76. Four syllables ending in -tion: publication, navigation

The lesson, step by step

1. The pattern

   Four beats, the third strong: "pub-li-CA-tion", "nav-i-GA-tion". The strong beat is always the syllable just before "-tion".

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:

   publication, litigation, distillation

   mitigation, implication, violation

   complication, navigation

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.

   Sayn, a, v, nav; i, i; g, a, ga; t, i, o, n, tion; navigation.

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

4. From verb to noun

   Many come from a verb: publish, publication; navigate, navigation; violate, violation. Your child says the verb, then the noun.

5. Read the sentences

   Under the table are short reading lessons that use its words. Your child reads them aloud, pointing to each word. Help with any word not yet learned. Two of them:

   Legislation is the enacting of laws, and a legislator is one who makes laws.

   In free governments the people choose their legislators.

6. Dictation

   Say each word, use it in a short sentence of your own, and say it again. Your child writes it. Try these: publication, violation, complication, navigation.

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