What are the benefits of narration?

[Sarah0000]

It seems like it's twofold. One, to aid memory and understanding of whatever the source material is. And two, to gradually progress into writing about source material. Is this correct? Is there any other benefit?

 

I was thinking of starting narration of history read alouds next year (advanced K child) to aid in memory retention and ensure understanding of material. We have never done formal narration but we do discuss what we are reading. If I'm not planning to move from narration to dictation to writing at all, is there any benefit to doing formal narration versus loose discussion?

 

The reason I'm not considering the narration to writing sequence is because he already writes sentences about a story related picture on his own (RFP Aesop Books of Reading, Writing, and Thinking). Next year he will do the final two Aesop Books plus SYS D which has copywork and dictation. In either first or second grade I intend to start a full writing curriculum (like W&R). So if he can write sentences on his own and do studied dictation, is there any benefit for him to do narration to dictation to writing freely?

 

Maybe oral narration provides a benefit in speech related skills (has anyone done a narration to speech sequence instead of narration to writing sequence)? Maybe narration of specific, non creative source material aids in later research oriented writing?

[coastalfam]

I think you hit the nail on the head. Narration aids memory and understanding, and narration helps children articulate thoughts in an organized way before the ability to articulate organized thoughts through writing develops. Coaching kids to narrate in complete sentences, without pausing by adding "um" or "like" will certainly help with developing professional, articulate speech, and public speaking later on. I personally think narration lends itself to the way children have developed the skill of learning over thousands of year, sort of imitating an "oral tradition". If your son is good to go with writing, you can certainly let narration just be something for reinforcing learning with history and science type subjects, without requiring the dictation part. Another way to incorporate it would be to work recorded narrations into outlines such as would be helpful in college or lecture oriented courses later on. Another area to investigate on benefits of narration would be from people well versed in Charlotte Mason methods. 

[Sarah0000]

I like the idea of incorporating narration into an outline and that could progress to finding the main idea and supporting details, before he would be ready to do that in writing. So I could start with him remembering and retelling anything he could to trying to think about the important points of the story over the course of the year.

[Hunter]

I know this might sound sound snarky, educationally neglectful, inappropriate or something negative, but, for those in the trenches--It is free, can be used with free things, doesn't require any storage space, is trendy, and counts as school.

 

 

[coastalfam]

I know this might sound sound snarky, educationally neglectful, inappropriate or something negative, but, for those in the trenches--It is free, can be used with free things, doesn't require any storage space, is trendy, and counts as school.

 

LOL, Hunter, I SO agree with you! :)

 

Sarah0000, yes. Narration automatically helps children to pick up on key points, so lends itself very well to the skill of outlining. 

[hellen]

I didn't really understand the point of narration until my son started 6th grade. He did the Writing with Skill book and I realized that all academic writing is based on narration. I don't know why it took me so long to figure it out. He spent three years with Writing With Ease hating narration. He's glad he did it now.

[Bluegoat]

I think narration is really the first step in understanding a text, made explicit.  For any person reading a text, in order to think about that text in any way analytically, you need to have the narrative, acurratly and in some detail, in your mind.  You can't analyze a text internally, compare it to other works, or take it apart, without first having that skill.

 

Narration is a way of practicing this.  This is why I don't like narration that is essentially a summary with small kids - it's skipping a skill level.

 

The only thing I would caution is the age - not all children are able to narrate at a K or even grade 1 level.  CM said not to ask for narrations before 6 (though some kids will give them anyway), and my experience has been that is the low end.  I managed to make my eldest daughter detest narrations, because I insisted on them at six - I thought since she was bright and precociously verbal she should do them.  If I'd waited a bit, there would have been no problem.  My second daughter OTOH who I thought might have more difficulty, produced beautiful and detailed narrations at the same age.

[nixpix5]

I think narration is such a beautiful piece of academic work because so much can be gained from it.

-comprehension of the story

-how to sequence

-how to hone in on key details

-how to organize thoughts and words

-how to speak in complete sentences

-precursor to being able to debate/logic

-precursor to being able to write

-Clarity of thought in general

 

It is just really useful. You may not see all of these wonderful benefits right away but you will when more difficult skills need to be built on this base.

[Sarah0000]

Thanks nixpix5 for writing those specific skills out. I need to know exactly what I want to achieve before doing something. I had a feeling there was more to it but couldn't pinpoint exactly what. I'll start gently next year with history, primarily to establish the routine.