Written narration and spelling big words

[KeriJ]

As I have my 4th grader do more written narrations, I have a question about spelling. For instance, we will read a history story together, and then I'll ask her to do a written narration in her notebook. But she wants to have the book open with her so that she can see how to spell words like "Mesopotamia", "Aristotle" and all of the fun names from ancient history. When I read her narration later, it has lost much of her own "voice" and sounds a lot like she copied phrases word for word from the text. She's knows she isn't supposed to copy phrases, but I think she ends up doing it subconsciously after she has looked up a word. I think she also glances at the page to remind herself of different points of the story....which I think negates the point of narration from memory.

 

Maybe there's a simple solution, but I'm just not thinking of it at the moment. I know it isn't important that she spells everything correctly, but it bothers her to not know how to spell the names before she writes them.

[Farrar]

Before she does the narration, why don't you ask her to brainstorm all the big words and names she thinks she might need and write them at the top of the page or on a whiteboard or whatever. It's still her saying I'm going to need to spell Sacagawea or whatever impossible name it is, but she has it in front of her without the book.

[EKS]

Just tell her to ask you if she needs help with spelling.

[TKDmom]

Just tell her to ask you if she needs help with spelling.

Yes. That's what I do.

 

 

[Farrar]

Just tell her to ask you if she needs help with spelling.

 

I think this works for some kids and not others. My kids would MUCH rather copy the word than have me spell it for them, which somehow breaks up the flow too much for them, I think.

[KeriJ]

 

I think this works for some kids and not others. My kids would MUCH rather copy the word than have me spell it for them, which somehow breaks up the flow too much for them, I think.

 

 

This is true for us also. It also breaks the flow for me as I am often working with another child at that point.

[kdownie]

I'd suggest trying to write down the "big words" on paper or a white board or whatever after reading but before she starts her narration. That way, she knows the spelling of them without interrupting you but also without looking it up in the book.

[SFM]

Before she does the narration, why don't you ask her to brainstorm all the big words and names she thinks she might need and write them at the top of the page or on a whiteboard or whatever. It's still her saying I'm going to need to spell Sacagawea or whatever impossible name it is, but she has it in front of her without the book.

 

I agree, this is what we do.

[Kfamily]

I have Book Notes that I created for A Child's History of the World and some other books. Because we follow some of the ideas of CM, I have my girls give oral and written narrations too. My younger dd is the same age/grade too. For these Book Notes, I have listed at the top of the page for each chapter a list of proper nouns. I give this to my dd to use while she narrates to me or to use while writing a narration. My chapters for CHOW are a bit eclectic because I started them last year and my dd was already well into the book when I started. I have notes for these chapters (from where she started up to just past where we are now) and I've just recently started back at the beginning of CHOW to start the beginning chapters. Your welcome to print them if you'd like. I have them under Book Notes on my blog (A Mind in the Light). Of course, if you prefer to brainstorm a list just before reading to be sure to use only the words she suggests, then I understand that too. But, I thought I would mention it in case it makes it easier for you.:)