al as to the correctness of the answer while it is being
spoken. The slightest inclination of the head, the dropping of the
eyelids, or a certain expression of the face, comes to be read by the
pupil as a signboard to guide him in his statements. This is, of
course, all wrong. The teacher should give absolutely no sign while
the answer is going on. Thus to help the child leads him to depend on
the teacher instead of relying on his own knowledge. It leads to
guessing, and so skillful does this sometimes become that a bright but
unprepared pupil is able to steer through a recitation guided by the
unsuspecting teacher.

Answers should not be repeated by the teacher. This is a very common
fault, and a habit that is usually acquired before the teacher is
aware of it. The tendency to repeat answers probably arises at first
from a mental unreadiness on the part of the teacher. He has not his
next question quite ready, and so bridges over the interval by saying
over the answer just given by the pupil. It is a method of gaining
time, but really finally results in great loss of time in the
recitation. By actual count, many teachers have been found to repeat
as many as 75% of the answers given in the recitation. Besides the
great waste of time, the repetition of answers is a source of
distraction and annoyance to pupils. No one enjoys having his words
said over after him constantly. Of course answers may sometimes need
to be repeated to emphasize some important point. But when repetition
has become a habit, no emphasis is gained by the repetition.

Finally, answers should be required in good English, clear and
definite, like the questions. Pupils who say, "An improper fraction is
'where' the numerator is greater than the denominator"; "A compound
sentence is 'when' it has two or more independent clauses," should be
led to restate their answers in clear and correct language.

IV

CONDITIONS NECESSARY TO A GOOD RECITATION

We have now discussed the aim of the recitation, its methods, and the
principles governing the art of questioning. But no matter how well
defined the aim for the recitation, no matter how excellent its
method, no matter how skilled the teacher may be in the art of
questioning, these things alone cannot make a good recitation. Certain
other fundamental conditions must obtain if the recitation is to be a
success. Let us now discuss the more important of these conditions.

1. _Freedom from distractio