McGuffey Edition and Colophon are Trademarks of

JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC.
NEW YORK - CHICHESTER - WEINHEIM - BRISBANE - SINGAPORE - TORONTO

SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS.

This First Reader may be used in teaching reading by any of the methods in
common use; but it is especially adapted to the Phonic Method, the Word
Method, or a combination of the two.

I. Phonic Method.--First teach the elementary sounds and their
representative, the letters marked with diacriticals, as they occur in the
lessons; then, the formation of words by the combination of these sounds.
For instance, teach the pupil to identify the characters a, o, n, d, g, r,
and th, in Lesson I, as the representatives of certain elementary sounds;
then teach him to form the words at the head of the lesson, then other
words, as nag, on, and, etc. Pursue a similar course in teaching the
succeeding lessons. Having read a few lessons in this manner, begin to
teach the names of the letters and the spelling of words, and require the
groups, "a man," "the man," "a pen," to be read as a good reader would
pronounce single words.

II. When one of the letters in the combinations ou or ow, is marked in
the words at the head of the reading exercises, the other is silent. If
neither is marked, the two letters represent a diphthong. All other
unmarked vowels in the vocabularies, when in combination, are silent
letters. In slate or blackboard work, the silent letters may be canceled.