TIP #1: Narration - Beginner Guide to Charlotte Mason

You can easily bring Charlotte Mason methods into your child's schooling by using the method of narration. This method can be used whether your child is attending school or being educated at home. 

Narration is a powerful technique that allows your child to take what they've read and turn it into their own words, helping them to recall it again later. In a nutshell it is "telling back". After carefully reading a short passage just once, your child closes the book and tells you about what they've just read. It shouldn't be just a parrot fashion recall of facts. Rather your child should be telling you what stood out for them and how they have interpreted what they read. 

No child will narrate perfectly when they first start. It's a skill that must be practised often and be developed over time. Narration was Charlotte Mason's primary means of assessment, rather than using worksheets and tests. Narration allows the child to tell you what they do know, whereas a worksheet or test tells you what your child does not know. 

There are few ways in which you can make narration easier for your child:

• Not all books are easy to narrate from. Most fictional books can be easily narrated. History and biography books also lend themselves well to narration. Basically any book that reads like a story or paints a picture for the reader, rather than a mass of facts. Charlotte Mason called these books "living books" and would include a range of these books in her curriculum across all subjects.
• Before reading the passage, ask your child to tell you briefly what was read in the previous lesson. This creates a hook for the new passage and ensures better recall. Also briefly explain what the new passage is about and take your child through any unfamiliar words or terms that they may encounter. This gives them a structure in which to place the new passage.
• Read a short enough passage. Depending on the type of book and your child's age and experience with narration, the length of the passage could be as short as one paragraph, or as long as a couple of pages. Start with shorter passages initially and build up to longer ones.
• Make sure your child understands they only get one read or listen (if you're reading to your younger child) of the passage before giving their narration. This means that they must pay close attention the first time. 
• Narration doesn't always have to be an oral retelling. Your child can also draw a picture about what was read, or re-enact the scene, or build something with Lego.