The word composition conveys the idea of taking several elements and putting them together

to create one whole. And never is that definition more true than in the process of language

arts, particularly the way that Charlotte Mason approached it. Now when most people use the term

composition in a language

arts context, they're thinking of the skill of taking words and putting them together in order

to write a paper or an essay or a story. But in a Charlotte Mason education, there is much more

coming together. Let's talk about it.

Welcome to the Simply Charlotte Mason podcast.

I'm Sonia Schaefer.

Many educational approaches introduce composition in the elementary years, but the

Charlotte Mason approach is different.

It waits until high school, because composition is a culmination of many elements that

you've been doing with your student all the way through the lower grades.

He's been listening to and reading great books by a variety of excellent authors.

He's been learning spelling, grammar, and mechanics naturally as he progresses through

reading lessons, copywork, transcription, dictation, and grammar lessons, which also use passages

from good literature.

Your student has been doing oral narration.

Charlotte Mason called it oral composition, because it requires your student to do the mental

process of gathering his thoughts and composing them into sentences.

He has also transitioned to writing his narrations, so he's had practice in writing his thoughts.

If you've been with us throughout this series on language arts, you'll recognize each

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