How to Use the Montessori Large Movable Alphabet

A large movable alphabet in its box.

The large movable alphabet is a Montessori teaching tool made up of a large box with 28 compartments and stiff, cutout letters. There should be multiples of each letter. Each letter should be placed in a box with other identical letters, and the two extra boxes can be used to hold the dots for the i's and the j's. Vowels are blue and consonants are red. Once a child has learned the look and sound of every one of the letters in the alphabet, the large movable alphabet can be used to teach word building.

Things You'll Need

• Large green mat

Instructions

1. Pick out letters. This can be done with one or several children. The instructor will gather the children around the box and the green mat, so that everyone is sitting within reach, and request that the kids pick different letters out of the box. They will not take turns, but everyone should look until someone finds the requested letter. Once the instructor feels that everyone is familiar enough with the letters, move on.

2. Select a three-letter word to start with. It should be something simple, like "bat," "dog" or "big." Try to start out with words that are completely unambiguous in their phonetic sounds, and avoid words like "cat," which can be confusing at first because the letters C and K often sound alike.

3. Say to the children, "We are going to build words. Let's make the word 'bat.' What sounds do you hear when I say the word 'bat'?"

4. Have the children make the sounds in the word and then find the appropriate letter to match the sound. For example, if a child makes the "b" sound, have him find the B in the box and place it on the mat. You will need to help with arranging the letters until the children are fairly familiar with the activity. Continue making sounds until the word has been built properly on the mat.

5. 

   Repeat the word on the mat to the children. Make sure you pronounce the sound of each letter clearly and individually, then as a whole word, before replacing the letters in the correct boxes.

6. Move on to other words. You can continue with this lesson for some time if your day plan allows it. However, stop before the children become too distracted, as you will repeat the lesson with both new and previously used words in the days to come.

Tips & Warnings

• This is only one method of using the large movable alphabet. There are also ways to use it so that children can practice on their own, as well as with an instructor.

Resources

• More about Montessori teaching methods and the movable alphabet