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Erin Lewis
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| Posted: March 11 2011 at 9:41pm | IP Logged
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My daughter is about to turn six, and so far I have had her retell some of the books I have read to her. I have a few questions that have come up as we are going to begin to venture into more formal narrations when she begins first grade:
If the child has a mind for detail and repeats pretty much every detail from the whole story, is there a way to encourage summarizing, or will this skill come with age?
My daughter begins everything with "and." The whole retelling is full of "ands" which string it all together. Is this something to mention to her as trying to work on? She reads very fluently already, so I know she is exposed to real writing in which sentences do not all start with "and."
Finally, I have read a few things suggesting that narrations should be done after just one reading. My daughter loves to read and will, on her own, read through most of the books I bring home from the library each week. I know sometimes I will read her a book, and she has already read it herself. Do books that I want to use for a narration need to be hidden away ahead of time or something? 
Thanks!!!
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Chris V
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| Posted: March 12 2011 at 9:57am | IP Logged
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I'm mostly popping in here because I too have a daughter who is (already) 6 years old and we are doing some light narration. I say *light* narration because I have no requirements or expectations (yet) for her narrations. ... but am certainly interested in learning from others in this regard.
Right now, I feel her narrations (in whatever form she wants to do them) builds her confidence in reading comprehension. Though she may not be familiar with the terms "comprehension" and "narration" (because I don't announce to her that this is what we're doing), me engaging her after we've read a story together has (at the begining) made her feel somewhat under a spot light - as though there is a right or wrong answer. I don't want her to feel this way. So, I am very aware of how we relate after reading together - building confidence - and not making her feel "tested".
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Mackfam
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| Posted: March 12 2011 at 10:33am | IP Logged
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Erin Lewis wrote:
| If the child has a mind for detail and repeats pretty much every detail from the whole story, is there a way to encourage summarizing, or will this skill come with age? |
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Young children often give very detailed narrations, and these are wonderful building blocks to writing as well as one day summarizing. I wouldn't worry about a summary narration yet - just enjoy the vivid details your dd offers in her narrations.
Once narrations are really established, I do show how to give a summary narration by modeling. My oldest dd has a near photographic recall of details and that made her initial narrations very, very detailed. She's in the 9th grade now, and she enjoys giving a nicely detailed oral narration, but has transitioned very easily into summary narrations both in oral form and in her writing now. All that to say, enjoy the details for now...model the summary later.
Erin Lewis wrote:
| My daughter begins everything with "and." The whole retelling is full of "ands" which string it all together. Is this something to mention to her as trying to work on? She reads very fluently already, so I know she is exposed to real writing in which sentences do not all start with "and." |
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Most likely, this will diminish over time since she's still very young. I would probably want to balance a relaxed, "wait-and-see" approach with a desire to not let a habit of *AND* form and become entrenched.
It's hard to gauge, and you know your daughter best, but I think I would probably give it a little time, and then after she's comfortable narrating, transcribe one of her narrations and maybe read it out loud to her. I'd probably say something like, "What a nice narration. I enjoyed your retelling. I hear a lot of *AND*s in there. Did you hear all of them? Can you work on not saying *AND* too much when you retell to me tomorrow?" There. Done with that.
AND THEN....
I'm betting that if she says *AND* a lot in her narrations, she probably says it a lot in general. I WOULD NOT correct her in her narrations, she'll become aware of her ANDs and, though it may seem awkward when she notices, I'd just try to remain nonplussed and help her move her narration along...BUT...I would be vigilant about helping her avoid overuse of it in her everyday language. So, when you're talking together at lunch, I'd remind her to slow down and think of what she's saying, and not use AND so much.
This might take some *feeling out* on your part. I don't like to correct narrations during a narration, but I do point out areas for improvement outside of a narration. The child can seem awkward and gangly during their narration as they begin to notice their habit and try to avoid it, but it does pass and smooth out. Or at least it has in our experience.
Erin Lewis wrote:
| Finally, I have read a few things suggesting that narrations should be done after just one reading. My daughter loves to read and will, on her own, read through most of the books I bring home from the library each week. I know sometimes I will read her a book, and she has already read it herself. Do books that I want to use for a narration need to be hidden away ahead of time or something? |
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Ok - is she reading independently already? Or, is she a beginning reader? At 5 almost 6, even if she's reading the book, your reading a book aloud at her side helps her follow along with you while you essentially model reading. Her narration would likely be more thorough after your reading. Alternatively, you could have her read aloud next to you.
