STILL MORE from me on Written Narration

[mrsrandolph]

If you've read my posts before you may know I have 2 in CTC. I have a very bright 12 year old daughter who excels at everything and an 11 year old son with some special learning needs.

He has a rare genetic disorder. He is the only one in the world with this particular variation on the disorder, and neurologists are not sure how that is affecting his thinking. He has been developmentally delayed since infancy. He is now "normal" developmentally, but has some *glitches* in his ability to do math and writing especially.

Written Narrations have always frustrated him and "make him feel stupid". He cannot understand the text of the history book if he reads it himself. I read it to him. My inflection and tone help him understand. Plus I can explain some of the fussy language.

Here's what I had been doing to guide him through the written narration process. I would read the passage and take notes along the way pointing out why what I was writing down was note worthy. I would then give him the list of notes to use as prompts (if you will) to aid in his typing of his narration. (he has dysgraphia) So, he basically had the note worthy sections in chronological order. But he doesn't simply regurgitate those notes. He changes up the wording and adds more detail. His final product is very good.

So, I decided to move him a step closer to doing it the "proper" way. Big mistake
I highlighted from the book what was note worthy instead of paraphrashing. The problem is, he can't seem to make heads or tails of the verbage of the book. So, after sitting at the computer FOREVER, he just cried. The whole "I'm stupid" thing.

So, all I know to do is go back and do it the other way where he was more successful. But he is not moving closer to independence...sigh

It doesn't help having sister over here who can fly through everything with success.

Ideas?

[LynnH]

So if he looks at the highlighted portions he can't verbally paraphrase it to you right? Also when you read it to him are you reading it as is without paraphrasing while you are reading? The language in CTC is hard. My son also struggled to understand it at times. The only thing I can think of that you could do is do what you have been doing with the paraphrasing on paper, but also highlight the point in the book and maybe put a little number by both so he can see the paraphrase and how it relates to the original and maybe that will help some brain connections start to happen. I would probably do that for the rest of the year and let him do his narrations the way he has been doing them, but challenge him to use maybe 1 or 2 words or phrases from the original text per narration. Once he hits RTR then I would try again with just the highlighting with something like the science reading which is easier to understand, since in RTR the dc do written narrations for science and history. You could also wait until the last half of the year when he does Mystery of History for the history readings because those readings are short, have section titles and are an easier reading level and vocabulary level than CTC.

My son also doesn't fit in any box. We say he has CP, but he doesn't fit any other CP kids the doctors have ever seen so I understand what it feels like to have a child that is unlike any other kid on the planet. It truly is trial and error as to what will work.

[mrsrandolph]

Thanks Lynn. Nice to know that someone else is "there" too.

[Nealewill]

I have no advice but I will pray for you. Change is SO tough. My son has some learning disabilities too. There are times he has taken his pencil and thrown it straight at me out of sheer frustration! I feel for you. No advice but I will pray (and offer <<<hugs>>>)

[Gwenny]

I want to encourage you to remember that he is only 11!!! My 11 yo has some minor learning difficulties and no genetic disorder and I don't think he could begin to do it. He is only about to go into Preparing. Many times girls mature faster than boys even without other issues. On top of that he is "competing" with a super bright sister. Maybe you could have him not do the same thing she is and I wouldn't worry about trying to get him to do more just yet.

[LynnH]

I agree with Gwenny. He is only 11 and with his learning disabilities CTC is a pretty high placement. I know you already did Preparing so I know you don't want to go back there, but I would really allow him to work slower if needed in CTC. I also would strongly advise separating he and his sister and move her up a guide if at all possible. As the guides get harder the gap is just going to get bigger and I am afraid his self esteem will really suffer which for a preteen boy is not a good thing, they really need to feel successful.

[Little Women]

Some of your answers are confusing to me. (I haven't done HOD yet, so I can't speak to the OP, but as I'm reading responses, I'm confused.) Several of you have said, "he is only 11." When I look at the placement chart for 11yos, I see that they can do Bigger with extensions, Preparing with extensions, CTC, RtR, or Rev to Rev. I understand that kids with special needs probably should be on the lower end of these groupings. But it sounds like you are saying that most 11yos really should not be in CTC yet, though that's the exact middle of the suggested age range. Do most people need to go below the suggested age range to get a good fit?

[Nealewill]

I think placement is somewhat of a personal preference. If you are looking to start HOD, I would say that the first place to start is placement chart. Some people choose to start their kids on the lower end of the age range and some choose to have them older. If you use the placement chart, your children will have a great year. When I checked the placement chart, my girls placed on the youngest end of the age range and my son was right in the middle. Every year has been a great fit for us.

[LynnH]

Placement has more to do with skills, not age. My son did Preparing at 10 and CTC at 11. He has dysgraphia, but he handled Preparing as written with doing all independent boxes independently, so I knew he was ready for CTC. You want them placed where they are challenged, but not too much. It is fine if they aren't able to do all the skills as written at the beginning of the guide, but you want them to be able to do them all as written by the end of the guide. My son has always been at the upper end of the guide and that has worked well for us. He wouldn't have been able to do the guides if he was at the youngest age, but that is him.

[lmercon]

I think people are saying,"He's only 11," because you have lots of time to scaffold his learning and path to independence. My son is severely dyslexic. I would read the text to him. He would dictate his narration to me. Then he would copy it in the notebook. It was only this last year that he has done the narrations himself, and he is 13. I would give your fella more time. Better that he feels confident as a learner than doing things "on schedule." I have always placed my son where he is "intellectually" not where he is skills-wise. I provide accommodations to help him succeed. He's doing more and more on his own and has the confidence now to give it a go.

[mrsrandolph]

You all have been so encouraging.

Please feel free to post more!