How to Use the Montessori Large Movable Alphabet With Picture Cards

The large movable alphabet is a versatile and fun teaching tool.

The Montessori large movable alphabet is a set of stiff, cut-out letters that can be moved around and used to build words. There are multiples of each letter, and each is kept in a separate compartment in a large box. Generally the vowels are blue and the consonants are red. The large movable alphabet can be used in conjunction with many other teaching tools to instruct and practice a wide variety of word building skills. One way to practice word building is by using the alphabet in conjunction with picture cards.

Things You'll Need

• Large movable alphabet
• Picture cards with nouns on them
• Green floor mat

Instructions

1. Sit side-by-side with the student on the floor. The green mat should be in front of you with the large movable alphabet on it. The picture cards should be slightly off to the side in their box.

2. Select a picture card with the student. It should be placed on the left side of the mat with room to the right to build the word. You can just pick a card off the top of the stack or allow the student to select the one that he finds most appealing. If the student is not particularly adept at word building yet, he will probably select a picture that he is comfortable spelling. This is okay, as it will help him become more familiar with the exercise.

3. Build the word next to the picture card. You can show the student how to sound out the word in reverse so that she says the sounds more and more slowly each time, the reverse of how she would sound out a word if she were reading phonetically. For example, if the picture card shows a dog, then the first time she says the word she will say "dog." However, as she drags out of the sounds, the word will become "Duh, Aw, Guh." Then she can simply pull the letters out of the movable alphabet that match the sounds she has made and arrange them in the order that she said them. Many Montessori experts recommend against correcting spelling errors at this stage. Experts believe it can permanently dampen enthusiasm for reading and learning. This is a decision you will need to make for yourself based on your school's curriculum and teaching standards.

4. Work through the picture cards. Continue to line up the picture cards and build the words next to them using the large movable alphabet. You may need to clear the mat periodically and start over to make sure you have enough room and enough letters. As the child becomes more confident, you can allow him to continue working on his own.

5. Read the words back to the child. Start out saying them slowly, then more quickly so that she can see and hear how the sounds fuse to make words. If the child wishes, she can say the words with you.

6. Encourage the child to practice this and similar lessons daily. If he appears to be having consistent difficulty with the lesson, then try using a different set of tools, such as the object boxes and the large movable alphabet or a simpler set of words. Continue to work with the child on the lesson daily, but do not overdo the time spent on the lesson each day.

Tips & Warnings

• If a child consistently misspells a particular word, then you can politely correct her. However, most Montessori instructors believe that a child will self-correct spelling errors with practice over time.