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BlessedWith3SNP
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| Posted: Sept 13 2011 at 5:45pm | IP Logged
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My problem is this, when we learn something for history or science my children are not able to narrate back to me what we just learned about. I'll read them something from a living book, and most times they'll lose interest and let their mind wander. Or this week we're studying honey bees, so I read them the first few chapters in "The Tale of Buster Bumblebee. When I asked them to tell me a little about what I had read, they both were getting things wrong. Or saying they didn't know.
What can I do? Is it just because of their ages? Will this get better over time?
We've just made the switch to living books and the CM way of learning. I think I need some help! Any tips or ideas welcome! 
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~Mary, wife to Kenneth and mom to Sean Michael (10/03), Noah Gabriel (11/05), Piper Arwen (10/08), Adam Raphael (4/14)
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Sept 13 2011 at 5:57pm | IP Logged
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some children are simply not able to learn readily through auditory methods.. combining those with some visuals may help or kinetic things. What helps them listen better at other times? if you're having a snack are they able to hear you even if they don't seem to be paying attention?
I have one son who gives no appearance of listening.. wandering around and such.. but when asked he can actually repeat back verbatim what was just read. Some need to be able to do stuff to make the auditory processing work.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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kristinannie
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| Posted: Sept 13 2011 at 6:18pm | IP Logged
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Have you thought about telling the kids beforehand that they will be narrating and then reading them a short passage (2-3 pages). That way, they will be really listening and won't be overwhelmed? I am not requiring narration at this point since my DC are so young, but I do model narration to them most of the time so they will get used to the process. Maybe you could try that for a couple of weeks. Best of luck! I look forward to reading responses because we will start narrations in the next year or two.
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John Paul 8.5
Meredith Rose 7
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Katherine Elizabeth 8 months
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Sept 13 2011 at 6:26pm | IP Logged
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You can have them each take turns narrating even just one paragraph at a time to get them started. My kids are also still young, and I never have them narrate more than a page or two at a time, and we worked up to that over the course of a year.
It becomes more natural and easier over time from what my kids have taught
me. And some days they really get into it, and some days they only narrate back the bare bones.
Narration can also mean drawing a picture of what they heard and telling you about it, or building a lego scene and telling you about it, etc.
I find that often the kids will narrate to me and then come back over the next several days with lots of pictures of what they heard. Each time I read "Paul Revere's Ride" to them I can count on a week of bell towers and horses 
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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Grace&Chaos
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| Posted: Sept 13 2011 at 6:56pm | IP Logged
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If this is new to them and you, I'd say don't worry it will get better. It also looks like really you should just want your 7 yr old to narrate at this point.
I like Melinda's advice try narrating shorter passages and fewer times than what you've been doing. Try different narration techniques other than the oral ones.
Expect some narrations at their own time and just straight out of the blue. The other day my six year old wanted water because he was creating the River Nile in the backyard . My oldest looked at me and said "I'm impressed, he was listening" He had not once mentioned the river during our set times but obviously did remember about it and could tell me about it at that moment. I listened and smiled.
You are creating a habit and it will take some time, just remember to be consistent and gradually increase your expectations as you see your children improve. They will 
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Jenny
Mom to dds(00,03) and dss(05,06,08,09)
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lapazfarm
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A few tips:
1. Keep it super short. Maybe just a few paragraphs rather than a few pages or chapters. Longer reading sessions may be fine for pleasure reading, but for developing attention shorter is sweeter.
2. Leave them wanting more. End your reading at a suspenseful spot and say "I guess we will find out what happens to Benjamin Bunny (for example) tomorrow!" Have them make guesses as to what that will be.
3. Remember, one point of reading aloud and narrating is to develop the habit of attention. Don't expect them to have that habit up front. Work on it slowly and it will come in time.
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MichelleW
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| Posted: Sept 13 2011 at 8:01pm | IP Logged
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Sometimes recalling what you know already before you even start reading can help put the child in a more attentive frame of mind. "What can we remember about how honeybees care for their young? Now here is a story about honeybees, I wonder if this honeybee will behave in the same way?"
If you are trying to develop concentration, you might give them something to listen for: "in this next part we are going to learn something about the way a honeybee collects pollen, when you hear it try to put it in your memory for after we are finished reading because I am going to ask you about it."
Sometimes drawing *while* listening can help kids to focus as well as remember. Then later they can explain their drawing.
2.
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Michelle
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BlessedWith3SNP
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| Posted: Sept 13 2011 at 10:21pm | IP Logged
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Thanks so much for the responses! I was started to feel like I was failing at the CM way of teaching/learning. I'm glad that it will get better over time. We really are enjoying ourselves. We just have to get used to narration/dictation/etc.
