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Developing speaking and listening

3 replies

neolara · 15/07/2015 17:04

Can I pick your brains?

My year 6 dd is pretty academic (level 6 maths, leve 5 reading and writing, won a national writing competition). However, she is amazingly inarticulate (level 4 speaking and listening - I know levels can be wrong, but honestly, you'd have no idea she was on the ball from having a conversation with her). She doesn't have any problems with hearing, listening or concentration and there are no social communication issues. She's just not that interested in having a conversation, or at least one about anything other than minecraft / lego / day to day stuff.

Frankly, good conversational skills are going to serve her better in life than any exam results, and I'd like to give her a bit of a helping hand. I wondered if anyone had any ideas for developing speaking skills, or knew of any resources that might have some ideas. I've done a quick google, but any books I've found have been geared at children with language disorders / delays, which aren't really approrpiate.

Many thanks in advance for your help.

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penny13610 · 15/07/2015 19:58

I assume she spent most of her life as a toddler asking "WHY?" Now it is your turn to ask her.

Also, we used to spend a lot of time sitting on a local hill (with a good view) working out where the water source was, where the old dwellings, farms and businesses were and how society had evolved. Four hundred years ago your daughters role in life would have been to collect water from the spring, how and why has that changed.

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junebirthdaygirl · 18/07/2015 01:05

My dd was like that at the same age. She was exceptional at writing and also had won competitions. She wouldn't join school debating team but said she would love to write their speeches. She decided later reading stuff that she was an introvert. She loves to spend time alone to read and write. However now she has finished college she has improved a lot along the way and is very competent. Getting involved in some clubs helped and as she got older she did a lot of voluntary work which made her more relaxed with all ages.She will always prefer writing though

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Butterflywings168 · 18/07/2015 01:15

I was like this. I still am. People look Shock when I tell them I have a Masters, because in conversation I sound ditzy. I have dyspraxia (diagnosed as an adult). My view is that you should get her help now - this has affected me hugely both socially and at work.

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