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I JUST started dictation with my 9 and 10 year olds. When I read the sentence to them, I say (for example), "A plant has a stem comma leaves comma and a root period."

Is that TOTALLY cheating??

Yep. So sorry, but this is a no-no. CM herself said 'no' to this, giving a similar example. You are not alone in this though - others have asked to! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

When I'm looking at the passage with them before I dictate it, I point out all the punctuation, discuss the number of capital letters and check on any spelling words they may have trouble with. Then I read it in two or three lots. I'm not sure if that is right but it is working.

One of the goals of dictation is for them to remember the punctuation as well as the spelling. When you get up to the higher levels sometimes the words are not that difficult, but the punctuation is. In fact it is also counted as wrong if they don't remember to indent. I didn't realize that for the longest time. I do what Molly does. He writes any bolded words on the white board and I point out any other words I think might be tough and then he goes through and notes where all the punctuation and capitalization is. Then I read it out loud and read it in short phrases.

GULP!

My kiddos are in for a shocking change.