Linguistic Science and the Teaching of English

Book excerpt: In this work the author discusses recent advances in linguistic science and the applicability of linguistics to the teaching of reading, the structure of English, as well as the relation of the spoken language to literature in the secondary schools and to the teaching of foreign languages throughout the educational system. The importance of the "structure" of the language as essential preparation for all who teach any aspect of the language arts--from reading in the elementary grades to literature and foreign languages in the secondary schools and colleges--is developed thoroughly. An extremely significant point is the application of linguistics to teaching. Henry Lee Smith shows that if a child is not systematically taught the relationship between sound symbol and written symbol when he is ready and eager for it his reading can easily become a serious problem.