I Love MontessoriLanguage in a Montessori classroomAugust 2, 2008 by Miss Norma | No comments
I love the Language area in the Montessori classroom. I love to give lessons of the sandpaper letters and the phonetic sounds. As a person whose English is a second language I have a hard time sounding out certain letters so I practice, giving lessons also helps me build confidence. The language area is such an important part of the classroom because it shows children how to communicate verbally. Children gain so much confidence as they are able to work independently with all the materials.
When children start working in the language area they first start working with objects. They work with classified objects, Object discrimination, Go-together objects, and rhyming objects. The reason why they first begin working with objects is because we want to first build their vocabulary and confidence. The children really enjoy working with these materials. I think it is because they actually have something physical to hold and work with.
Once children show readiness to work with the sandpaper letters they start to learn their phonetic sounds. Once they recognize the sounds they get to work with the sandpaper letters and objects. Believe it or not, children learn to read quickly.
For preparation for handwriting in a Montessori Language environment we have the sand tray, chalkboards and metal insets. I just wanted to touch on this for now and will be going into more detail in a further post.
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Understanding the Language Environment Series: Part 3July 18, 2008 by Miss Norma | No comments
The sequence of the Language Environment begins with the development of the child’s oral communication, this is why it begins with the Nomenclature lessons and Picture Story. These lessons help the child build confidence in speaking. Some of the Language Area aims are to increase vocabulary, help auditory discrimination, and develop left to right movement. This is done through Oral Language with lessons that increase vocabulary such as Classified Cards, Classification: Go Together, Vocabulary Enrichment Cards, etc. Then the child is introduced to Sounds and Symbols. These lessons teach the child to identify the sounds each letter makes. Exploration of Sounds and Symbols starts with the ‘I Spy’ Games. This activity helps the child develop his auditory skills, to be acquainted with the concept of words to understand that sounds have an order in words, and to hear sounds in isolation.
The child is also given lessons in the Key Sounds, Sandpaper Letters and the Movable Alphabet which then continue into Writing to Communicate. The Sandpaper Letters and Movable Alphabet prepare the child for writing and reading, to build words phonetically, and to associate sounds to symbols. After working with the Sandpaper Letters and the Movable Alphabet, the Object Game is used to introduce Reading. Reading includes Activity Cards, Long Word Lists, Secret Boxes, Sentence Picture Matching, Small Sentence Booklet, etc. Once the child is reading fluently he is introduced to the Reading Folders. The Reading Folders are a set of folders that include long vowel sounds. Then the child begins to work with the Function of Words. Here the child learns to classify words as a noun, verb, article, conjunction, preposition, etc.
The Language activities all are to help the child build his vocabulary and to communicate better with other individuals. Language is the most critical area of the classroom because it is here that the child learns to manipulate words in different ways. He also learns to communicate more efficiently with others. Only through verbal communication will the world ever have peace. Language encourages children to use verbal expression to have others understand them. Language is a universal way of human communication. The world may have many languages but we can all come together and learn to understand each other.
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Understanding the Language Environment Series: Part 2July 6, 2008 by Miss Norma | No comments
Language gives the child a sense of meaningful existence. It is a non-physical tool to communicate with others. Through this process he learns that with verbal communication he can facilitate progress during interactions with others. The ability to verbally question and express desires can be a tool of ultimate learning for the child. “The mind and the hand are prepared separately for written language and follow different roads to the same goal” (Montessori, 1965, pg 128).
“By reading I mean the interpretation of an idea by means of graphics or symbols…A child does not read until he receives ideas from the written word” (Montessori, 1983, pg 229). Writing precedes reading in the Montessori setting. The activities that support this belief are the Sandpaper letters and the Movable Alphabet. Developmental aims in the language sessions are vast. Oral communication is of foremost importance. Goal number one is to get the child to be confident in taking the initiative to vocalize his or hers thoughts freely. Once the child begins expressing feelings and thoughts in an uninhibited manner it is then time to equip the child with an effective choice of words. A vocabulary that is varied and well versed is the key. Auditory discrimination is practiced to further equip the child with the capability of annunciating words properly. Emphasis on how letters sound in combinations to form words is a teaching point. Left to right movement is a crucial teaching point. Words are written and read in the left to right order so it is natural to maintain that same discipline throughout language development. Preparing the child for writing and reading is a theme in lesson planning and the activities performed in the Language area. “In brief, writing helps a child’s physiologically and reading helps him socially” (Montessori, 1983, pg 230).
The moveable alphabet is a tool used in phonetic word building tasks. This very important skill is cultivated through the physical and visual association that is built into the exercises. Association is a valuable skill in the initial stages of language development. The linkage of words to symbols makes the sometimes abstract topic of words all the more tangible for the child. The development of the child’s fine motor coordination is also part of the language developmental process. This is achieved through the utilization of light touch methods. Letters are coated in sand paper and the child is encouraged to lightly trace the outline of the letter using only their finger. Another useful activity that the children participate in is the use of a sand box. In the sand box the child draws letters in the sand by hand. This is a way for the child to get in tune with the flow of writing the letter. When written words are read by the children the child has a visual cue of what the word signifies. For example, if the written word is apple, the directress may hold up an apple and sound out the word.
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Understanding the Language Environment Series: Part 1June 12, 2008 by Miss Norma | No comments
Language is an empowering skill that children in the Montessori setting explore in a non-restrictive manner. The role of the directress is pivotal and she can induce the child to reach high levels of verbal and written expression. “In every exercise when the child has recognized the differences between the qualities of the objects, the teacher fixes the idea of this quality with a word” (Montessori, 1914, pg 124).
Language is spread through out the Montessori classroom. It is used in Sensorial, Practical Life and Math lessons. When working with the Sensorial equipment the child learns language related to the senses and the environment. Practical Life gives the child the ability to use language throughout the work cycle; the children get to communicate conversationally with their friends about their daily experiences. The Math environment gives the child the opportunity to learn the mathematical terms. The children learn the names of the numbers and mathematical symbols. Language is spread through out the classroom and the world. Language gives the child the opportunity to express his thoughts and feelings in a non-physical way.
The Sensitive Periods in development are periods of special sensitivity related to certain elements in the environment. Sensitive Periods are transitory- after the child has acquired certain functions or determined characteristics, that particular sensitive period gives way to another different one. Sensitivities appear as an irresistible impulse and urge the child to select only certain elements in his environment for definite and limited time. The sensitive period for language is the longest because we are never finished learning new vocabulary. The Sensitive Period for language starts at about the age of four months with the baby intently watching the mouth, at six months or so he begins to make real sounds. The small child is very interested in learning more and more words. The sensitive period for order begins at about the first year and is manifest until the third year. Related to the sensitive period of order is the interest for small things and details which begins at about two years old. The sensitive period for social graces is from two and a half to six years of age. The Language environment provides the child the chance to fulfill these Sensitive Periods through most of its activities. For example, the small objects used for the Secret Boxes and other activities fulfill the interest for small things. The sensitivity for language is satisfied through all of the Language activities because in all of the language activities the child has an opportunity to listen and say different words. The Social Graces are taught through the use of language: the child learns to be polite and communicate through verbal expression.
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