LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

As the Montessori Method is an “aid to life,” so is a child’s ability to use language to communicate his or her ideas to others.   Maria Montessori recognised this and took into account the human tendency for communication and the sensitive period for language that is present in very young children.  Thus, in the Casa classroom the language programme for the young child is similar to a voyage of discovery.  The child learns to build on what he already has, expanding his ability to communicate needs, then wishes, thoughts, and finally, ideas.

It is important to meet the needs of our children by encouraging them to speak out; teaching them new words; asking open-ended questions that require them to answer using their own words; reading to our children (one of the greatest factors in predicting academic success); asking their opinion.  Most importantly we must speak “with” our children rather than “at” them, encouraging them to explore their own thoughts.

We would encourage parents to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible to help develop your child’s language skills at home.  Children are very capable of absorbing as much information as is given – as they have “an absorbent mind”.   By 2½ years of age children everywhere are speaking their own language and speaking it correctly.  The child’s Absorbent Mind has picked up the syntax and grammar of his mother tongue perfectly.  The next step is to help the child to make conscious discoveries of the intricacies and subtleties of his language.

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