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AGE 6-12+ LANGUAGE:
Creating a language environment
Learning to read
Creative writing
Personal spelling dictionary
Handwriting
The history of language
Etymology
Grammar
Reprinted from:
Child of the World, Essential Montessori for Age three to Twelve
ISBN: 1-879264-11-0
LEARNING TO READ
If a child learns to read in a motor-sensorial
way with no pressure she may learn before the age of five or six. But it
is quite natural for a child not to show an interest until later. The most
important thing is that learning be a relaxed and enjoyable experience.
When a child first begins to read independently, we never ask him to read
aloud. To read a word while you are, at the same time, saying aloud the
word you have just finished decoding, is a very complex operation and can
cause a lot of stress—certainly not enjoyment.
We give beginning readers reading cards and vocabulary or word books to
help them build up a large vocabulary with no stress.
The best first books are written about the child's environment, about the
real world—history, sciences, etc.—or are abridged classics which
lead to an interest in great literature.
CREATIVE
WRITING
I hear and I forget
I see and I remember,
I write and I understand. —Chinese Proverb
A child who has had an active physical and mental life,
with her whole body and with the hands in particular, will usually find
writing easy. Running, hopping, cooking, gardening, sewing, drawing, all
help to prepare for writing.
When the child first begins to write we do not make corrections. We "teach
by teaching, not by correcting." Instead we teach all the necessary
skills through activities which are completely unrelated to the creative
writing effort, as indirect preparation.
PERSONAL SPELLING
DICTIONARY
This is a suggestion for teaching the spelling
of words one will be most likely to use in writing:
Most of the words in the spelling lists usually given to children to learn
are seldom really used. In Montessori classes the child constructs his
“spelling dictionary” of words which are a part of his individual
writing vocabulary.
For this you can use a simple address book, preferably one without any
writing in it, just the alphabetized tabs. Or you can cut tabs into the
pages of a small notebook. Whenever a child comes to you for the spelling
of a word, or if he asks you to check the words he has written and you
find some misspelled, write these words—beautifully of course —in
his spelling dictionary, words beginning with 'a' in the 'a' section and
so forth. The next time he wants that word he will be able to find it
in his own book. Eventually he will be able to find the words he needs
in a regular dictionary and add them to his own book.
The children can have spelling tests among themselves to learn their own
particular words. You will soon find that there are not so many words
the child needs to learn to spell, and those will be the ones he always
uses. This will gradually give the child confidence to use more varied
words, because they will be in his own book – and his writing vocabulary
will grow by leaps and bounds.
ETYMOLOGY
Etymology, or the origin and historical development
of words, is fascinating to children at this age. It is a fine basis of
learning to spell, and contributes to an understanding the history of
cultures.
In our family we have a very large dictionary always
available on a special table in the living room. Nothing else is allowed
to be put on the table so that the dictionary is always usable. We look
up the etymology, or the origin of words, even more often than we look
up the meanings. If you do not have a good dictionary and are planning
to purchase one we recommend that you make sure that the origin of words
is included along with the pronunciation and definition.
We often take names of people and places for granted,
assuming that they existed from the beginning of time. Imagine the amount
of history and geography one can learn from stories of how people and
places were named!
Studying the history of names, first names and last names,
is a wonderful way to interest children in language. Most of us have completely
lost touch with the history of our families for more than two or three
generations, and have no idea how and why we are named what we are. This
information can inspire a never ending study of language.
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CREATING
A LANGUAGE ENVIRONMENT
A love of reading and writing comes about
quite naturally for a child who grows up seeing other people tell stories
and read, and who is often read to. Writing notes, grocery lists, thank
you letters, and recording personal experiences and thoughts, by means
of drawings and written stories, can begin at a very early age.
A nightly ritual of family reading (instead of watching TV) is a good
way to make sure that there is time for all the great literature and poetry
that you might want to read to your child. In our family we as parents
have filled in many a gap in our own knowledge of great stories and books
by reading to our children.
Poetry brings more important elements into the child's language; there
is a great increase in vocabulary when one delves into poetry. Even in
the simplest forms words are used that are not common in prose. The music
of poetry gives greater pleasure and facilitates memorization. Our favorite
kinds of poetry are those that can be read aloud, like a Greek chorus,
or which tell long stories, such as the Pied Piper.
It sometimes happens, however, that a child becomes disinterested in reading
on his own because he is afraid this nightly ritual will come to an end.
To prevent this we can assure the child that we will continue to read
as long as he desires. In our home we read to our children even during
their teenage years, to the delight of all.
Reading well can take years, hopefully of enjoyable experiences, and a
child continues to need to be read to. This is how he hears the correct
pronunciation of new words, many new words which increase his vocabulary,
the intonation and beauty of voice and expression of an experienced reader.
But most of all he needs, and perhaps never outgrows the need for, the
love and the closeness, the personal attention from parents, a friend
or a teacher, that comes with curling up with a book, picturing the magic
scenes in his head with his eyes closed as he listens, and listens.
The child over seven is intensely interested in morals and heroes. Mythology
provides a wealth of material for this exploration, and inspires discussion
which will encompass behavior in everyday life, in the family, the class,
and society.
HANDWRITING
Beautiful writing has been a lost art in our country
for many years but it is having a resurgence. Children feel very good
about themselves and tend to write far more when they have been taught
beautiful handwriting. Giving a child a new alphabet and a different kind
of writing utensil often does wonders to inspire writing. The Italic script
is very beautiful and a link between cursive and print. I have seen a
child's cursive writing improve dramatically as he casually worked through
a set of Italic workbooks over a period of years.
THE HISTORY OF
LANGUAGE
Through stories, pictures and beautiful carefully chosen books, we enable
the child to begin to understand:
(1) The path traced by language, the growth and development
of language—through travel, colonization, commerce, war, etc.,
(2) How humans have given a name to everything found
or made and how this process continues,
(3) How language constantly changes and why,
(4) How language expresses the creative force of humanity.
At this age children in many ways are repeating the history
of humans on earth. They want to cook, sew, garden, begin to learn all
of the skills of adults. Children and adults alike find it fascinating
to trace the development of the language, to realize that in the past
only a few people, sometimes only priests, knew how to read and write.
They find the connection between the migrations and other contacts between
groups of people and the many different languages on earth.
GRAMMAR
As adults we have mixed memories of learning grammar.
Usually these studies are considered difficult and taught at a period
of life when we were not really interested in language. It works best
to follow the child's interest and this is the time of life when children
are very interested in the progress of civilization, including language—including
the structure of their own language.
Many great educators and philosophers have stated that
there is nothing that cannot be taught if the student and the subject
matter are well understood and creatively put in touch with each other.
We try to make everything interesting, so that it will be enjoyed and
retained.
NOTE: There are many language materials, especially reading
books, in the 3-6 sections and other 6-12 sections of Child of the World,
Michael Olaf's Essential Montessori for 3-12+.
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© Copyright Michael Olaf, 2004
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geography early readers, Italic and cursive handwriting books, dictionary,
books on grammar, idioms, homophones, and the story of writing, history
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