Small phonogram alphabet
What is the Small phonogram alphabet?
The Small phonogram alphabet is kept in two boxes in the language area in a Montessori classroom. Each box contains an alphabet, one is green (or red), and the other is yellow (or black).
What materials are needed for this activity?
For this activity, the directress uses the Small phonogram alphabet, a phonogram box that contains a picture and matching word cards, and the directress needs a felt-lined mat.
How this activity is presented
The directress introduces the Small phonogram alphabet to the child. She shows him that one box contains green (red) and yellow (black) letters. The directress tells the child that they will be building words with the sound of ‘‘ee’’, for example. She explains to him that when he hears the sound “ee” they use the green (red) letters and to use the yellow (black) letters for the remainder of the word.
The directress shows the first picture card to the child and asks him what the picture is. She tells him to listen carefully while she sounds out the word. She then asks the child, “What is the first sound you hear when I say the word tree?” putting emphasis on the letter t. The child finds the yellow (black) t from the box and places it in between the lines on the mat next to the picture.
She then asks the child, “What is the second sound you hear when I say the word tree?” emphasizing the letter r. The child then finds the yellow (black) r from the box and places it in between the lines of the mat next to the ‘t’.
The directress then asks the child, “What is the last sound you hear when I say the word tree?” putting emphasis on the ee sound. The child then finds two green (red) e’s from the box and places them in between the lines on the mat next to the ‘r’.
The directress repeats the process in the same manner with the other pictures. Once the child has finished, the directress takes out the matching word cards for the pictures and tells the child to match the word cards to the words he has just built. The child is encouraged to place the matching cards to the right of the built words on the mat to compare them.
The directress thanks the child for working with her and she helps him to pack away.
What does the child learn by doing this activity?
This activity increases the child’s vocabulary, it assists him in placing letters in the correct order of the word, as well as this activity helps the child understand phonograms a little bit more.
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.