The Moore McGuffey Readers – Fourth Reader
When William Holmes McGuffey’s READERS debuted in 1836, one-room schoolhouses contained all eight grades, and students progressed at their individual rates. Therefore, it is important to remember that the Fourth Reader does not mean “a reader for the fourth grade.” In fact, many reading authorities today say that some of the selections found in this volume are equivalent to reading material presented in today’s high school and college classrooms.
In the preface to the 1838 edition, McGuffey addressed the question of reading level. He stated that the student of the Fourth Reader “is to expect that higher claims will be made upon his power of thought.” In his 1853 preface, he said if any lessons are found “unintelligible” to the young readers, they will not be those lessons of the “highest character for thought.” He explains: “Nothing is so difficult to be understood as nonsense. Nothing is so clear and easy to comprehend as the simplicity of wisdom.”
Read Full Article: The Moore McGuffey Readers – Fourth Reader
Filed under: Books, Education, Homeschooling
No Comments
Recently added articles: