Tuesday, June 5, 2012

What is Narration?

  Charlotte Mason's methods for one's language art skills were/are learned through narration, which consists of the child telling back a story, first orally, through picture drawings and later in written form; copywork, or the transcribing of a piece of literature. This method is done by keeping the child engaged through the use of thought provoking open-ended questions as the story progresses during a read aloud language lesson. 
Take time to pause and ask the child to re-tell what has happened so far or what they believe will happen next. Who is you favorite character so far? Would you have done the same as "so and so"? Tell me what has happened so far.  In doing so the child begins to from his or her own relationship with the characters and deeper connection to the story that is being told.  
This is also the perfect opportunity for vocabulary expansion. If you come across a new word in the text, take the time to either look up it's meaning or tell your child what it means and again have them re-tell it's meaning to you in their own words.




 Direct questions on the subject-matter of what a child has read are always a mistake. Let him narrate what he has read, or some part of it. He enjoys this sort of consecutive reproduction, but abominates every question in the nature of a riddle.
(Vol. 1 Part VIII--Reading for Older Children, p.228)


 As knowledge is not assimilated until it is reproduced, children should "tell back" after a single reading or hearing: or should write on some part of what they have read.
(Vol. 6, Chapter 10 The Curriculum, p. 155)


http://charlottemasoneducation.com/narration.html

1 comment:

  1. I'm going to put this on the Dutch home school list.

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