-=> Quoting Donna Ransdell to Regina Finan <=-
 >  as to what needs to be taught.  My 11 year old is
 > having a heck of a time
 >  figuring out how to take notes from a paragraph or
 > story.  We are trying to
 DR> It's a tough skill to learn. I had to teach this to my 6th graders
 DR> when I taught that grade level. It really helps if you can find a
 DR> textbook or something that has bold print for special words. It also
 DR> helps to learn what a "topic sentence" is before you try to teach
 DR> outlining. 
 DR> I don't think I really truly got the hang of outlining until high
 DR> school. I had a US History teacher in my junior year that wrote out
 DR> the day's lesson on the board in outline form. You were expected to
 DR> start copying it as soon as you walked in the room (and most everyone
 DR> did, as it was a tremendous help in studying for her tests). Due to
 DR> her method, I finally understood outlining, and I also got a good
 DR> understanding of the flow of American history. I wish I'd kept that
 DR> notebook! 
 Well he does understand topic sentences.  But this is the skill they
 are teaching in 5th grade. Actually they start teaching it in 4th grade.
 He had a tough time then too.  It will work out.  I put alot of learning
 games on the computer this week.  Some of them are games a friend had
 bought and is no longer in need of them.  So she gave them to me.  They
 are by dinosoft.  Not bad.  Also some electronic reading program.  It is
 kinda nice.  Some of it is really easy stuff, but I figure the easy stuff
 should help review as well as give them self confidence.
 Regina
... "Transporter chief Ransdell, beam the landing party to the bridge"
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