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Hello Ladies,

When you reach the longer dictations, do you continue reading one sentence at a time, or do you increase the reading to 2,3,or more sentences at once?

I’ve continued reading one sentence at a time for my children to write as the dictations have lengthened, but I wondered today if I should be reading multiple sentences at once.

How do you implement longer dictations?

Thank you!

I have gone to one line at a time. I didn't like doing sentences because my daughter one when to place a period. Reading a line makes her determine where a sentence begins and ends. I tried to do while passages, and she would make small mistakes, like changing a word or two that didn't change the meaning of the passage. It was getting frustrating, and I didn't think it was benefiting her in any way.

I've always tried to do a sentence at a time, as per CM recommendations, stretching their memory, but as we got into higher levels, that was sometimes too difficult, even for my advanced kiddo, so I sometimes went down to just a phrase or two (especially if needing a second, third or fourth day for that passage!).

I have never done more than one sentence at a time, as I've never read that was a CM recommendation. If the sentences happen to be short, that is a bonus.

I think the idea of switching it up so the ends of sentences aren't so obvious is intriguing, but have never done that myself, nor read that that was recommended by those "in the know" of CM methods. This is one subject that's fairly easy to follow her guidelines.

FWIW, I had my first guy (14yo, not the oldest) finish Level 8 today! I have one that is DONE narration! Woo hoo!

Thank you ladies for your replies!

Congratulations Rice for your 14 year old finishing level 8!

I hadn’t read up on dictation in a few years, and I had forgotten that one sentence at a time is the goal and that phrases are also perfectly fine.

Prior to posting this question, I tried to find some past threads, but I was only finding reasons to use dictation for spelling. After posting , I did find an old thread that said exactly what you both are saying. It talked about CM stating one sentence at a time, and Carrie recommending phrases with one sentence as a goal.

I will just keep doing what we are doing then.

Thank you for the replies and the reminders.

Hope,

The ladies did a great job of answering you! I am so glad you were able to search the board to find helpful responses as well.

Rice,

Congratulations to you and your son for finishing the last level of dictation passages. I know that is a huge high note for both mom and child when it occurs at our house too!

Blessings,
Carrie