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Ok my ds had started really getting in a groove with his oral and written narrations when we were reading Life in the Great Ice Age. Yesterday was our second day reading something from CHOW and he had to do his written narration. I read the pages to him and then I had him read the pages the guide said to have him read. I then started asking him the questions and he was clueless. I asked him where the people started settling and living and he said "caves". He grabbed onto the one line in the reading that said some people were still living in caves while the other civilizations were developing towns on the rivers. He really struggled with answering anything. He told me he thought the book was hard. Do you think it is just because he has't been exposed to anything like CHOW before and the whole idea of ancient history is totally new to him? I will go back to reading smaller amounts and having him tell me what is going on and hopefully that will help. I guess I just need reassurance that he will start grasping the content of CHOW. I am already very nervous about next year and thinking there is no way he will be able to read and understand "The history of the ancient world". This just made me more nervous about that fact.

Hi Lynn! I do think CHOW is harder to narrate from, and is one to grow into narrating. I remember thinking the same thing after "Life in the Great Ice Age" - yes! My ds can narrate well now! Then, when we got to CHOW it was harder. I think this was a good thing because it really helped him learn to listen more attentively, especially to names and places. It shouldn't all be easy the first half of the year - there should be some skills to grow into that take the whole year to fully master - and I thought narrating from CHOW was one of these skills that took longer to acquire. Keeps us sharp on our toes, right? And it keeps dc moving forward in their narrating. I like your idea of dropping it back a bit for awhile, but just keep after it - it will come. Don't worry about next year - you can always start half-speed - if your ds can do the skills in PHFHG well by the end of the year, he'll be ready for CTC.

In Christ,
Julie