Beginning Narration in Your Charlotte Mason Homeschool

[@becnoordink2901]

This was really helpful, especially the fraduating steps

[@BetzelemElokim]

I've studied Charlotte Mason in depth for five years. This is the BEST advice I've seen on how to start narration, and I've never seen it before! Thank you, Rachel! My about-to-start 6yo will thank you too :) (Btw, the link to the checklist on the CMP website isn't live.)

[@audrichavez]

This is a total life saver. thanks so much. Should an older child have a different checklist?

[@nkhawand]

I am interested in adding narration to our eclectic homeschool. Your video was helpful and informative. The comical text boxes you included in the video made it extra fun to watch. Thanks! 🙂

[@6898130]

Thank you so much!! I was doing exactly the opposite and getting negative with my son 🤦🏻.

[@Beepbopboop19]

Thank you!!!💜

[@cheryllwaldrop9732]

Thank you for this! I've been looking for video examples to show a soon to be new narrator who I can tell has the impression that narration requires practically memorizing and repeating the material. In their mind, "tell in your own words" equates to the plagiarism avoidance tactics we fell back on in school(Saying "the cat, who was green..." instead of "the green cat," for example.)

[@ACharlotteMasonPlenary]

Yay! I'm so glad it was helpful! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. ❤️

[@homeschooledaroundtheworld4660]

Such a great video. You have been so helpful. Thank you!

[@aehwalker]

So well done! Thank you.

[@ACharlotteMasonPlenary]

Thank you, Amy! I'm so glad you found it helpful!

[@acceptingabnormal]

Your son is cracking me up :)

[@acceptingabnormal]

OMG the bloopers! My son has been walking around calling himself handsome the same way lol

[@ACharlotteMasonPlenary]

Ha! He cracks me up too, Alicia! That's why we had so many bloopers! He's fun to hang out with ❤️

[@kassandrafenstermaker3810]

Rachel, where do I find the principles? I have the Charlotte Mason series, but I am not sure where to begin. Also, what is Plenary Pointers?

[@kassandrafenstermaker3810]

I found them vol 6 synopsis!

[@JRohde-jl3rv]

This is very helpful! I am new to CM and going on my second year homeschooling. Do you have any advice on how to go about narration with 6 children ages 5,8,9,9,11,11 without it take ALL day ;) We do most of our school around the table together.

[@ACharlotteMasonPlenary]

Hi Jerry! Yes, actually, I do have some tips about handling multiple narrators! If everyone is narrating from the same book, you have several options: 1. Have an on-going narration - one person narrates just a few sentences from the beginning of the reading, then the next person adds to that, then the next person adds more, etc. The narration keeps going chronologically as each student adds to it. This can be fun! 2. Building narration - start with the youngest student, who narrates as much as he is able. Then the next oldest student adds whatever the youngest left out. Then the next oldest student must add even more detail that hasn't been mentioned. As you can imagine, the oldest student will be tasked with retaining and narrating the most detail. 2. Choose only one student to narrate - at the end of the reading, you could roll a die and whoever's number comes up is the person who narrates. This will ensure that all the students still listen attentively, as they may be called on to narrate. Now, if you have students who are reading separate books, and you just don't have time to listen to ALL THOSE NARRATIONS, you can have some of the older students do voice-recordings of their narrations. You don't even have to listen to those voice recordings (unless you want to check for accountability)! Yes, I said that! Narration is for the student, not the teacher. The act of narrating helps the student transfer the information from short-term memory to long-term memory. So they just need to NARRATE, they don't need to narrate to YOU! Also, older students will also be doing written narrations (work up to one written narration per day) after they are confident in giving oral narrations. You'll probably still want to listen to narrations from your younger students who are still building narration skills, but, they could also narrate to dad, to a pet, to a stuffed animal. They could draw their narrations; or build a scene out of legos; or perform a scene with stuffed animals! The options are endless! Let them get creative with it every once in a while (warning: creative narrations tend to take more time, so schedule those at the end of the school day!) I hope that info helps! Please fell free to visit the website at cmplenary.com/ or The Plenary Facebook Group at facebook.com/groups/CMplenary/. I'd love to chat with you there too!

[@S.Patierno]

Great video❤️ question should we reread the same reading as we move through the steps or continue moving forward through the book

[@ACharlotteMasonPlenary]

Hi Sandra! Ideally, your student would practice these narration techniques with every single school reading - all readings from school books are narrated. So, to answer your question about a specific book, you would definitely continue moving forward through the book. Don't re-read. One of Charlotte's 20 Principles is that a child should narrate from "a single reading." She wants students to develop focus of attention. Here's a quote from Principle #15: "A single reading is insisted on because children have naturally great power of attention; but this force is dissipated by the re-reading of passages, and also, by questioning, summarizing, and the like." I hope that helps! Here's more info about Charlotte's 20 Principles: cmplenary.com/charlotte-mason-homeschooling-principles-of-education/

[@S.Patierno]

Thanks 🤪 I just needed confirmation .. I get now you were just using the sane reading to show the progression lol

[@oldfashioned9805]

Hi Rachel. Thank you so much for this. Such a great help. But i have a question. my kids are non native speaker of english, how can i apply this narration method to them?

[@ACharlotteMasonPlenary]

Hi Melody! Have them narrate in their native language! Are you reading school books that are in English? Or are the books in your native language? Either way, even if you are reading books in another language, they can simply narrate what they remember in their native tongue. However, if you are working on ESL (English as a second language), then choose books where the English is matched to their comprehension level or just slightly above.. then have them narrate back in English. And, of course, start with "just one thing!" That will make it easier for them. I hope that helps! :)

[@oldfashioned9805]

@@ACharlotteMasonPlenary Thank you so much Rachel for your response. 🥰 Yes we read English boardbooks which has a short sentences on every pages but since im still introducing english to her i translate the story in our dialect then ask her to narrate, will this still help her to learn narration?

[@ACharlotteMasonPlenary]

Yes absolutely! It sounds like you're doing a great job! I love that you're reading in English then translating for her. What a great way to learn! Feel free to join our Facebook group too :) facebook.com/groups/CMplenary/