dictation is making me nervous...suggestions/help please!

[edsnyder]

We will be starting Bigger in the next couple of weeks and I have been trying to figure out how dictation works - and the guide has a pretty good explanation however I am still a bit confused -
--Do you write it down or do they study it straight from the guide? if straight from the guide how do they stay focused on the correct passage/part?
--And they do the same one over until it is 100% correct with no errors spelling punctuation and all, correct?

Any other helpful suggestions or advice?

Thanks!!!

[blessedmomof4]

What I used to do when we started with the dictation in Bigger was to write the passage on a whiteboard (exactly as it is in the guide) for my dd to study from. I would point out punctuation and new or challenging words. When she was ready, I would erase the passage, then dictate to her from the guide, phrase by phrase. She would repeat orally the phrase I had said, then write it down silently. When she was done, I would have her make her own corrections from the guide (erasing her mistakes and copying the correct things into her notebook) if there were any mistakes. And yes, she did the same one each day until all spelling, punctuation, and capitalization was correct. Now that she is older, she just studies the passages from the guide, but the rest of the process is the same.

[farmfamily]

I photocopied the dictation pages, cut each dictation passage out and glued them on individual index cards and put them all in an index card box. I think I saw a photo of one of Julie's sons and his dictation passage was photocopied in this way. I just take the front card from the box and let her study it. I give her a whiteboard and a marker to practice writing any words that she thinks are challenging, and also the words which have punctuation after them. When she is ready I take the card and read it phrase by phrase. She repeats it verbally and writes it down in her notebook. I always remind her to check her work at the end. If she gets everything right the card goes to the back of the box, otherwise I keep it right there in the front ready for the next day. She actually uses the same notebook page for her daily grammar assignment and she starts a fresh page each day.

My daughter is not fond of dictation, but I can already see great improvement in her spelling, and we both like that it is pretty quick to do!

HTH

[aprilmd]

Farmfamily
What a great idea!!! Thank you for sharing.

[luv2homeschool]

I've just had my son study the passage from the back of the guide.

[my3sons]

I photocopy about 5 pages at a time, staple them together, and then the dc study from that. The guide says we may do this for our family's use. The dc cross them off as they pass them - very motivating! However, all the ways shared in this thread are very appropriate, so pick what fits you!

In Christ,
Julie