How to Teach Reading Using the Montessori Secret Box Lesson

Montessori secret box lessons are a great additional practice tool for beginning readers.

The montessori secret box lesson is great practice lesson for beginning readers who are relatively comfortable with sounding words out, but need to continue practicing their reading skills. Secret box lessons are usually color coded, with pink boxes containing simple, phonetic three letter words and blue boxes containing more advanced words including four and five letter words with phonograms. The words are written on folded pieces of paper, and these pieces of paper can be pretty or exotic origami papers to make the secret aspect of the lesson a little more apparent.

Things You'll Need

• Montessori secret box

Instructions

1. Have the child sit at a table. The first time through, you will sit with the child. Once he is comfortable with the lesson, however, he will sit by himself. This also enhances the atmosphere of secrecy that accompanies this lesson.

2. Remove a slip of paper from the box. You can make an elaborate production of this or not, as you wish and depending on the child's temperment.

3. Read the word on the slip of paper. While you are sitting there, the child can read it to you. She can sound it out if necessary. Generally montessori instructors discourage corrections of pronunciation at this time unless they are consistent and serious. However, this is up to you and your school's teaching standards. When the child is doing the exercise alone, she should whisper the word quietly to herself.

4. Place the slip of paper in the lid of the box. It should be refolded--usually just in half. This helps the child keep track of what words he has already read.

5. Keep the secret box lessons in an easily accessible place. Usually a classroom will have multiple boxes for each level of reader. The child should not move on to the harder boxes until she and the instructor have gone through them together. However, she should be encouraged to practice with the appropriate secret boxes whenever she likes.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are doing this exercise at home with your child, check with their instructor to see how they prefer you to do the exercise. This will help you make sure that the lessons are consistent and complementary at home and school.

Resources

• Learn more about different types of montessori schools and curricula here.