ed in a
concrete way. The important facts may be emphasized and the unimportant
ones lightly passed over. The ultimate aim of the recitation lesson is
to add something to the pupil's power of interpreting and organizing
facts.

=Precautions.=--Some precautions are to be noted in connection with the
recitation lesson. (1) Care must be exercised that the pupils are not
reciting mere words that have no solid basis of ideas. Young children
are particularly expert at verbalizing. (2) Care must also be taken that
the pupils have not merely scrappy information, but have the ideas
thoroughly organized. (3) The teacher must know the facts to be recited
well enough to be independent of the text-book during the recitation. To
conduct the lesson with an open book before him is a confession of
weakness on the part of the teacher.

CONDUCTING THE RECITATION LESSON

There are two methods of conducting the recitation lesson, namely, the
question and answer method and the topical method.

=A. The Question and Answer Method.=--This is the easier method for the
pupil, as he is called upon to answer only in a brief form detailed
questions asked by the teacher. The onus of the analysis of the lesson
rests largely upon the teacher. He must ask the questions in a proper
sequence so that, if the answers of the pupils were written out, they
would form a connected account of the matter. He must be able to detect
from the pupils' answers whether they have real knowledge or are merely
masquerading with words. To be able to question well is one of the most
valuable accomplishments that a teacher can possess. The whole problem
of the art of questioning will be considered in the next Chapter.

=B. The Topical Method.=--The topical recitation consists in the pupil's
reporting the facts of the study lesson with a minimum of questioning on
the part of the teacher. Two advantages are apparent: (1) It gives the
pupil an excellent training in organizing his materials, and (2) it
develops his language power. It is to be feared that the topical
recitation is not so frequently used as its value warrants. The reason
is probably that it is a difficult method to follow. Poor results are
usually secured at first, teachers grow discouraged, they stop trying
it, and thereafter put their whole faith in the question and answer
recitation. This is unfortunate, for however good the latter may be, it
is greatly inferior to the topical recitation in helping the pu