SOTW 1. Read out loud myself or get the CD?

[HFClassicalAcademy]

I've been reading SOTW to ds out loud, and while he seems to like it...I'm really tired! Is it worth it to splurge and get the CD's to accompany the book? I'm thinking that it would be easier to just play the CD and then I can use the time to prepare for other lessons or do something else.

 

But I feel like that's cheating. Tell me it's a great idea! If not, then I'll just keep reading the book to him outloud.

 

Liz in NC

[Lydia]

During the first few years we liked reading it aloud - despite the fact that the girls were perfectly capable of reading it themselves - because it gave us opportunities to pause and discuss as we went along. We had some really good discussions.

 

We would cozy up on the sofa and read it together - which was also nice! :)

 

How much are you reading in a sitting? We never did more than one chapter in a sitting.

 

Best wishes,

Lydia

[HFClassicalAcademy]

How much are you reading in a sitting? We never did more than one chapter in a sitting.

 

We don't do more than a chapter in a sitting. But after all the other reading aloud I do throughout the day...my mouth just gets tired!!

 

Liz in NC

[Lydia]

Oh, yes, I see. What grade are they? Can they read aloud to you? Consider it two in one (oral reading practice and history)?

 

-Lydia

[King Alfred Academy]

I hate reading aloud...yep...it's true. So, I have splurged on the audio and have chosen not to buy the book.

 

I don't think it's "cheating" at all. It's a time saver...and a "life" saver in my case. :001_smile:

[yaoyao]

I bought both book and CDs (to be arrived). Since I work full time, I asked my DD12 to read to my DS8. It didnt work very well. My DD12 always complains that her brother doenst pay attention and would not answer the questions. So I purchased the CDs and let him listen and read the book at the same time and see how that works.

[nmoira]

I read the chapters aloud when doing the initial lesson and wrap up review, and use the CD's for intermittent review.

[WTMindy]

It ain't cheating if it works!! :001_smile: Personally, I liked reading it outloud to them (we use the CDs because we really like the books and listen to them in the car on trips and for review) but, I do like reading outloud. There were a couple weeks where we were short on time that I let them listen to the CD, but then I find that I am not really up on what we are learning and the learning was not as deep for us. But, I'm sure you can make it work!! Have fun.

[sagira]

I just looked at all my curricula and boy, I have to do a lot of reading aloud too! We'll see about the audio, though. I'm not an audirtory person, so when I read aloud I get it too, and am able to be there with him.

 

Whether you're pulling together your own CM or classical curriculum or getting Sonlight, either way you're going to be reading aloud a lot!

[kellycbr]

I read aloud, and then play the CD while we do the history projects, or in the car on errands or road trips. The kids love it. Also, my son isn't much of an audio learner, but with this subject, he seems to retain more than I expect. Its helpful to reinforce what he heard (or didn't!;)) by playing the audio. And it helps me, too. Twice I've just played the audio, without reading, and it went well. I'd go for it!

[HSDCY]

We were doing Sonlight when I purchased those CDs. Because ds was crazy about history at the time, I used them to supplement/entertain. They are very good and well made. Since we got them about 3 years ago, ds has listened to them at least 10 times each (except vol.1) on his own. He still takes out vol.3 and 4 to listen when he is bored.

 

If that's cheating, we are cheating big time while getting a good education.:tongue_smilie:

[Jennefer@SSA]

Read it to them and then have them listen to the CD later. :) That way you get the best of both worlds.

[DeeDeeMarie0]

We have used the book and CD for all four volumes. We often go back and listen to the older volumes on car trips. We listen to our weekly lesson in the car as well. All of my ds' take piano lessons and it is a 25 minute drive, so we do the lessons in the car. We are going on a cross-country trip and I am taking these with us. My children love Jim Weiss, the narrator.

[Margo out of lurking]

I'm thinking that it would be easier to just play the CD and then I can use the time to prepare for other lessons or do something else.

 

But I feel like that's cheating. Tell me it's a great idea! If not, then I'll just keep reading the book to him outloud.

 

 

But the reason that it'd be easier for you is the same reason that it's not as effective for him. He'd just have a voice blahblahblahing at him. When you read it, you stop, talk about different things you've read previously, listen to him remember and make connections, etc. It's not just the reading, it's the time you are spending together; you're discussing.

 

And do you ask the comprehension questions in the AG? If you haven't just read it, you can't prompt him or otherwise discuss the comprehension questions either.

 

If you want the CD, perhaps you can read the selection one day, and then have him listen again another day. But it's a poor substitute for you.

 

I think it's definitely not a good idea...

[EKS]

I prefer reading aloud to audiobooks because it is much easier to have a discussion or clarify something or make editorial comments or answer questions when reading aloud. Depending on the age of the child, this is sort of akin to a lecture or teacher presentation in a classroom setting. In fact, unless I want them to read a book alone specifically for that experience (I'm talking school assignments here, not free reading), I almost always read everything to my children or have them read to me (even with my 12 yo).

[Starr]

The cds work for us. We usually listen to them together but not always. They can be listened to again and again. When you're traveling or running to an appointment you can study a little history. :)

[Mom2boys]

I like the cds for SOTW 1 because there are so many names I am not familiar with, and not sure how to pronounce. When I use the pronunciation guide in the AG, it interrupts the flow too much. So, we listen together and discuss as if I were reading it. Plus, we really enjoy Jim Weiss. :)

[Jeanne in MN]

But it didn't work for us for two reasons:

 

1. When I read, we stop to talk about different things we read. Couldn't do it very well with a cd. :)

 

2. I tended to block out the cd and do/think other things-then *I* didn't know what was said and what to talk about!

 

For us it's nice to have on hand, but makes a poor substitute for me.

