The Elementary Spelling Book, being an Improvement on the American Spelling Book · Nos. 123–124 · Part 7: Long words and common endings
90. Th with its vocal sound, and -ish words: mother, establish
Goal: Your child reads and spells words with the voiced th, and three-syllable words ending in -ish.
You'll need
- The book, open to this table
- A slate, small whiteboard, or paper and pencil
What's in the book
No. 123, words in which th has its vocal sound: either, nether, brother, neither, wether, worthy, heathen, mother, clothier. No. 124, "Words of three syllables, accented on the second": accomplish, diminish, extinguish, establish, admonish, relinquish, embellish, abolish, astonish. Sentences: "All mankind are brethren, descendants of common parents."
The lesson, step by step
The pattern
No. 123: now th buzzes, as in "this": mother, brother, either.
No. 124: three beats, middle strong, ending in -ish: "es-TAB-lish", "a-BOL-ish". Compare No. 64, which had two-syllable -ish words.
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:
either, brother, neither, worthy
heathen, mother
accomplish, diminish, extinguish
establish, admonish, abolish, astonish
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.
Saym, o, t, h, moth; e, r, er; mother.
Saye, s, es; t, a, b, tab; l, i, s, h, lish; establish.
Do a column this way while looking, then cover it and spell a few from memory.
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:
The heathen are those people who worship idols, or who know not the true God.
All mankind are brethren, descendants of common parents.
Dictation
Say each word, use it in a short sentence of your own, and say it again. Your child writes it. Try these: brother, mother, either, establish, abolish, astonish.
Check together against the book. Any word that came out wrong goes on a card for tomorrow.
Review
Finish with the cards from earlier days: your child reads and spells each one. Put a card away after three right days in a row.