Question about oral narration in MTMM

[acts29stl]

I have a question about the history oral narration in MTMM. Specifically, the one where the teacher is suppose to write or type the narration out. For the first one, I had them narrate while recording it and then we went back over it as I wrote it out. It wasn't too bad. But this week, they had to narrate a 20 page reading section. When my daughter was done, it was over 8min long After copying down a page and half and only getting through 2.5min of the dictation I stopped. Besides my hand hurting, I still have my son's left to do! How detailed are these narrations supposed to be? Should I be writing as they speak and make them pause so I can keep up with them? Should I be directing them to not be giving as much detail but just the overall idea of the reading? I just can't imagine writing down such long narrations for two children! Thanks!

[MelInKansas]

I haven't done MTMM but you may need to check and see if there are any narration guides in the appendix you can use. Probably you and your children both need to review these before you continue. It sounds to me like they probably need to work on being more concise in their narrations. There are detailed narrations and summary narrations but I don't know which one is indicated to do in that box, so I can't help you there. Usually for the detailed they say "share as many details as you can remember" and usually it's over a shorter passage. Summary are supposed to be short and direct, picking out the main points. Again, each guide has some narration guidelines in the appendix that are really helpful to know what you need to be focussing on. Definitely check those out!

[acts29stl]

Checked it out but it is suppose to be an oral narration and according to the appendix the student is suppose to tell back as much as they can remember without looking at the book, including as many details as possible. So, I guess I should just be thankful that my kiddos can narrate well

[LynnH]

I don't have an answer as far as the length-that is one thing I don't have to worry about my son as he is a just the facts kind of kid. The one thing I do know is you type it just like they say it. If they say 25 and then's and make one huge sentence you type it that way. You don't fix it with them afterwards, because then it becomes a written narration. Oral narrations differ from written narrations as far as vocabulary, length etc.

[my3sons]

Sounds like you have some good narrators on your hands! Not a bad 'problem' to have, I must say! Last year, I actually listened to my son's narration on his iPod, and then typed about 10 minutes worth and then had him finish typing it. I'm not doing a typing program, so I figured it was good typing practice for him. It also made him consider if he wanted to go on and on when narrating. Just a personal idea, maybe not the best one, but one I'm using.

In Christ,
Julie

[acts29stl]

Thanks Julie! That's a good idea having them type some of it out as well

[Little Women]

Are we supposed to be writing out their oral narrations? I'm only in RtR, so I haven't seen the instructions in MtMM, but I had presumed that oral meant they spoke it and it didn't need to be written.

[LynnH]

In MTMM certain oral narrations have instructions for the student to orally narrate it into a recorder or to the parent and the parent types it exactly as the student says it. This is only for specific oral narrations and there are many done where you don't do this. In RTR it isn't done.