Hmmm....I don't like to squelch reading. So, I'd let those wonderful library books remain out and available for her if she enjoys them. If she voluntarily tells you about them (narrates) - wonderful! I do have some books that are set aside for narrations. When a child is a beginning reader, their beginning reading books (like the library books your daughter delightedly devours!) are usually narrated voluntarily and I think that's great! Initially, I *ask for* narrations from books that are well above a child's reading level that I read aloud, or that they read aloud while sitting at my side - think chapter books full of great writing. Bethlehem Books is a favorite source for books like this, but there are many other wonderful living books that fit the bill here. Penny Gardner has some great booklists at her site - make sure you scroll down...in tiny writing at the bottom right there are more booklists linked on her site. And of course, you can find so much here in the archives if you're searching. If you do that, then you have one or two books you're reading aloud from each day that she offers narrations from...and her library books are hers to enjoy on her own time.
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Jen Mackintosh
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Wildflowers and Marbles
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Erin Lewis
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| Posted: March 12 2011 at 7:27pm | IP Logged
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Mackfam wrote:
| I'm betting that if she says *AND* a lot in her narrations, she probably says it a lot in general. I WOULD NOT correct her in her narrations, she'll become aware of her ANDs and, though it may seem awkward when she notices, I'd just try to remain nonplussed and help her move her narration along...BUT...I would be vigilant about helping her avoid overuse of it in her everyday language. So, when you're talking together at lunch, I'd remind her to slow down and think of what she's saying, and not use AND so much. |
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I will have to listen closely in her daily conversations to see if I notice her saying "and" a lot then as well. She does talk *a lot*!! I like the idea of noticing it in her daily conversations and pointing it out then rather than during something for "school" where she might feel like she's doing it "wrong."
Mackfam wrote:
| Ok - is she reading independently already? Or, is she a beginning reader? At 5 almost 6, even if she's reading the book, your reading a book aloud at her side helps her follow along with you while you essentially model reading. Her narration would likely be more thorough after your reading. |
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She is reading independently already, somehow... she just picked up on it somehow. I pulled out some reading level assessments I used when i was teaching in elementary school and used them with her several months ago, just to get an idea of where she was, and I stopped when we got to fourth grade level. She was still reading that level fluently but was at the low end of "acceptable" comprehension according to the assessment I was using. I have been wanting to take things slow still since maturity-wise, she is certainly not a fourth grader, so I don't want her to do fourth grade work! I have not asked her to retell something to me after she has just read it to herself, but yes, I'd agree that she would probably be less able to retell it thoroughly than if I read it aloud to her. With her reading so well, I am trying to make sure that when I read aloud to her that the book isn't too mature for her... it is hard to find a balance of something that is a bit above her independent reading level but not too "old" for her. Thanks for the booklists - a large variety to browse through! I will be bookmarking those! I noticed the book Happy Little Family listed on the Bethlehem Books list, and that it is part of a series... we just read the first one, and my daughter enjoyed it, so we'll have to look for the others now!
Today she has been reading out of the children's Bible I am planning to use for lots of our reading in first grade... she will read anything she can get her hands on!
Thanks, Jen!
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Mackfam
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| Posted: March 12 2011 at 7:41pm | IP Logged
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It's not unusual for some kids to just *pick up* on reading! Sounds like she's doing great and you're really on the right track!
I was hoping you'd notice the Happy Little Family series at Bethlehem Books - that entire series is fantastic!!! The Mitchell series (Hilda van Stockum) is another wonderful read aloud, and so are the Thornton Burgess books (of which there are too many to list!) Caryll Houselanders' Catholic Tales for Boys and Girls is wonderful...The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright. AHHH!!! I can't stop! Fantastic content, appropriate for her age/maturity, and above her independent reading level. And a children's Bible is wonderful for reading from and asking for narrations!
And...just in case you're looking for some *light reading* for ideas for more read alouds - check out the read aloud threads we have here! Great ideas there!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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4Real Forums : Language Arts Come Alive
Topic: Narration Question
