The Purpose Behind World History’s Oral Recorded and Typed Narrations
What is the purpose of having students type their recorded narrations in World History? In previous guides, the parent always typed them. So, why the change? Is it a type of notetaking activity, so students learn to type while someone is talking? Or, is it to help students see where they might improve with their narrations? Or, is it intended to be for typing practice? Often times, if we can tell our children the reason behind the way a narration is assigned, it helps them better understand the skills that are part of the narration assignment. So, what is the purpose behind World History’s oral recorded and typed narrations?
The purpose is to help students improve their oral narrations.
The purpose behind the recorded narrations of Heart of Dakota’s (HOD’s) World History plans is to help students improve their oral narrations. By recording their oral narrations and then typing their exact words, they can more easily notice how they sound as a speaker, and where they could improve. When the parent does the listening and typing, and then shows the typed “narration‘ to the student, it is a more passive process than when a student must listen and type what he/she has said. The listening and mulling it over are the missing steps when the parent types the narration.
Product Verses Process
To contrast the two, the narration typed by a parent produces a product; where the narration listened to, typed, and reflected upon by the student is about the process (rather than the product). It is about the process of improving as an oral narrator, rather than just recording what has been said.
If students have difficulty typing this much, parents can type something else for them during the school day, instead of the oral recorded narration. In this way, parents can relieve students of the burden of more typing. Or, parents can make one of the written assignments more oral. In these ways, students can type their oral recorded narrations without adding time and still gain those needed skills. Modifications such as these should only be made for students who have special needs.
Blessings!
Carrie
