JACOTOT, Jean Joseph, AIM zha-lco-to, French educator: b. Dijon, 4 March 1770; d. Paris, 30 July 1840. He studied at the University of Dijon, became professor of Latin, then studied law and during the revolution was successively soldier, secretary to the minister of war, and deputy-director of the Polytechnic School, where he was also professor of mathe matics. He was elected to the chamber of dep uties in 1815, but was forced, after the second restoration, to leave France. He went to Brus sels, in 1818 was appointed lecturer on the French language in the University of Louvain, and in 1827 director of the Military Normal School. He returned to France after the revo lution of 1830. The fundamental principle upon which his system of education rests is that every person is able to educate himself, provided he is once started in the right way. Knowledge should first be acquired through instinctive ex perience, or by the memory. For example, in Imparting a knowledge of a language, Jacotot began by making the pupil commit to memory a single passage; he then encouraged him to study for himself, first the separate words, then the letters, then the grammar, and lastly the full meaning and import. His steps were learn, re
peat, reflect and verify. He expounded his views in (Enseignement Universe]' (Louvain and Dijon 1822) which has been translated into various other languages. It consists of five parts:
Maternelle' ; (Langue Etran gem' •
Dessin et Peinture); (Droit et Philosophic' ;
Consult Cornelius, B.,
Account of M. Jacotot's Method of Universal Instruction' (London 1830) ; Guillard, A.,