MINW Course 37 presentation outlines for Language page 1 of 32
Spoken Language
Material These activities are based in everyday experience. Any object or experience in the environment can potentially be a material for these activities.
Some specific materials will include:
Quality picture books
Books of poems
A variety of pictures on the walls
Cultural artifacts
Geography Folders – Continents; Land and Water Forms
Purposes To build confidence in language
To help the child express ideas clearly and in logical sequence
Refinement of auditory memory
Preparation for creative writing
Age 2.5 onwards
Language Experience is offered to a child for the entire time he/she is in the Casa
These activities parallel the activities of Enrichment of Vocabulary
All aspects should be offered throughout the day and everyday to children of all ages and experience levels
Conversation
Description (Presentation)
Notes
True Stories
Presentation
Criteria for Content of True Stories
Books
Presentation
Criteria for Choosing Books
Poetry
Presentation
Criteria for Selecting Poetry
The Question Game
Technique for the Question Game
Example:
List of Possible Topics for Individual or Group
Command Games (Exploring Parts of Speech)
Presentation
List of Possible Commands
Enrichment of Vocabulary
Material All Objects in the Environment
The Sensorial Materials
Sets of Classified Picture Cards
Purposes To enlarge the child’s vocabulary
To help his classification of the environment
To build self-confidence in language
Refinement of auditory memory
Preparation for reading, writing, and further studies
Age 2.5 onwards:
Enrichment of Vocabulary is offered to a child for the entire time he/she is in the Casa
All aspects of Enrichment of Vocabulary should be offered throughout the day and everyday to children of all ages and experience levels
Classification –
The process by which a number of persons or things are regarded as forming a group by reason of common attributes, characteristics, qualities or traits
Quotations
Maria Montessori
The Absorbent Mind pp. 174-175
... the child of this age learns many new words. He has a special sensitiveness for words; they attract his interest, and he spontaneously accumulates a very great number.
... this is the age in which vocabulary is most rapidly enriched. It is as if the child were hungry for new words. If he is not helped, he will obtain them with effort and at random. So we try to facilitate his work by collecting those he will need and offering them systematically.
Insatiable at this age is the child’s thirst for words and inexhaustible his capacity for learning them.
Keith Devlin
The Math Gene: How Mathematical Thinking Evolved and Why Numbers are like Gossip pp. 196-197
We recognize patterns that split things up into two or more groups in a particular way.
Among the words used to refer to the things picked out by patterns are property, category, type…. Other words denote the properties picked out by fairly specific kinds of pattern, such as flavor, color, race, and size. … the cognitive requirement for acquiring types is the ability to recognize similarities and differences: to realize that some things are similar – they are of the same type – and that other things are different – they are not of the same type.
Objects in the Environment
Presentation
Other Activities
Criteria
List of 10 examples
Sensorial Vocabulary (Language of the Sensorial Materials)
Picture Cards
Presentation
Other activities
Criteria
List of 10 examples of Picture Card Sets
Oral Game with Classifications
Technique
List of 10 examples of classifications
The Sound Game
Material A variety of known objects whose names contain all of the sounds of the language
See: Key Sounds in American English
Note: This material is not left on the shelf
The child practices with any objects in the environment
Purposes To help the child become aware of the sounds (phonemes) used in speech
To assist the child’s exploration of words for their component sounds
To assist articulation and pronunciation
Preparation for writing
Age 2.5 onwards
This game is played with all children when they enter the Casa, no matter their age
Level 1: Initial Sounds
The object is held in the hand, placed on the rug or table, or left in the tray.
Use the initial sound only:
“I’m thinking of something in my hand / on the table / in the tray that starts with (sound).
What is it, (child’s name)?”
Level 2: Initial and Final Sounds
“I’m thinking of something that starts with (initial sound) and ends with (final sound).
What is it, (child’s name)?”
Level 3: Other Sounds in the Word
Begin as in Level 2
After the child has identified the object, ask: “Do you hear any other sounds in the word?”
