We are currently doing Bigger Hearts, and my ds is fascinated by the OSS books because they have beautiful pictures. While the text is also quite narrative and much more living in the way it reads than other science textbooks, I have found it is helpful to first let my ds really look over the pictures in the OSS books before I begin reading. He pours over them and loves that time first. He is very visual.
Then, I let him know we're going to begin reading, and he needs to listen very carefully because he will need to tell back to me all he can remember from what I've read. Being new to oral narration, it takes dc awhile to become proficient at it - quite awhile. I've had to exercise some healthy patience for this skill to come along, but then as they do become better and better narrators, they just bloom in front of me.
I have gone through the oral narration Student Tips in the back of the Bigger Hearts guide many times with my ds to remind him what I am looking for in his oral narrations. This seems to remind him what he is aiming for in giving oral narrations. Dc don't just naturally "get" narration, so it seems good talks about this using the guide's Appendix to help me have helped my dc understand better the goal of narration.
In short, they know that their oral narration is how I know if they understood what I read.
I have found with both of our dc that my comments and expectations make a big difference in the improvements they've been able to make. I try to stick to the one thing to improve on, and then point out what he did well with too. Listening with an animated, interested expression on my face is something I work hard to do.
This would seem a small thing, but I remember reading CM's comments to teachers about this and realizing I was not really doing this very well. It is a little thing that has made a big difference to my dc.
Here's a past post I wrote about this, as I think it's sometimes difficult to know how to comment to help bring our dc along in their oral narrations:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7792&p=56808
If they cannot think of a single thing to say when you ask them for a narration, then dc need to work on the habit of listening more attentively. We have had MANY talks about how important it is to form this habit (not just in school but in chores, etc.).
At this point, I'd explain that listening carefully and being able to tell back what was read is the entire goal for that activity, so you'll read it again, and stop in shorter segments to have the retell to you what was read. You can also take turns modeling good narrations for them.
So, my best tips are to give the dc the book and let them pour over the pictures first. Then, tell them they are going to be expected to retell what was read to them with as much detail as possible, so listen carefully. Go through the Narration Tips in the Appendix of the guide to show them what's expected After you've read, if they can retell some things and have given a good, cheerful effort, accept their narration, compliment them on what was done well, and give them one thing to work on for the next time. Be sure to be listening to their narration with rapt interest
and also try not to interrupt them. If they can't retell anything, let them know they need to form the habit of listening more carefully, reread it, and pause after a shorter amount (i.e. a page) and model a narration. Then read another page and have them narrate on that. They will improve given time! HTH!
In Christ,
Julie
