HOW
No matter what method you may prefer nor what text you may be using you will find that Word Reunions in the hands of the pupil helps to stimulate interest in the new language and promotes a more thorough learning of vocabularies.
This plan is recommended: Before assigning the reading or grammar in it which are listed in the back of this book. Then have each pupil mark them in his own text and report on their origins, including two or three cognates of his own selection. Not more than from four to six words need be assigned at any one time. If fewer than this number of listed words, or none at all, occur in the lesson, the deficiency may be made up by the assignment of some of the numbered groups, taking them, preferably, in regular order. This plan will cover Word Reunions by the time a two-year course is completed.
Another plan: Independently of the regular lessons assign occasionally five or six of the numbered groups of words.
A third plan: Just to stimulate interest in word learning try an occasional lesson in Word Reunions encouraging pupils to find other cognates than those given in the groups. This they can do by finding the proper numbers in the alphabetical list at the end of the book or by looking in this list or in an etymological dictionary for words which they think may be cognates.
Some of the word families lend themselves readily to such exercises as the following:
No. 1. Have a rough outline of a mountain put on the blackboard showing projecting points or pinnacles. Label these "Minae." Then write alongside:
| Latin | minae |
| Latin | minacie |
| French | menacer |
| French | menacer (un animal pour le faire marcher) |
| French | mener |
| French | amener |
| French | ramener |
| French | emmener |
| French | promener |
| French | surmener |
| French | éminent |
| French | imminent |
| French | proéminent |
With this aid the pupil who has had a little French or who has first made bowing acquaintance with word family No. 17, will have little difficulty in taking the following dictation:
Les saillies d'une montagne sont dangereuses. Elles tombent quelquefois sur la tête d'une personne qui passe. C'est une menace.
Je menace une mule si je désire la mener. Si je désire mener ma soeur au cinéma est-il nécessaire de la menacer? Alors je mène les personnes sans les menacer.
Quand papa quitte la maison le bébé désire être emmené. Désire-t-il être menacé?
Quand Paul vient à l'école il amène sa petite soeur. La menace-t-il?
Quand un homme cruel menace sa mule et la fait travailler trop vite ou trop longtemps il surmène le pauvre animal — en d'autres termes, il fatígue la bête a l'excès.
Quand un grand garçon tourmente un petit garçon il le malmène. En général malmener signifie traiter rudement, en actions ou en paroles.
5
