Recorded Narrations in World History Guide

[LynnH]

Carrie I know you are super busy right now and probably don't have time to answer this, but maybe Julie will know. I was wondering what the purpose of having the students type their recorded narrations this year verses in the past the parent always typed them. Is it a type of note taking activity so they learn to type while someone is talking? Or my other thought was maybe it was just so they can really see where they might improve with their narrations. Or is it just for typing practice? The recorded narrations have always been challenging for Noah and I know that he is not going to be thrilled with the fact that he now has to type these(especially considering the fact he types everything else). If I can tell him the reason behind it that usually helps.

[LynnH]

I am bumping this up to see if I can get an answer. We had this activity today and I just did it the way we did it last year and I typed it while he dictated it. He just types all day long so if that is the purpose behind it then I am not going to have him type it, but if there is a different reason then the next time we will do it the way the guide instructs and have him type it from a recording.

[Jennymommy]

Hey Lynn, I'm guessing it is so they can hear/see their speaking skills, and maybe improve their oration. It would allow them to see how many times they fill in with "um", "and then", "you know", etc. Hope all is well

[my3sons]

I missed this until now, Lynn! So sorry! I will ask Carrie to respond to this, as I want to be sure that her purpose for this part of the plans is put in her own words. On a side note, thank you so much for answering posts on the board. Your wisdom and expertise have never been more appreciated by me more than right now, as I've not been able to be on the board like I like to lately and am depending on good advice such as that which you give. You are a blessing to me and to Carrie in so many ways.

In Christ,
Julie

[Carrie]

Lynn,

You are correct that the purpose behind this part of the plans is to help the student improve their oral narrations. By typing their exact words, they can more easily notice how they sound as a speaker, and where they could improve. When the parent does the listening and typing, and then shows the typed "narration' to the student, it is a more passive process than when a student must listen and type what he/she has said. The listening and mulling it over are the missing steps when the parent types the narration. To constrast the two, the narration typed by a parent produces a product; where the narration listened to, typed, and reflected upon by the student is about the process (rather than the product). It is about the process of improving as an oral narrator, rather than just recording what has been said.

In order to allow Noah to hone this skill, perhaps you could type something else for him during the school day, instead of the oral narration, thus relieving him of the burden of more typing? Or, prehaps, you could make one of the written assignments more oral, so he could type his narration without adding time and still gain those needed skills?

Blessings,
Carrie

[LynnH]

Thank you so much Carrie for your response. That helps a lot. I will talk this over for him and the next time one of these is scheduled we will figure out what other assignment I can help with so he can do this as written in the box. I think there are only 5 or 6 total scheduled so if he knows that then that will help. He is having a fantastic year so far in the World History guide. The things I thought would be huge struggles for him have been only minor struggles or not struggles at all. It just shows how all those skills he has learned through the years really build on each other.