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I replied to another post with this, but not sure if it is being seen for replies, so I thought I would try a new post on its own!

LynnH wrote:Written narration starts in the Preparing guide. It is gently introduced and the dc are given step by step guidance at first to write a short written narration. As the year progresses less guidance is given and the narrations get a little longer. Your 10 year old is old enough to be doing written narration, but it won't hurt anything to wait until Preparing and let her follow the guide.



We came to HOD when dd was 12yo (almost 13), and so we missed Preparing (as she placed into CTC). I'm wondering if you (or Carrie or someone), could tell us how Preparing starts out describing written narrations? Like, step-by-step progression? This is only because I feel like the narrations are still a weak spot for us. She does them, but I know they can be better, and I always feel like we missed a lot by not having the introduction to them with Preparing. Thanks!!

I don't have my Preparing guide, but here is what I remember. Written narrations started with only 5 sentences and there were around 5 questions and the idea was that they were to read and then think about the answers to the questions and then do their written narration based on that. A partial beginning sentence was also given so they would know how to start. Once they write it the parent is instructed to go to the appendix and the written narration guidelines and start with number 1 and if they aren't doing that then just focus on that and once they consistently do that then move on to #2 etc. In RTR the dc are instructed to take the written narration guidelines and use it to edit their own work. My ds is doing that now very sucessfully, but back in Preparing that would have been way too much for him. So even the editing process has been a gradual build up of skills.. Hope that makes sense.

Thanks Lynn!! That does help. Maybe I should take a tiny step backwards and do a little more "hand-holding". She does pretty well now with the written narrations in the Student Notebook on Thursdays, but that has a lot of questions to guide her, as well as the "Key Idea", etc. It's more the other books, like the extensions, etc., where we are floundering a bit, and I really want to strengthen this skill in her.

(Oral narration is hard, too, because she is SUPER shy naturally, and just does not like to talk under any kind of requirements or pressure. That's one of the reasons I know we NEED HOD, because it can really help build these skills she will need later in life, too--being able to talk to people, explain things, etc.)