Language
Maria Montessori didn't expect young
children to learn to read and write at first
but she soon learned that this was the
"sensitive period" in a child's life for knowing
the names of everything, including the sounds
of letters, and for touching and feeling. So she
offered them letters made of sandpapers to
trace with their fingers while saying the sounds.
The children later spontaneously
"exploded" into writing. Writing came first,
months before reading, just as naturally
as speech. For those who were not ready
physically to write with a pencil, but who
were mentally ready, she prepared cutout
movable letters for their work. This
"movable alphabet" is still used in
Montessori schools today.
Pinegreenwoods Montessori