[yorkshire_parkin]

the first time around we started reading aloud, but then bought the CDs (the older older ones by Johnson, not Jim Weiss). The kids hated them, they just couldn't stand to hear the womans voice. So we ditched them.

 

This time around I bought the Jim Weiss ones. We like his other recordings, so hopefully they will like these ones too.

 

-rebecca-

[kim.4dogs]

I love the CDs! We listen to them in the car, and my dd (8) probably listens to each chapter 5 or 6 times. She really likes them, and asks to put them on whenever we're in the car. I like that we can hear the correct pronunciations. We buy the book as well, but honestly, we hardly ever use it. And I do stop the CD player in the van so we can discuss things as they come up.

[maryibug]

I had the same problem as you....I didn't even really realize how tired I was of reading (LOL) till I got the cds. We put them in our music library on the computer so anytime he can pull up the tracks, listen and follow along in the book. I think that combination really reinforces the material, by giving them the double whammy of two methods of input at once. And it gives me a break (so I can go read to the 3 year old, haha!)

[Stacia]

Both.

 

I have the cds for SOTW 1 & 2. I need to get the others.

 

The first time around, I read SOTW out loud. I used the cds as an extra, listening in the car & such.

 

My dd loves to listen to cds while she plays in her room. It can be music or dialogue or whatever. I recently put the SOTW cds we have in her room (cleaning off our school shelves) & it turns out that she's been listening to all the ancients cds again. LOL. We're going to start ancients again in the fall. By the time we get around to starting, she will have already gone through all the ancients cds. A few days ago, she was already bringing up things she heard on the cd.

 

Cds work for her. We discuss lots of stuff. But, she gets a ton of information out of listening to things while she plays. It seems too easy, lol, but she has learned so much. That's why I got things like a lot of the Classics for Kids cds, Opera for Kids, Geography Songs, Lyrical Life Science, etc.... I don't dictate what she listens to or when -- the cds are all in her room & she listens to what she wants to. The amount of knowledge she has gained from this amazes me.

 

So, I definitely vote for the cds. We still discuss plenty, even if I'm not the one doing the reading. :001_smile:

[Nicole M]

How do you feel about Jim Weiss' voice?

 

I am reluctant to say it, because I think I'm the only one here in this camp, and I don't want to be excommunicated from the boards or anything, but I really. can. not. stand. that. man's. voice. If my children want to irk me, they say, "the STORY... of... the WORLD." And I want to hit someone.

 

If you don't have my mutant problem, then get the CDs and the book. That's my two cents!

[kim.4dogs]

We saw Jim Weiss at a La Leche League conference years ago and we loved him. We were really excited when we found out he was doing the SOTW CDs. He does really exaggerate things, but in the conference session (which was about storytelling) he talked about how to do that for your kids to keep the story interesting. My daughter liked the first two years of CDs (with the woman reading), too, though.

[charlotteb]

During the first few years we liked reading it aloud - despite the fact that the girls were perfectly capable of reading it themselves - because it gave us opportunities to pause and discuss as we went along. We had some really good discussions.

 

We would cozy up on the sofa and read it together - which was also nice! :)

 

 

 

:iagree: I love our SOTW reading time for the exact same reasons!

[Peela]

I like to read aloud but I bought the CDs one year after reading so many people rave about them. My kids complained bitterly and wanted me to read aloud instead, so I just sold the CDs.

My kids were never the type who would happily listen to the CDs while playing Lego. They actually don't like any audio books, even though they like me reading aloud.

 

Dont feel you are cheating! Certainly not if you are tired from all your other read alouds!

[Mom-ninja.]

I have the CDs and we llisten to them in the car. We commute a lot so this is a great time saver for me. I have the book as well and I never use it.

[KLA]

My kiddos actually preferred listening to the CDs to having me read. For a long time I required that they follow along in the book while the CD "read" to them. That worked great. Now they listen while coloring the coloring page or drawing a scene from the chapter and it works great. From the questions and narrations, I can tell they are getting all the information. Saves me some time and my voice.

KLA

dd, 3rd

ds 4th

[JWSJ]

Read it to them and then have them listen to the CD later. :) That way you get the best of both worlds.

 

I agree. This has worked well for our family too.

[Sweetpeach]

I read aloud, and then play the CD while we do the history projects, or in the car on errands or road trips. The kids love it. Also, my son isn't much of an audio learner, but with this subject, he seems to retain more than I expect. Its helpful to reinforce what he heard (or didn't!;)) by playing the audio. And it helps me, too. Twice I've just played the audio, without reading, and it went well. I'd go for it!

 

We're in the both camp as well . . . my boys love listening to SOTW @ bedtime. They've listened to Book 1 and 2 all the way through more times than I can count.

 

I still love reading it out loud to my youngest son . . . his obvious enthusiasm for the stories makes it such fun.

 

T

[katilac]

We have the cds and I find they are well worth it. I don't send them off to listen, though - - we pause the cd as needed for discussion and questions, just as we would if I were reading aloud.

 

It's still great because it's quite a bit of time that I'm NOT reading aloud. When I had to read every chapter, it was hard to motivate myself to read corresponding literature aloud as well.