Language--Part 1

A few weeks back, I wrote several posts about what I was doing to prepare my language shelves in the Montessori classroom.  I included free downloads for all my word drawer material and received a comment from a reader asking when would be the best time to introduce the word drawer work.  Following that comment, I emailed the reader to say that I would do a series of posts about the language area of the classroom that would (hopefully) answer her question.  Today is the first of several posts that will specifically address setting up the language area of the classroom.

I think it is important to point out that there are many activities in other curricular areas which indirectly prepare children for the language area.  For example, most activities in the Practical Life and Sensorial areas are set up and presented in left to right order.  This is indirect preparation for the tasks of reading and writing.  Additionally, the earliest math materials are set up left to right to indirectly reinforce that critical sense of directionality. 

Prior to introducing the first "real" Montessori language materials, the sandpaper letters, the language shelves should hold several "pre-reading" activities that the children can complete without any knowledge or understanding of the letter/sound relationship.  These may include some of the following materials:  go-together cards, opposite matching cards, rhyming objects or cards, part-whole matching cards, patterning cards, sequencing cards, etc.  The photos below show three of the "pre-reading" activities that I have placed on my "first" language shelf.

These two photos show a set of "go-together" matching cards.  The left photo shows how I have the activity set up on the shelf.  The "left" puzzle pieces are separated from the "right" puzzle pieces and placed in different baskets.  Note that the "left" puzzle pieces are differentiated by a small blue dot placed in the upper left corner.  When presenting this work, the teacher would model laying out all the "dotted" cards first.  She would then model selecting a "right" puzzle piece from the basket and matching it to the correct "left/dotted" piece.  The photo on the right shows some of the cards matched up to give you an idea of what they are.  However, due to the number of cards, I would probably introduce this work on a rug and (as described above) I would first lay out all the "dotted" cards.  As you can probably tell, this is a set of commercially made cards.  I selected 10 matching pairs to place on the shelf instead of using all 20 pairs that came in the box.  If 10 pairs seems to be too many, I can remove some.  Close observation of students using this material will tell me what, if anything, needs to be changed.

Why are go-togethers considered a "pre-reading" activity?  At the picture level, they require children to think carefully about how things are connected or related to each other.  When learning the task of reading and writing words, children must have a strong sense of what "goes together".  For example, they must understand that the sound /s/ "goes with" the letter "S".  Accordingly, they must then grasp that the /s/ "goes with" the word "sandwich."

These photos show a set of "opposites" matching cards.  Opposites cards require children to analyze how things are different, but related.  This is an important beginning comprehension activity for young children.  As you can see, the "left" pieces are differentiated by the dot in the upper corner and are separated from the "right" pieces in a different basket.

These photos show a set of part-whole cards. These cards require the child to see part of a picture and its related "missing half."  Understanding the part/whole relationship carries over into math (i.e. 1 and 1 are two parts of the "whole" 2) as well as reading and writing.  In reading, children must be able to comprehend that letters are parts of words, words are parts of sentences, sentences are parts of paragraphs/stories, etc.  Additionally, when writing, they must eventually know that "-ing" is part of the word "going", etc.  So, this activity, though simple in nature, reinforces a skill that will be very important to future, more academic tasks.

In addition to these three pre-reading activities, I have several more on my "to-do" list.  Before school starts, I am hoping to pull together a rhyming cards/objects activity, a sequencing cards activity, and develop some phonemic awareness activities to add to the pre-reading shelf. 

Each day for the next several days, I will continue to move through the beginning language curriculum materials to help give a sense of the progression.  Please feel free to comment with any ideas or thoughts you have about the Montessori language curriculum.

Comments

[Gayle]

thanks for sharing all your thoughts and personal work to us. your work will go I will be using your downloads to our soon ot be open Montessori school located in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Please visit our school website: www.greensvillemontessori.com

Your a Blessing,
Gayle

[Jenna]

Thanks so much for this post. Its really informative and given me some direction for where to start language with my son. Previously we have just done sensory and PL activities (which i love!). My son is behind with his language development so while these pre reading activities may normally be started with a child when they are younger they will probably be perfect for his level and give us a jumping off point to explore more.
Thanks again!

[Jenna]

Thanks so much for this post. Its really informative and given me some direction for where to start language with my son. Previously we have just done sensory and PL activities (which i love!). My son is behind with his language development so while these pre reading activities may normally be started with a child when they are younger they will probably be perfect for his level and give us a jumping off point to explore more.
Thanks again!

[Ginnette]

Wow, I learned so much! You would think it is common sense, but I just figured out this month to start the memory games with 10 cards and slowly go up. The kids now actually play the memory games! I will do the same with my math and alphabet puzzles.
Thank you, Ginnette