The Montessori language lessons are a brilliant composition of activities which allow the child to discover writing and reading in a natural, auto-didactic manner. I was reminded of the sheer magnitude of Montessori's educational vision today during a Language seminar as part of my Montessori training with the Montgomery Montessori Institute. In particular, the Function of Words lessons allow opportunities for the child to explore the relationship between words. Through various lessons involving articles, nouns, and adjectives, the child comes to understand the power of words. My Language album, compiled by Sandra Gaddy, states, "The Functions of Words work is not intended to teach grammar, but to give a forceful impression about the function of that part of speech. As the child learns about the words, in their relation to and effect upon one another, that child becomes able to incorporate this knowledge into a personal writing style." To that end, here is a preview of one of my next purchases for the classroom:
Montessori Grammar Symbols and Box
By allowing the children opportunities for language growth and development through the use of such materials, I am confident with the implementation in my classroom of one of Montessori's guiding principles, "Free the child to speak, and he will reveal himself."