Narrations??? How do they work?

[agst1967]

This is probably going to be a really dumb question, but I'm going to ask any way....

 

We have been doing copywork and dictation, but am wondering about narrations?

 

After we read a chapter in say, SOTW, are they just supposed to retell in their own words...or actually write it down?

 

I am assuming they just retell it outloud, but just want to clarify??

 

Alicia

[myfatherslily]

The activity guide for SOTW has helped me with this same question (I felt very dumb for not "getting" naration!). First there are specific questions to answer, then a simple narration immediately follows in which the child is able to just repeat the answers in a cohesive way. It doesn't say to write them down. I don't know about an older child, though. My DD is 6 1/2.

[Smithie]

Another mom of a 6.5 y.o. here, and I just go ahead and ask the questions in the SOTW study guide, and prompt until a coherent oral response emerges. I also have my DS compose and dictate a summary of the Usborne Encyclopedia spread for whatever topic we are studying that week in history. I write in down in a composition book and he illustrates it.

 

Really, I'm liking memorization more than narration at this age. My DS clearly retains and comprehends the material I read to him, riffing on it in great detail in his imaginary play (Mario and Luigi stole The Luck of Troy about ten times yesterday, aided by Princess Peach of the Fair Cheeks). But dictation is not a lot of fun for him, so we do it consistently but only twice per week - while we memorize something new pretty much every day.

[redsquirrel]

yes, the activity guide is very helpful. It has questions to ask after each selection along with an example of an answer, often more than one. It also gives prompts about what to say to spur the narration along with several examples of an appropriate narration.

 

I didn't have my son write them but YMMV. Now that he is a 5th grader, he does a great job with outlining, writing his own narrations etc. I have no regrets about letting him dictate for all those years.

 

I think narration is an amazing precursor to writing full papers. It provides early training for writing paragraphs etc.

[Ritsumei]

:lurk5:

 

I've been trying to get a handle on narrations for a bit now; can't wait to hear more experienced homeschoolers' thoughts on this!

[boscopup]

The audio lecture on teaching elementary writing explains this, as does the Writing With Ease instructor text. :D

 

But basically, for a 6 year old, just ask the leading questions, have them answer in complete sentences, then ask "What is one thing you remember from this passage?", and YOU write it down. Gradually, you work up to them copying the narration that you wrote down. And over the years, you end up having them write it down, and they work up to 3-5 sentences instead of just one thing, etc.

 

I don't make my 6 year old find the main point of the passage yet. He's not ready for that. He's still working on just coming up with a thought about the passage at this point (we've been doing narrations for a month... I have already seen improvement in his ability to come up with more complex thoughts though).

 

Basically, you're developing the skills separately - coming up with coherent thoughts and writing those thoughts down. That's where the copywork and dictation help the writing thoughts down part. The narration (with you scribing) works on the coming up with thoughts part.

 

SWB explains it waaaaaaaay better in her audio lecture though. :D