The Elson Readers, Book 5

William H.Keck Elson, William H. Elson, Christine M. Keck

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• Publié par: nifir
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 86
• Langue: English

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*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands
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Author: William H. Elson and Christine M. Keck
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG
EBOOK THE ELSON READERS, BOOK 5 ***
Produced by Mike Pullen.THE ELSON READERS
BOOK FIVE
WILLIAM H. ELSON AND CHRISTINE M. KECKPREFACE
This book is based on the belief that an efficient
reader for the fifth grade must score high when
tested on five fundamental features: quality of
literature; variety of literature; organization of
literature; quantity of literature; and definite helps
sufficient to make the text a genuine tool for
classroom use.
Quality Literature:
First among these features is the essential that the
foundation of the book must be the acknowledged
masterpieces of American and British authors.
American boys and girls may be depended upon to
read current magazines and newspapers, but if
they are ever to have their taste and judgment of
literary values enriched by familiarity with the
classics of our literature, the schools must provide
the opportunity. This ideal does not mean the
exclusion of well established present-day writers,
but it does mean that the core of the school reader
should be the rich literary heritage that has won
recognition for its enduring value. Moreover, these
masterpieces must come to the pupil in complete
units, not in mere excerpts or garbled "cross-
sections"; for the pupil in his school life should gain
some real literary possessions.
A study of the contents of The Elson Readers,
Book Five, will show how consistently its authorshave based the book on this sound test of quality.
The works of the acknowledged "makers" of our
literature have been abundantly drawn upon to
furnish a foundation of great stories and poems,
gripping in interest and well within the powers of
child-appreciation in this grade.
Variety of Literature:
Variety is fundamental to a well-rounded course of
reading. If the school reader is to provide for all the
purposes that a collection of literature for this
grade should serve, it must contain material
covering at least the following types: (1) literature
representing both British and American authors; (2)
some of the best modern poetry and prose as well
as the literature of the past; (3) important race
stories—great epics—and world-stories of
adventure; (4) patriotic literature, rich in ideals of
home and country, loyalty and service, thrift,
cooperation, and citizenship—ideals of which
American children gained, during the World War, a
new conception that the school reader should
perpetuate; (5) literature suited to festival
occasions, particularly those celebrated in the
schools: Armistice Day, Thanksgiving Day,
Christmas, Arbor Day and Bird Day, anniversaries
of the birthdays of Lincoln and Washington, as well
as of Longfellow and other great American authors;
(6) literature of the seasons, Nature, and out-of-
door life; (7) literature of humor that will enliven the
reading and cultivate the power to discriminate
between wholesome humor—an essential part of
life—and crude humor, so prevalent in the pupil'soutside reading; (8) adventure stories both
imaginative and real; (9) literature suited to
dramatization, providing real project material.
This book offers a well-rounded course of reading
covering all the types mentioned above. Especially
by means of groups of stories and poems that
portray love of home and its festivals, love of our
free country and its flag, and unselfish service to
others, this book makes a stirring appeal to good
citizenship. Moreover, it will be noted that
wholesome ethical ideals pervade the literature
throughout.
Organization of Literature:
The literature of a school reader, if it is to do
effective work, must be purposefully organized.
Sound organization groups into related units the
various selections that center about a common
theme. This arrangement enables the pupil to see
the larger dominant ideas of the book as a whole,
instead of looking upon it as a confused scrapbook
of miscellaneous selections. Such arrangement
also fosters literary comparison by bringing
together selections having a common theme or
authorship.
This book has been so organized as to fulfill these
purposes. There are three main Parts, each
distinguished by unity of theme or authorship. Part
I, leading from a wholesome appreciation of
Nature, particularly in its American setting, centers
mainly about the important themes of patriotism,service, and good citizenship; Part II introduces
some of the great tales that typify our love of
stirring deeds; Part III presents some of our
greatest American authors at sufficient length to
make them stand out to the pupil. Through these
grouped selections, together with the
accompanying biographies, pupils may come to be
familiar with and love some of the great company
of writers that have made the name of America
known in the world of literature.
Attention is called to three special features that
keep the dominant theme of each Part clearly in
the foreground: (1) "A Forward Look" and "A
Backward Look" for each main division and
important subdivisions emphasize the larger
theme, and show how each selection contributes to
the group-idea (see pages 19, 56, etc.); (2) the
Notes and Questions frequently call the pupil's
attention to the relation the selection bears to the
main thought (see pages 39, 75, etc.); (3) the
three main divisions, and the subordinate groups
within each main unit, are made to stand out
clearly by illustrations that typify the theme (see
pages 18, 21, etc.) and by topical headings that
enable the pupil to visualize the group-units. By
these three means the organization of the book is
emphasized, and fundamental ideals are kept
dominant.
Quality of Literature:
Obviously, a book that is to supply the pupil with ayear's course in literature must be a generous
volume. Variety is impossible without quantity,
especially where literary wholes rather than mere
fragmentary excerpts are offered. Particularly is
this true when complete units are included not only
for intensive study, but also for extensive reading—
longer units, of the so-called "paper classics" type,
to be read mainly for the story-element. In bulk
such units should be as large as the pupil can
control readily in rapid silent reading, a kind of
reading that increases the power to enjoy with
intelligence a magazine or a book.
The Elson Readers, Book Five, is a generous
volume in provision for these needs. Its
inclusiveness makes possible a proper balance
between prose and poetry, between long and short
selections, and between material for intensive and
extensive reading.
Definite Helps:
If the pupil is to gain the full benefit from his
reading, certain definite helps must be provided.
An efficient reader must score a high test not only
on the fundamentals of quality, variety,
organization and quantity of literature, but also on
its fitness as a tool for classroom use. The
effectiveness of this Reader as such a tool may be
indicated by the following distinguishing features:
(1) A distinctive introduction, "The Crystal Glass"
(see page 13), gives the pupil an illuminating
interpretation of the organization and literaryinterpretation of the organization and literary
content of the volume.
(2) Definite suggestions for developing speed and
concentration in silent reading. (See pages 21, 30,
34, 163, etc.)
(3) A comprehensive Glossary (pages 399-418)
contains the words and phrases that offer valuable
vocabulary training, either of pronunciation or
meaning. The teacher is free to use the Glossary
according to the needs of her particular class, but
suggestive type words and phrases are listed
under Notes and Questions.
(4) A complete program of study, "How t