Not all sounds need to be identified, and the sounds may be said in any order
Level 4: All Sounds in the Word in Order
Begin as in Level 2
After the child has identified the object, ask the child to say all of the sounds in the word in order
Presentation
Choose objects, such as:
Gather a small group of children at various levels
Play the game (use examples from each level)
“I’m thinking of ….” Etc.
Dismiss the group
Return the objects
Sandpaper Letters
Material
The letters of the alphabet in lower case cursive, made with sandpaper and mounted on separate thick cards or wood as follows:
Single consonants are mounted on red or pink
Single vowels are mounted on blue
Double letters (digraphs) representing certain key phonemes and known as “phonograms.”
These are mounted on green. In American English, the key phonemes are:
ee (as in tree); ai (as in rain); ie (as in pie); oa (as in boat); ue (as in glue);
oy (as in boy); or (as in fort); er (as in her); ar (as in car);
au (as in vault); ou (as in cloud); oo (as in book)
th (as in thin); sh (as in ship); ch (as in chip); qu (as in quilt)
2 boxes – one holds the single letters; one holds the double letters
Note Digraphs: a single sound represented by two letters. Ex: phonemic . Digraphs may contain either consonants or vowels and are sometimes called “consonant digraphs” or “vowel digraphs.”
Blends: two consonants appear together and the sound of each is heard. Ex: blend
Purposes To give the child the symbols for the sounds (phonemes) of his own language, by means of three senses -touch, vision, and hearing
Preparation for writing
Age 3 – 4 (As soon as readiness and interest appear)
Preparation Level 1 of the Sound Game (Recognition of initial sounds in words)
Rough & Smooth Board 2
Presentation with Single Letters
Choose 3 single letters
Choose one sound; connect to sound game
Show and trace
Three Period Lesson
Control of Error
Presentation with Double Letters
The Connection Lesson
Record Keeping
Options for Older Children
Moveable Alphabet
Material
A large box, divided into compartments
Sets of letters of the alphabet (lower case cursive) – consonants in red or pink, vowels blue
Optional – a striped rug to provide lines
Purposes To help the child explore and analyze known language and represent words with graphic symbols
Preparation for writing and reading
Age 3.5 – 4 and onwards
Control of Error
Preparation Success with the Moveable Alphabet is directly related to the child’s preparation and the timeliness of the initial presentation
Extensive experience with both aspects of spoken language (Enrichment of Vocabulary and Language Experience) will support the child’s independence in thinking of words to build with the Moveable Alphabet
Confidence at the fourth level of the Sound Game will assure the ability to analyze the component sounds of a word
Familiarity with a large number of single and double Sandpaper Letters will facilitate independent association of letters with sounds.
Presentation
Orient to the box
Verify letters the child knows
Choose a familiar classification
“I’m thinking of the word ---“
Analyze sounds and find letters
Repeat; engage child as much as possible
Return letters
Transfer
Extending Work with the Moveable Alphabet
Metal Insets
Material Two stands with a slanted back and a narrow edge at the bottom
Each stand holds five square metal red frames; a blue metal inset fits into each frame; in the center of each inset there is a small knob by which to hold it
The ten insets are: Square, Rectangle, Trapezoid, Pentagon, Equilateral Triangle
Circle, Ellipse, Oval, Quatrefoil, Curvilinear Triangle
The ten insets have the same measurements as the matching insets in the Geometry Cabinet
Cardboard or wooden underlays, 14 x 14 cm (5.5” x 5.5”)
Paper, 14 x 14 cm (5.5” x 5.5”)
Colored pencils
Pencil holders
Trays
Purposes Mastery of the hand in using and controlling a writing instrument, keeping within lines and refining lightness of touch
To cultivate a sense of geometric design
To stimulate the artistic sense
Age 4 onwards
Control of Error
Preparation Following a contour (tracing the shapes of the Geometry Cabinet)
Preparations of the hand for holding a writing instrument (Cylinder Blocks, Knobbed Materials; tracing the leaf shapes of the Botany Cabinet with a stylus)
Balance of firmness and lightness of touch (tracing the shapes of the Geometry Cabinet; Rough and Smooth Boards; Touch Tablets)
Initial Presentation
Gather materials
Align paper and frame
Demonstrate pencil grip then trace
Align inset, then trace
Fill interior
Transfer
Insets in Combination
The Phonetic Object Box
Material A box or basket
10 objects whose names are spelled phonetically (each letter in the word has the sound given with the single sandpaper letters) – examples: cup, lid, basket, pin, rabbit, stamp, etc.
