Curriculum Overview > Language
Language Studies
"Language is one of the characteristics which distinguish man from the animals. It is a gift of nature bestowed on him alone. It is an expression of his intelligence...Written language can be acquired much more easily by children of four years than by those of six years of age--the time at which compulsory education starts. While children of six years of age need at least two years to learn how to write, and do so with much difficulty and against nature, children of four years learn this 'second language' within a few months."

-Maria Montessori

IMG_0151.jpgLanguage is the method of communication between people through speech and the written word. Montessori brings the child from speech to printing and then to reading and comprehending the words which he has written. It was the spontaneous writing, which four year old children demonstrated in Dr.. Montessori's first Children's House that made her method world-famous. The activities of Practical Life and the Sensorial materials prepared the children in that early classroom so as to naturally develop the writing of words and phrases as four year olds.

The Language Lessons Consist of:
  • Auditory Preparation conversation with children storytelling (sequencing) poetry (rhymes and finger plays) auditory discrimination listening skills identifying sounds
  • Visual Preparation recognizing patterns matching and sorting
  • Motor Preparation eye to hand coordination strengthening of the hand manuscript writing
  • Analysis phonogram sounds blends
  • Reading on Word Level phonics reading in context
  • Correct Expression vocabulary of objects, attributes, and actions
  • Function of Words beginning writing noun and verb identification (introduced)



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