under the control of the teacher. 
2. Class III. (nine year olds) gave a higher percentage of error. 
In this class free composition is first begun, the teacher loses control 
of the written vocabulary, and the spelling disease begins to show 
itself. 
3. In Class IV. the speaking and reading vocabularies increase still 
more rapidly, the teacher has still less control than in Class ITI., and 
inaccurate spelling was shown to be on the increase. 
(b) As a result of this diagnosis the following reforms are being 
instituted :— 
1. It is clearly better to spend time in the forming of accurate 
spelling habits at the beginning than in the correction of wrong habits 
later. In the early stages scholars may be prevented from spelling 
incorrectly by never giving them the opportunity of doing so; hence we 
now delay ‘ free’ written composition so as to keep the scholars’ 
written vocabulary within the control of the teacher. 
2. The transition to free written composition is made gradually with 
strict oversight from the teacher. The scholars use small dictionaries 
and are constantly reminded of the need for correct spelling in any 
“free ’ writing which they undertake. 
3. In spite of these precautions some errors still occur. From the 
result of a recent investigation by Mr. Stanley Wyatt at the F.D.S. 
into methods of treating errors, the following procedure has been 
adopted for the correcting of these :— 
The misspelt words are to be actually obliterated and practice given 
in the writing of the correct symbols—i.e., the right form is brought to 
the focus of attention. Each scholar keeps his own note book, where 
such words are entered. 
(c) In every class there are one or two scholars for whom the. 
ordinary class teaching is not sufficient. For these spelling is made 
more of an independent study, and special methods are devised to meet 
the needs of individual cases, taking time from other pursuits. Such 
cases, however, are not permitted to stop the normal progress of the 
I class as a whole. 
1913. x 
