question about written narration?

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  • Joyce9
    Member

    Hi, When your 7 and 9 yr. old are notebooking on a book or a subject and writing their own sentences, what do I do with the mispellings? Sometimes they will ask me to spell a word for them but othertimes they will write 2 or 3 sentences and have quite a few words misspelled. I don’t want to dampen their spirits in any way. Do I need to ask them to correct each one or how does that work? 

    thanks so much for your input,

    Joyce

    Tanya
    Participant

      This is a link to a conversation between missceegee and Sonya about a year ago regarding spelling and grammar:

      http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/beginning-written-narrations-help-please#post-18281

      missceegee:  “I’m not too worried about the grammar/spelling/etc., but just want her to get the ideas on paper. However, I was reading in some old posts somewhere that you might work on the same narration daily for a week, polishing it as you go. Should I do this, or is it fine if she writes out her paragraph or whatever and we move on?”

      Sonya:  “For these beginning stages in the transition, I would focus on her getting comfortable with getting her thoughts down on paper. After she has mastered that skill, you can begin working on one aspect at a time to fine tune her compositions; but that might not happen for a year or two yet.”

       

      Now I don’t know if this answers your question fully or not.  I also struggle with the bad spelling thing – on the one hand I know they are just beginning, but on the other hand, they are now seeing the incorrect spelling and I don’t want that cemented in their brains.

      Anyone else have ideas?

      Rachel White
      Participant

      I am of the camp of having them correct the spelling via a dictionary afterwards, as soon as possible; along with much encouragement and praise (w/o going overboard) to balance out the constructive criticism regarding the spelling. If they aren’t real smooth with using a dictionary yet, then I would do it along with them to keep the search from taking to long. Also, I would make a mental, or actual, note on those words they missed so as to perhaps write them on a board to review and use frequently in the near future.

      I just think it’s important to do that and if done the right way, it won’t dampen their creativity.

      Another way is to have a dictionary right next to them at every writing opportunity, which will reduce them asking frequently and give them skills of using a dictionary.

      just my 2 cents,

      Rachel

      My son cringes at the dictionary, mainly because he says if he can’t spell it, then he can’t find it. LOL!

      I made a file folder (like a lap book) of words that he has trouble with. I cut out strips of paper and folded them, glued one side to the file folder, and the other side wrote A, B, C, etc. Today he couldn’t remember how to spell ” hear”, so I added it under the H category. He uses this folder every time he writes anything, and I gladly give him spellings along the way. I don’t make it an issue like I used to. He is not a great speller, but this has given him a tool to use that helps him be more thoughtful about it. Today was his best written narration yet, and he used the folder to help him.

      I plan to do this with my younger ones, and have them decorate their “Spelling Helper” to make it special. I think they will enjoy it. 🙂

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