Asking questions during read alouds

[LynnH]

We haven't started Preparing yet, but I have noticed something my ds does during read alouds and I wanted to make sure it is ok for him to do this. He will raise his hand (you can tell he has been in ps) and want me to stop reading and he will ask a question about the story. Usually it is clarifying something I just read or to tell me he doesn't understand something that just happened in the story. Is this ok for him to do? I think he does it because he isn't an auditory learner so if I am just reading something without pictures he has a little more trouble following it and I think he wants to make sure he doesn't daydream or something, so he asks questions to make sure he stays engaged with the story. I have a feeling that when he knows he has to narrate back to me that he will ask more of these type questions. Do I let him do this or not?

[Tree House Academy]

I can't imagine why this would *not* be okay...unless he is like my ADHD son and interrupts to discuss the weather or something. LOL I mean, I am known to interrupt others when they are speaking and ask them to clarify or repeat. I think it is a good sign that he is listening!

[Tansy]

Wow that is so cool. He is following and helping himself understand.

when my kid interrupt its about the weather, what were gonna have for dinner or what is that picture about! I think as long as it helps him follow the story its ok.

[sharonb]

As long as it's about the story, it sounds fine to me. When I'm reading though, I do try to finish up the paragraph I'm on if someone needs to ask a question.

Dh told me that last night at church ds6 interrupted the lesson to ask if he gets to play T-Ball again next spring... You think he was paying attention to what dh was reading/teaching???

[Carrie]

Lynn,

This is a great question! I think it is definitely individual among families as to how parents deal with this. Some love questions and love to go off on tangents during the readings. Others feel it detracts from the reading and makes the story more difficult to follow. I have been in both camps during my years of reading aloud to students.

I will share that Charlotte Mason says that children should not interrupt a reading as it makes it more difficult to narrate afterwards. She also said that children should not be interrupted by the teacher when narrating.

During my public school days, we didn't allow kiddos to interrupt the reading aloud time (or we'd have never gotten anything read aloud). So, I just carried that practice over into my own home when we began homeschooling. My hubby does allow the boys to interrupt with questions. It was interesting for me to read CM's views on this though, as I have had a tough time not interrupting my kiddos when they are narrating (and I can tell that when I do interrupt them they lose the flow of the narration). Just some food for thought.

Blessings,
Carrie

[Tree House Academy]

If I interrupt my older son during a narration, he totally loses it and has to start over.