Reading is the framework upon which all other elementary studies are built. It is the vehicle that, in distinct turns, is examined, erected, and then embraced as the means of exploring related elementary disciplines. Development of fiction and non-fiction writing provides the impetus; initially motivating an enjoyment of the creative process, and later by including each student in the work of editing. A more formalized, individual presentation of grammar, spelling, and sentence analysis skills enriches each student's efforts.
There is a grand story of language, one of the Five Great Lessons. As in mathematics, this story encompasses the history of language as developed in ancient cultures. Students understand how writing in particular, developed out of necessity, often so as to keep records of trade transactions. They learn that early pictographs, Babylonian cuneiform , Egyptian hieroglyphs, and the more abstract Phoenician symbols which eventually led to the alphabet we use today. Understanding this human need and the debt owed to those who handed down the language taken for granted today, can help inspire students to develop their own language abilities.
At the lower elementary level the youngest students work to refine their phonetic reading and sight word vocabulary skills. Development continues with a multitude of “Word Study” matching card sets covering synonyms, antonyms, plurals, suffixes, prefixes, etc. Comprehension is aided through a variety of Montessori materials for cultural studies such as Internal and External Parts of Animals, Needs of Human Beings from the Neolithic to the modern eras; as well, there are other supplemental materials, such as the SRA series, that students may choose. Familiarity with parts of speech and syntax is attained by working with color-coded Grammar Boxes. For this and other grammar work, children use command cards along with paper symbols to denote each part of speech used in a phrase or sentence on each card: article, noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.
Children engage in first researches, pursuing areas of individual interest: different animals, a particular place or country, an art form, local history, interesting persons. They are helped by guidelines and question sheets that focus on essential information. Reports, short stories, poetry, and novels are also incorporated into the daily activities. Parts of simple and complex sentences are examined through reading analysis materials.
Children learn both print and cursive writing with practice on a daily basis. Other writing includes fiction summaries, story elements, and forms of poetry. Non-fiction writing focuses on clear sentence and paragraph structure, sequencing, and coherent summarizations of research projects. The Writing Process is introduced so that children begin to see the stages of draft/revise/edit/publish. Based on the 6+1 Traits of Writing, Andover School of Montessori developed a Writing Continuum Chart. This is a periodic tool for assessment that follows the child from the first year in the Lower Elementary classroom to Middle School.
All of these activities blend into the Upper Elementary language curriculum where they are refined and expanded, forming a continuing foundation for development in this vital life skill. The work becomes more abstract, relying less on the Montessori materials as used at the Lower level.
Students learn to identify contextual clues in reading material and comprehension is widened through regular Literature Circle groups to examine and discuss novels. There is a greater focus on vocabulary and spelling skills, research, and use of reference materials both printed and internet accessible.
In both fiction and non-fiction writing, note-taking and outlining skills are learned along with elements of and types of paragraphs, advanced research, and bibliography notation. As writing expands, the use of graphic organizers is added to the steps in the process. |
