Montessori Movable Alphabet Activity

Series Summary

Some people don't give children the credit they deserve. Rather than treating them as independent human beings, some think that kids can't be self-directed, especially when it comes to education. While this may be true for some children, there is a great deal of danger in teaching a child that they are incapable of self-sufficiency. However, there is an educational method that empowers children with self-directed activities. Founded in the late nineteenth century, the Montessori method teaches children to do their own learning. Once an idea or object is introduced to a child, the teacher calmly steps away as the “silent presence” in the classroom. Invented by Maria Montessori, the method was originally used to help children that were thought to be unteachable. Through the process of working with these children, Dr. Montessori discovered a way for kids to learn through the five senses, kinetic movement, spatial refinement, motor skill coordination, and concrete knowledge. The atmosphere is pleasant for children, and they interact with the world in a natural and peaceful way.

In this free video series, learn how Montessori teaches basic language skills. Our expert, Tami Elliot, is an owner and teacher at a Montessori school. She shares with you several activities to improve communication skills. Learn how to teach your kids to recognize words, objects, and letters. Also, help spark imagination with fun story games. If you want to read to your young child, Tami gives you tips for this as well. So, what are you waiting for? Learn more about Montessori methods today!

Video Transcript

"This is called the movable alphabet. We always begin with the words in the at family. Start saying a, t, at. Then we talk about the words that form with at. B- a- t, bat. Let's try another one. C-a-t, cat. Let's try s-a-t, sat. This helps the children to learn how each sound forms the word. It also shows them how they can use the movable alphabet by using certain letters in the same position and changing them out. F-a-t, fat. And often the will actually try other letters at random. Let's try, m-a-t, mat. Does that make a word? Yes. How about d-a-t, dat. Does that form a word? No. So, that is how you teach a lesson on the movable alphabet. Make sure you show the children exactly where to put the letters back."