:: Primary

Characteristics of Development

·         Maria Montessori observed that Primary children are in a sensitive period for language, meaning that children of this age experience an intense inner drive to acquire language skills. The young child learns language with a passion and conviction unlike any other time in life, and this window of opportunity should be adequately supported and encouraged.

·         Three- to 6-year-olds are in the process of crystallizing experiences into personality. Their “absorbent minds” are like sponges or cameras taking in every detail of the environment, consciously or not. Language is the tool used to process the immense amount of information being absorbed.

·          Children of this age have an almost limitless capacity for learning new and specific vocabulary.

·         Given a well-prepared environment, Montessori observed that Primary children would teach themselves to write and then read, typically picking up writing around 4 ½ years of age, followed by reading about 6 months later.

Classroom Support

·         The Primary classroom supports young children as they learn to communicate complete thoughts and ideas through language. As children progress in the environment, they develop the self-confidence to successfully communicate with peers and guides. 

·         Preparation for reading and writing is in some way incorporated into all classroom activities. For example, many practical life activities, such as spooning and table-washing, help children develop their pencil grip or become accustomed to moving methodically from left to right. Work with the metal insets helps children practice the concentration and fine motor coordination required for writing.

·         Sound games are used to introduce phonetics first (rather than names of letters) in a fun way. Games like “I Spy,” rhymes and tongue twisters encourage children to discern different sounds and phonemes.

·         As children master the sounds of language and develop the proper pencil grip, they are introduced to the written letters used to represent sounds in engaging ways.

·         Montessori classrooms introduce children to cursive writing first, because it is actually easier for young children to learn. The uniform strokes that begin and end letters, the definite beginnings and endings of words, and the continuous movement and thought required while writing are some of the reasons that cursive is less confusing and more intuitive for new writers. 

·         Children begin writing by tracing the Sandpaper Letters, which provide a visual, tactile and aural experience of consonants, vowels and common phonograms.

·         Children later begin expressing their ideas with the Moveable Alphabet, with which they build words, phrases and sentences using small cut-out letters on a mat.

·         Children are asked to transfer the ideas created with the Moveable Alphabet onto paper or the chalkboard as they make the final transition into independent writing.

·         After children begin writing, they typically begin reading shortly thereafter, as they have already developed many of the necessary skills over time. Montessori observed that reading is the more difficult skill, as it requires children to decode and interpret someone else’s ideas rather than simply transferring their own ideas into symbols.

·         The Primary classroom prepares children to assume full authorship, to comprehend what they’re reading, to interpret emotional content, and to appreciate style as they progress in their language development.

Tips for Families

·         Conversation is key! Just sitting down and having a conversation with your child is so important to language development. Even if you don’t understand everything your child is saying, these attempts to connect are crucial.

·         You can help give children the language to express themselves and label their emotions. If your child is angry, for example, you might say, “You seem like you’re feeling angry. Are you feeling angry?”

·         Create fun ways to play with language at home. You might have a word of the day or play games like “I Spy.”

·         There’s no need to repeat Montessori lessons at home. Making the learning process overly tedious or repetitive can do more harm than good. Given the space and time to develop, your child’s drive to read and write will come from within.

·         Read to your child daily, whether your child is reading yet or not. If your child is reading, try reading a book slightly above his/her reading level. Pausing to ask your child questions or to discuss also helps your child with comprehension and interpretation.

·         Encourage cursive writing and allow your child to see you writing notes or lists in cursive.