"Jack run back and get the sack."
"A fat man got in the hack."
"Can Sam get the hat?"



THE ALPHABET AND ORAL SPELLING

The names of letters should not be formally taught until their sounds
are thoroly fixed in mind; otherwise the names and sounds will be
confused. Pupils who begin by "learning their letters" will be found
spelling out a word (naming over the letters) in order to arrive at the
pronunciation. Attention must be focused on the _sounds only_, at first.
When the consonant sounds are mastered by every member of the class, and
they have gained some proficiency in pronouncing words by blending these
with the short and long vowel sounds, the _names_ of the letters may be
taught, and the alphabet committed to memory in order.

While as a rule, most children learn the majority of the letters
incidentally by the end of the first year, it often happens that some
remain ignorant of the alphabetical order until they come to use the
dictionary, and are greatly handicapped.


_To Associate the Name of the Letter With Its Sound._

(1) The teacher names the letter as she points to it and the children
give the corresponding sound; (2) As the teacher sounds the letter,
pupils name the letter sounded. (3) Repeat with the letters erased from
the board.