64. Three syllables, unmarked for practice: cinnamon, gridiron

The lesson, step by step

1. The pattern

   Three beats, the first strong, as in No. 54. The book left these words unmarked so your child can do the marking.

2. 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:

   cinnamon, porringer, gridiron

   ravenous, vigorous, ominous

   numerous, humorous, hazardous

3. 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.

   Sayc, i, n, cin; n, a, na; m, o, n, mon; cinnamon.

   Sayn, u, nu; m, e, r, mer; o, u, s, ous; numerous.

   Do a column this way while looking, then cover it and spell a few from memory.

4. Mark them

   Copy five words onto the slate. Your child marks the vowel of the accented syllable long or short, then checks by saying the word: nū (long, ends the syllable), cĭn (short, closed by n).

5. Read the sentences

   Read a few of the sentences:

   Gage is a French word, and signifies to pledge.

   An anecdote is a short story, or the relation of a particular incident.

6. Dictation

   Say each word, use it in a short sentence of your own, and say it again. Your child writes it. Try these: cinnamon, vigorous, numerous, humorous, hazardous.

   Check together against the book. Any word that came out wrong goes on a card for tomorrow.