First Lessons in the English Language Author:Thomas W. Harvey Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 36. Observation and Description. The pupils are provided with lead-pencils and slips of paper, or with slates and pencils. The teacher says, " Watch me, after... more » I shall have counted four, until I clap my hands; then write a description of what you see me do during that time. One, two, three, four." The pupils watch the teacher, and write the descriptions required. The slates or slips of paper are then collected, the descriptions examined, and all necessary corrections made or suggested. The actions performed should he few and simple, at first; hut should increase in number and complexity as the pupils learn to observe actions carefully, and to describe them correctly. The exact order in which actions occur should be observed in the descriptions. No important or essential particulars should be omitted. Require an accurate and complete statement of facts — no more and no less. As soon as the pupils can write the descriptions readily and accurately, the teacher may appoint monitors to conduct the exercises. Exercises. 1. The teacher counts four, takes a book from the desk and puts it under his left arm, walks across the room, takes the book in his right hand and pretends to read, returns to the desk, turns to the right and faces the pupils, then claps his hands. 2. The teacher counts four, walks to a window, raises or closes it, returns to the platform, goes to the door and raps on it, turns to the right or the left and walks around the school room; on reaching the platform, he claps his hands. 3. The teacher counts four, places the forefinger of his right hand on his lips and pretends to be listening, walksto a pupil and asks him a question in a loud voice; on receiving an answer, he goes to a window and taps on it with his finger, then returns to the platform,...« less