The Elementary Spelling Book, being an Improvement on the American Spelling Book · No. 86 · Part 6: Where the accent falls
56. Two syllables, accented on the second: compel, forget, regret
Goal: Your child reads and spells two-syllable words accented on the second syllable.
You'll need
- The book, open to this table
- A slate, small whiteboard, or paper and pencil
What's in the book
Headed "Words of two syllables accented on the second": compel, beget, project, extinct, dispel, forget, defunct, expel, regret. Some words are marked v. (a verb).
The lesson, step by step
The pattern
Two beats, the second strong: "com-PEL", "for-GET". Most begin with a short prefix: com-, dis-, ex-, for-, re-.
The book marks some words "v." for verb. "project" is a word that changes its accent: as a verb it is "pro-JECT".
Read the table aloud
Read the table aloud together, a column at a time. You say a word, your child says it back while pointing to it. Then your child reads a column alone. Some of the words:
compel, beget, extinct, dispel
forget, defunct, expel, regret
Spell aloud by syllables
Spell each word a syllable at a time, the way Webster's pupils did: spell the first syllable and say it, spell the next and say it, then say the whole word.
Sayf, o, r, for; g, e, t, get; forget.
Sayr, e, re; g, r, e, t, gret; regret.
Do a column this way while looking, then cover it and spell a few from memory.
Make a sentence
There are no reading sentences with this table. Your child makes up a sentence for three of the words ("I forget my hat").
Dictation
Say each word, use it in a short sentence of your own, and say it again. Your child writes it. Try these: compel, dispel, forget, expel, regret, extinct.
Check together against the book. Any word that came out wrong goes on a card for tomorrow.
Wrap up
Mix three words from No. 85 and three from No. 86. Your child says each and tells you where the accent falls.