Prepared slips with the matching names in print
For the Presentation: The teacher’s writing supplies
Purposes To help the child realize that he can analyze and synthesize the graphic symbols of a written word in
order to discover its meaning
Introduction to reading as silent communication
Age Observed spontaneous reading
Control of Error
Preparation All of the preparations of the eye and of the mind for reading
Presentation
Gather materials
Orient to objects; agree on names
“Let’s play a game with these objects! I’m going to think of one of these objects, but I’m not going to say the name it, I’m going to write it down. You can see if you can tell which object I am thinking of!”
Write slip
Invite child to say the sounds she sees. Assist as needed
Delight with child
Repeat
Transfer
Introduce printed slips for independent work
Other Activities for Phonetic Reading
Phonograms
Material
Phonogram Object Box
A box or basket
A set of objects whose names are spelled using one key phonogram each, while the rest of the word is phonetic, such as fish, boat, book, tree, pail, etc. Around 10 objects are kept in the box at a time, and they are rotated.
Double letters (digraphs) representing certain key phonemes and known as “phonograms”.
These are mounted on green. In American English, the key phonemes are:
ee (as in tree); ai (as in rain); ie (as in pie); oa (as in boat); ue (as in glue); oy (as in boy);
or (as in fort); er (as in her); ar (as in car); au (as in vault); ou (as in cloud); oo (as in book) , th (as in thin); sh (as in ship); ch (as in chip); qu (as in quilt)
Printed labels for independent work
Teacher’s writing supplies (for the presentation)
Phonograms with the Moveable Alphabet
Small moveable alphabets in different colors
Phonogram Booklets
Key Phonogram Booklets – key phonograms only: each page shows one word featuring the key phonogram
Alternate Spelling Packets – one booklet for each common alternate spelling of the key sound
Assorted books in the environment (for finding phonograms in books)
Note about materials:
Purposes To assist further exploration of the child’s own language
To give more keys to reading
To create awareness of spelling
Age After independent work with the Phonetic Object Box and other phonetic reading
Activities with phonograms continue until the child leaves the Casa, and is parallel to Function of Words
Preparation Double Sandpaper Letters for Key Phonograms (Green)
“Keep the presentations lively and playful so that there is always something new to discover and the difficulties become an attraction rather than a nightmare.” - Trainer’s Album
Presentation: Phonogram Object Box
Gather materials
Third period review
Play the game
Repeat
Transfer
Introduce the printed labels for independent work
Other Activities for Phonogram Reading:
Phonograms with the Moveable Alphabet
Gather materials
Orient to box
Choose phonogram object
Write with phonogram in contrasting color
Build list; align phonogram
Transfer
Exploration: Vowel-based phonograms (example: or)
Exploration: Consonant-based phonograms (example: sh)
Key Phonogram Booklets
Choose booklet
Orient to front and back cover
Isolate phonogram in first word
Invite child to read; help as needed; discuss meaning
Alternate Spelling Packets
Choose packet
Find corresponding key phonogram booklet
Establish connection, “If there is packet that matches the booklet, then there is more than one way to make that sound.”
Orient to packet
Choose packet, read, discuss and clarify meaning of each word as needed
Related Activities
Writing From Memory Individual work
Gather materials
Set up as a distance game
Read booklet
Write with Moveable Alphabet from memory
Check
Writing From Dictation Two person work
Basic Introduction
More Challenging
Puzzle Words
Material
Printed cards, showing words with irregular spellings, such as a, the, once, cough, she, etc.
Purposes To help the child read and write irregularly spelled words
To create awareness of spelling
Age 4 onwards; following independent work with the phonetic object box.
This work continues until the child leaves the Casa
Presentation using the Three Period Lesson:
Related Activities
Writing from Memory Individual work:
Writing from Dictation Two person work:
Reading Classification
Material Objects in the Environment
For the Presentation: The teacher’s writing supplies for one word