4Real Forums: copywork/dictation/narration

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Topic: copywork/dictation/narration

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Lisa R
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Posted: July 19 2005 at 2:19pm \| IP Logged

I'm new to the CM style but have always been so drawn to it. Could someone please walk me through copywork, dication and narration? Examples would be great.

We've never done any of these and I'm not sure how my boys will like it.

Thanks so much!

Lisa

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God Bless!
Lisa, married to my best friend, Ray and loving my blessings Joshua (17)and Jacob(15), Hannah(7) and Rachel (5)!Holy Family Academy

MicheleQ
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Posted: July 19 2005 at 7:13pm \| IP Logged

Lisa R wrote:

I'm new to the CM style but have always been so drawn to it. Could someone please walk me through copywork, dication and narration? Examples would be great.

Hi Lisa,

Here's a bit to get you started:

Narration- Often called the “cornerstone” of a Charlotte Mason education, narration is certainly a large part of what makes a living education unique. Narration is the process of retelling what has been learned or read. It is a point by point account rather than a word for word retelling. Narrations are begun orally, but as the child grows older and his writing skills improve (approx. age 10 to 12), narrations will be written as well. Some children will narrate more than others, but don’t consider a short narration a bad narration. The important thing is that the child has grasped the ideas of what he has read or been taught. As the child grows older his narrations will move naturally from the simple retelling type to the more thoughtful essay and composition type. In working with a child’s learning style, narrations can be done in many creative ways such as painting, drawing, building, sculpting, play-acting, etc. Narration is fundamental to a ‘living’ education. It sharpens the mind and fosters the habit of attention and it is the springboard for the discussion and assimilation of ideas, a key component of true learning.

Transcription - Commonly called copywork, transcription is the child’s earliest practice in writing. Beginning at the age of seven or eight the child copies in a slow and neat hand favorite passages of a work of well-written literature. The child should be taught to hold his pen or pencil properly and sit correctly so as to lessen fatigue and strain. “A sense of beauty in their writing should carry them over this stage of their work with pleasure.” (HE pg. 238) Transcription is also an introduction to spelling. In this way the child looks at the word, closes his eyes and “sees a picture of it” and then writes it from memory. Miss Mason recommended that no more than ten or fifteen minutes should be given to these early writing lessons.

Spelling and Dictation - Being able to spell well, Charlotte Mason maintained, depends upon the power of the eye to take a detailed picture of a word. This power and in fact, habit is to be encouraged with the child from the very beginning of reading. When the child reads the word ‘cup’ he should be taught to ‘see’ the word with his eyes shut. This habit of ‘imaging’ will enable him to remember the spelling much larger and more difficult words later on. Dictation as an aid to spelling is done by way of having the child look carefully beforehand at the passage to be dictated, concentrating especially on any words he thinks he may have difficulty with. These words can be written out and studied for a short period before the dictation begins. When he is ready, dictate the passage to him clause by clause, repeating each clause only once. While you should dictate in a way as to indicate punctuation you should not however actually tell the child the punctuation.

God bless!

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Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
http://michelequigley.com

Elizabeth
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Posted: July 19 2005 at 7:16pm \| IP Logged

For great ideas on incorporating these into your day/week/year, go to Bravewriter Lifestyle.

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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)

Leonie
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Posted: July 19 2005 at 7:51pm \| IP Logged

Also check out the notes on the Ambleside Online site - Ambleside Online - Language Arts

Leonie in Sydney

Lisa R
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Location: Ohio
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Posted: July 19 2005 at 10:52pm \| IP Logged

Thanks everyone! I'm very interested in BraveWriter as well. Guess I'll be placing an order soon!

Blessings,
Lisa

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God Bless!
Lisa, married to my best friend, Ray and loving my blessings Joshua (17)and Jacob(15), Hannah(7) and Rachel (5)!Holy Family Academy

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