WWE 3: Help!

[Maryam]

My dd finished WWE 2 with no problems whatsoever. In fact, this was her all time favorite subject. We just started WWE 3. She has no problem summarizing, but the dictation suddenly became difficult for her - although I repeated the sentence 7 times! She started whining and groaning about how hard it is, and I really don't want her to lose her love for it! How can I make it easier?

[TheAttachedMama]

First off, it is REALLY hard.   Honestly, I would probably feel like whining and groaning if I had to do WWE 3 dictation.   Acknowledge that the dictations are going to be really tough...but the challenge will make her better.   

 

I also have three ideas for you to try:

 

1)   Try having her do "studied dictation" with the sentences.  

 

Have her look at the dictation and study it first.   Underline any words she think she may have problems spelling.  (Analyze those. Discuss spelling rules, quiz her orally, etc.).    Discuss capitalization and punctuation.   THEN, when she is ready, dictate the sentences the same way you do in "cold dictation" (aka without studying first) and have her write the sentences.

 

I am a big fan of studied dictation.   It helps the child create a mental image of a correctly written sentence.   It still has all of the same benefits of "cold dictation".  The child still has to work on their working memory.  The child still must learn to "hold" the sentence in their mind as they write it.   However, instead of testing the child on the unknown, you give them a chance to learn it first, then you test them on it.   I think this is a lot fairer personally.   ;)

 

This is actually how Charlotte Mason-ers do dictation.   So don't feel like you are cheating when you do studied dictation.   Many children learn to write very well doing dictations this way.   

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2)  Break the sentences into smaller chunks.

 

If you really feel like cold dictation is the best, keep doing it the same way you have been doing.   BUT, break the sentences up into smaller chunks.   Meet the child wherever they are and go from there.   If they can only hold three words in their head, start there and GRADUALLY increase.   (Very slowly, bit by bit.)    Read the entire dictation twice.   Then, break it into the smaller chunks.   Say the three words, the child repeats back and writes...say the next three words, the child repeats and writes, etc.  The next week, try to do four words...and gradually increase the amount that they can hold in their heads.   Some weeks/days you may have stalls in progress, but that is OK.  The point is to gradually do these little "working memory" pushups until the dictations become easier.   (YOU DO NOT WANT TEARS.)     In fact, in order to avoid tears, I would personally start at a place that feels very easy for the child, and work up from there.   

 

 

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3)  A combination of the two approaches.

 

If dictation is REALLY tough, do a combination of the two approaches.   Have your child study the sentence first AND break the sentence into smaller chunks. 

 

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I promise if you keep doing this consistently, you will make progress in dictation.   Remember your goal is to teach your individual child, not the imaginary child the book is written to.

 

Checking off a lesson will not automatically generate a good writer.    The book is a tool, not the boss.   So bottom line, meet your child where they are and don't let the book dictate your dictation.   (Did I just write that?!)    

Edited February 14, 2017 by TheAttachedMama

[Milknhoney]

Ignore the whole idea that your student should be able to remember the whole passage after two reads. Impossible. Read it as many times as necessary. I think your daughter is doing great if she only needs to hear it seven times!! Have her try reciting it along with you a few times.I also would write out any words I thought my ds would have trouble spelling, and the written list also served as a memory prompt.

 

I don't advocate breaking the passage down into smaller dictation chunks. The whole point is to train your student to be able to keep long, complex thoughts in her head long enough to get it down on paper. Eventually (WWS level), it will be her own thoughts she's writing down. 

[Maryam]

Thank you all so much for your ideas! I think I may just have to break it down and gradually increase retention ability. Or at least have her repeat it back to me broken down. Then put it together and write. Then increase until we can retain it all. The last thing I want to see is tears of frustration from the book & subject she most loved.

 

 

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[blondeviolin]

Look up the YouTube video "Dictation with Dan" to watch how SWB does it with her older son.

[Maryam]

I saw it several times. It provided great clarification! But Dan is 13, so maybe maturity makes it easier? My dd is 8. Will try all the suggestions and hopefully it will get easier.

 

 

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[SeaConquest]

My 8 year old does fine with WWE3, but, as others mentioned, I read it as many times as it takes for him to hold it in his head.

[Maryam]

Just an update: I repeated one sentence at a time as many times as needed. Then had her repeat it back before moving on to the second sentence. She has improved greatly and doesn't seem frustrated anymore. We will gradually move on to dictating both sentences at once. Thanks for all your ideas!

 

 

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