Thanks again. And more ideas are always welcome. 
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~Mary, wife to Kenneth and mom to Sean Michael (10/03), Noah Gabriel (11/05), Piper Arwen (10/08), Adam Raphael (4/14)
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MommyMahung
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| Posted: Sept 14 2011 at 7:45am | IP Logged
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Thanks for posting this concern Mary!
I have been trying to figure out the same thing with my kids and after reading all these responses, I feel better!
I'm looking forward to implementing some of these ideas!
Laura
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Sept 14 2011 at 8:03am | IP Logged
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Hi Mary!
I can't add much to the great ideas shared!
** Your kids are still very young, and the only one that I might ask to give me a narration is the 7yo. So, since you're reading The Tale of Buster Bumblebee aloud to everyone and it's clearly challenging for your son to narrate, maybe don't ask for a narration from that book. (Jodie's right there in that some kids don't do well with auditory learning, so narrating from a read aloud would be challenging. This is something to work on and build in skill later...not for a beginning narrator.) I might choose another book for Sean to narrate, maybe something that only he and I read together...UNLESS Noah is really close to age 6 and enjoys the narrating part. It's ok to go with your gut!!! Whatever you choose to narrate, it needs to be something that completely ENGAGES your son's imagination!
** This could simply be a difficult book to narrate. The Thornton Burgess books are like that - they're fantastic, but can be really tough for a child to narrate! That's fine in that case, just enjoy the book and don't ask for a narration from it!
** As Theresa rightly pointed out, for new/beginning narrators - keep your reading SUPER SHORT, and then ask for a narration. Let's say that your little chapter is 2 1/2 pages long, I would break that up into 3 sections and ask for 3 short narrations. It would look something like this:....review a bit about what you read yesterday....ask the kids, "Let's see, where were we yesterday in our reading? What was Mr. Bumblebee up to?
....Read a few paragraphs! That's it!!! 2 - 3 tops! Stop and close the book. Make a short comment on something that happened -- "My that Mr. Bumblebee can get into trouble quickly, can't he? What happened in our reading?" Let the child tell you what he remembers.
....Open the book and read a couple more paragraphs. "Let's see if Mr. Bumblebee can get out of this mess, shall we? Now, listen carefully (I say this very quietly and as if I'm imparting a great treasure - it really does get their attention that way!)" Continue reading. Stop after 2 or 3 more paragraphs, and repeat the process. ** You don't have to ask for a narration from every book! In fact, I only ask my little narrator to narrate from a couple books a day
** Theresa is again correct that the habit of attention, which you are just beginning to work on, takes time to develop! So, it's ok if a narration of any kind lasts only about 1 - 2 sentences. My beginning narrator is *just* starting to offer more details in his narrations. This is a time not to push, but to be patient and encourage. Don't feel like a failure - narrations are TOUGH BUSINESS!!!!!! A child has to pay close attention in the first place, and then when you ask for a narration they must organize their thoughts in their head and....somehow get them back out to you. It's NOT easy! It is one of those *be-patient-in-the-beginning-and-consistent-for-the-long-hau l* things that yields incredible fruit!
Ok....so summary narration of my post which is really just a summary narration of the other great posts before mine!
** If a book is tough for a beginning narrator to narrate, just enjoy it and ask for a narration from a different book.
** Ask for narrations from a LIVING, WHOLE book that COMPLETELY captures their imagination!
** The habit of attention takes time to develop - and your kids are at the beginning of developing this fantastic habit! Let your expectations reflect where you are - at the beginning! It's ok to be patient and let this process grow naturally over time. Be consistent, and the gentle application WILL yield fruit!!!
** Only ask for 1 - 2 narrations a day from beginning narrators.
** Keep the reading material super short (break it up if you have to)!
** It's great to know how a narration should look, and looks in other homes, but it's better to remember that YOU are the expert in your kids - so trust your gut!!! You're not failing - you are meeting challenges! This happens on an almost daily basis in home education! Gotta brainstorm 'em!!!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
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BlessedWith3SNP
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| Posted: Sept 14 2011 at 2:24pm | IP Logged
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Mackfam,
Once again you have helped me immensely. I can't tell you enough how helpful this information has been. I've read all the CM books there is to read, but still to see it typed out as an overall guide is just splendid. Thank you so much! 
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~Mary, wife to Kenneth and mom to Sean Michael (10/03), Noah Gabriel (11/05), Piper Arwen (10/08), Adam Raphael (4/14)
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