Pink object word box

What materials are needed for this activity?

For this activity, the directress uses the Pink object word box. This box contains six or more objects with matching three-letter phonetic word cards.

How this activity is presented

This is the first reading activity for the child. The directress begins by introducing each object from the box to the child and placing them one by one at the top of the mat next to one another. She then removes the word cards from the box and places them on the mat. She places the first-word card in front of the child so he can see it, and then she asks him to sound it out.

The directress uses her finger as a guide for the child to know which letter to sound it. For example, she points at each letter while they both sound out d.o.g. She starts off slow and then begins saying it faster and faster each time until the child blends the sounds of the word and finally discovers he is reading the word ‘dog’.

The child should then say ‘dog’ and match the word card to the object of the dog. The directress repeats in the same manner for the remaining word cards, until all have been matched to their respective objects.

The child works through all of the object boxes in the same manner until they have all been mastered. Once the object boxes are complete the child moves onto the Pink picture word boxes.

The pink picture word boxes are presented in the same manner. This activity is more difficult for the child as he will be asked to match the word cards to their respective pictures, which are more abstract to the child.

The Montessori language learning process

There is a step by step process for all language materials in a Montessori classroom. The directress must first complete the pink reading materials (three-letter phonetic words), then the blue reading materials (four or more letter phonetic words), and finally she moves on to the green reading materials (phonograms e.g. ee, th, sh, ay, ie etc).

The directress presents the Blue object word box in the same manner as the Pink object word box. The difference is there are now four or more letter words instead of three.

Looking for more Montessori activities?

Here is a list of all the Montessori Language activities. These include Early Language, Pink Language Materials, Green Language Materials, Later Language, and Grammar. Just click on the page you want to learn about to go there.