Mary70 Posted November 25, 2017 Share Posted November 25, 2017 I'd like to address this to experienced homeschoolers of teens and teachers only please: My teen has always enjoyed being read aloud to, and he still requests that I read aloud to him at 16, and it's something we both enjoy :laugh: . I try to challenge him a little with harder books, but not too hard for his age group. But when I ask him to narrate back what he has understood, he'll just give me one sentence, at best, then I have to prompt and prompt to get anything more out of him. I've been narrating to him what it's about after each chapter, and he usually says: 'oh! I didn't realise it was about that!' I might add that there's nothing wrong with him brain-wise, according to tests etc. So do I just keep reading and then narrating it to him? Or try something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historymatters Posted November 25, 2017 Share Posted November 25, 2017 (edited) Go back to basics. Narration is hard work for the brain. Suggestions: First, Have some read-aloud books that are just for listening, without the need for narrations. These can be of a higher reading level, too. For those you want narrated, choose a book slightly lesser than his reading abilities. Start reading only a few sentences or a paragraph, then ask for a narration. At first, he's going to do what he's been doing because you've been doing the work for him, but just let him know those days are over. Since he's older, he'll progress quickly to longer passages between narrations. For expanded discussion, I recommend using the questions from Center for Lit's Teaching the Classics booklet. Let me know if you have any questions. Edited November 25, 2017 by historymatters 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Q Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 Could you give an example of the type of book you are reading to him? I'm assuming it's fiction. Also. Does he have the same issue when he reads on his own? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary70 Posted November 29, 2017 Author Share Posted November 29, 2017 We're reading Adela Cathcart by George Macdonald. While I thought it might be a nice Christmas read, I think it might be too deep for him. Any suggestions for "funny" Christmas books that are also "classical?" He went thru a wonderful reading stage a few years ago and that all stopped when he was about 13 :huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historymatters Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Well, of course, there's A Christmas Carol, but he also wrote other Christmas tales. Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien (I would personally find this one extremely entertaining, if not "funny") https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_15?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=letters+from+father+christmas+by+j.r.r.+tolkien&sprefix=letters+from+fa%2Caps%2C169&crid=135QKI6B5BUL&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aletters+from+father+christmas+by+j.r.r.+tolkien The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffman https://www.amazon.com/Nutcracker-Mouse-King-Penguin-Classics/dp/0143104837/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1511918776&sr=8-15&keywords=the+nutcracker Christmas Stories of Louisa May Alcott https://www.amazon.com/Merry-Christmas-Stories-Penguin-Classics/dp/0143122460/ref=pd_cp_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0143122460&pd_rd_r=RWN5VYKPX59T3HD4GC5X&pd_rd_w=DoQVd&pd_rd_wg=xSkMk&psc=1&refRID=RWN5VYKPX59T3HD4GC5X This would likely make us laugh: The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Santa-Penguin-Christmas-Classics/dp/0143128531/ref=pd_sim_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3P9YFZV3DKPR580QQHC6 I came across a Christmas anthology: A Literary Christmas: An Anthology https://www.amazon.com/Literary-Christmas-British-Library/dp/0712356134/ref=pd_sim_14_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VK9MK5ZQSATSG2SCJHCJ This looks intriguing: Christmas at Thompson Hall: And other Christmas Stories by Anthony Trollope https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Thompson-Hall-Stories-Classics/dp/0143122479/ref=pd_sim_14_7?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZDMFB3YBBW8WY38EGAHW 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary70 Posted November 29, 2017 Author Share Posted November 29, 2017 Thank you so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historymatters Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Thank you so much! You're welcome. I hope one or more work out for you. Tolkien's letters is on my short list. Except, I'll order the audio: Derek Jacobi is Father Christmas in the audio version!👠1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historymatters Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 This one says in it's description that it is a humorous tale, in the folk tale tradition. The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol https://www.amazon.com/Night-Before-Christmas-Penguin-Classics/dp/0143122487/ref=pd_sim_14_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TXF93F4MYV096KVA6Z6V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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