4Real Forums: Dictation was a flop!

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Language Arts Come Alive ( Forum Locked)
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Topic: Dictation was a flop!

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AnaB
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Joined: April 12 2005
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Posted: Sept 21 2007 at 3:59pm \| IP Logged

Hi there!

I've really struggled with finding our fit for language arts this year with my 9yr old boys. They do copywork and I was planning on saving Fridays for dictation. It's not going too well. I did an easier form of dictation with the boys (got the idea from Bravewriter) where I wrote two lines from a book they had read the previous day. Then I let them study it. Then I erased a few words from the passage and had them copy the passage with me dictating to them the missing words. They HATED it.

I thought they were getting bored with the same passage of copywork every day for a week, so I give them a variety of selections and letting them choose their own selection on Thursday.

So, then I tried Imitation in Writing Aesop by Logos School. I had to practically spoon feed them each assignment. It did not go very well. They just don't seem to "get it".

We do use a book by Sandi Queen similar to Primary Language Lessons that they like, but there's not any spelling in it.

My 11yod does so well and thrives with anything I give her to do, so I'm stumped with the boys. Should I not even address spelling for another year with the boys?

Also, they can recite the rules of writing (capital letter begins the sentence, punctuation mark ends it), but they totally ignore all the rules when writing.

I guess with the boys I kinda use copywork, dictation, etc.. as a way to keep them busy and say I've covered this topic. My dd has such a love for writing that I really see the value of working with her in this area. I could use some fresh new ideas! I will eagerly await your suggestions!

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LLMom
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Posted: Sept 21 2007 at 4:31pm \| IP Logged

My 10 year old boy hates any kind of writing including copywork and dictation. I love brave writer style/philosophy but this kid would just rather fill in workbook pages instead of copying/writing stuff.

However, I still make him do it. I do let him use the computer at times to make it easier.

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Lisa
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dollylima
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Posted: Sept 21 2007 at 7:34pm \| IP Logged

My son DESPISES copywork. I think his hand actually does get really tired...he holds the pencil the wrong way habitually and it is quite awkward for him to hold it correctly, yet I think his hand gets tired when he holds it his habitual way. I cut the work up into small chunks and make sure it all gets done, just not at once. My son could do math for hours on end and enjoy every minute of it. I hated math as a child. I was afraid of math, but loved Language Arts... journaling and creative writing were my major pastimes. I guess we are just different in that regard...but it still surprises me.

lapazfarm
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Posted: Sept 22 2007 at 8:26am \| IP Logged

Copywork and dictation did not go over well here at all. We have been using Bravewriter for a couple of years now and it is a big hit, but we leave out the dictation parts and just do the writing process parts. We use his writing to address spelling and grammar.

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Theresa
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Willa
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Posted: Sept 22 2007 at 11:01am \| IP Logged

We do copywork in very small doses, and only during parts of the school year.

One thing we have done with dictation is to let them do it on the computer. I like the warnings the spell check gives them -- they have an opportunity to see the warning and correct it immediately, rather than having the wrong spelling reinforced on their brains. And if the spellcheck doesn't catch one of those "they're/their" errors, it shows them the limitations of technology. And typing is easier for them than writing. We don't always do it this way but it can be nice for a change in pace.

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AMDG
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JEJE
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Joined: Sept 08 2007
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Posted: Sept 22 2007 at 12:22pm \| IP Logged

I am following this thread with great interest! My 10 yo dd *loves* to write, but does not follow any sort of spelling or grammar rules while she writes. Until this year we used LLATL, and she always aced the exercises. It is putting this knowledge into practice that seems difficult for her. We have not tried dictation, but I really like Theresa's idea to just address spelling and grammar through the child's writing. We are using ideas from the Bravewriter site this year, and this idea makes a lot of sense to me

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