Reading and writing are so important for young children, and they should be emphasized in the Montessori environment. If we can teach these two skills without strain, let us do so. But Dr. Maria Montessori says that reading and writing should form but a subordinate part of the experience of a child. With the best of methods, the value of reading and writing before 6 is questionable. Our conscious life is bookish enough as it is, and it would seem on general grounds a safer policy to defer written language until the age of normal interest in it and even then, not to devote to it more time than an easy and gradual mastery demands. Montessori Method of Teaching Reading and Writing is well organized. It is easy and enjoyable to teach one child at a time.
Teaching Reading and Writing
According to, Montessori method for writing there can be some wait. The child gains ready control over his pencil through exercises which have their own simple but absorbing interest. If the child does not learn to write with an arm movement, we may be quite content with his ability to draw a legible and handsome script. Then he learns the letters, their form, their names, and how to draw or make them, through exercises which have the very important technical characteristics of involving a thorough sensory analysis of the material to be mastered.
Teaching Spelling
In the teaching of spelling, for example, it is comparatively useless for remembering unless the original impressions are made strong and elaborate. It is only possible through careful, varied, and detailed sense impression. Sandpaper letters and numbers of exercises with a proper hand movement absolutely serve the purpose of sensory impressions. Use of the sense of touch and learning how to make the whole alphabet before the abstract and formal character of the material leads to any diminution of interest or enthusiasm. Their initial curiosity over the characters they see their elders use is enough to carry them through.
Learning to Read and Write
The next step is easy. The letters once learned, it is a simple matter to combine them into words. They learn phonetic words first as it is easy to spell them. Then gradually they learn phonograms, puzzle words, sight words, classified reading cards and so much more.
It is a fact that reading and spelling in English are completely separate processes that we can teach a child to read admirably without making him a good speller. The mastery of the alphabet by the
Reading is Different From Spelling Learning
Montessori method will be of great assistance in teaching our children to write, but of only incidental assistance in teaching them to read and to spell.
All this is a process, and it needs a teacher or guide to be patient, and constructive and creative like a scientist and above all the friend of humanity.
There are picture cards our children can use for reading. We can also use classified reading cards. Children can read picture books. It’s so beautiful to see them making up the story with the help of the pictures.
Montessori Material and Reading
Learning reading is a process. It starts with the inner interest and motivation. The Montessori offers the guidance and keeps the interest that is needed to learn reading skills and to learn language over all. In a Montessori environment the language area plays the most important role. The sequence and order of the material with a specific purpose makes the process of learning reading and writing simple and easy.
Storytime and Conversation
Children love stories. There are so many wonderful ways to read and present stories. Children learn easily to speak and express their feelings. They learn the importance of words through stories. They become aware of the connection of letters and words. They can tell, draw, and paint their stories. Stories and conversations are indirect preparation for reading and writing.
Thank you for reading!
There will be more for reading, writing and language learning.
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