Language in the Primary Casa
Language in the Primary casa is developed through experiences in the environment. The Primary environment is meticulously prepared to provide as many experiences as possible for the development of spoken, written, and read language. Reading and writing is based on spoken language. The child must first be able to hear the individual sounds in a word. We fill the environment with stories, songs, fingerplays, poems, games and activities like I Spy and Rhyming Cards.
Vocabulary is enlarged through naming and classification of their environment. Whenever possible real items are used. If it is not possible, language cards like these types of vehicles cards, are presented through a 3 period lesson to enrich vocabulary.
The symbols for each individual sound, and the common phonogram sounds, are then presented to the child with the sandpaper letters. The child learns through tracing the letter how to form each symbol for writing.
When the child knows the sound and associated symbol, the moveable alphabet is now a medium for the child to have an experience of writing! They begin with phonetic words, breaking down a word into the sounds they hear.
And move to building any word phonetically.
Phonograms are introduced first with sandpaper letters, then they can build words with one specific phonogram with a different moveable alphabet that highlights the phonogram in use.
They can then move one to writing their own stories!
Reading adds a step after writing. The child breaks down the word into individual sounds, then needs to put those sounds back together, blending them into a word and needs to decipher meaning from the word they hear. There are so many opportunities to read in the Primary environment. Many children return to the 3 part cards where they first learned vocabulary, and now read the labels that go with each card. A control card is provided so the child can do this activity completely independently.
Even though the paths for spoken language, writing and reading have many detailed and intricate activities, they are intertwined with each other harmoniously in the environment so that the child can do his or her work of becoming a person of his/her place and time. Dr. Montessori, through careful observation, began to understand how the child acquires language. We are now able to support the child’s internal development of language and literacy through the prepared environment.