07/07/2022
In our Montessori environment we introduce children to letters and numbers using the sandpaper letters/numbers. These are multi-sensorial materials using visual, touch and auditory senses. Children then make sense of the information and by the combination of the information from each sense.
At our Montessori centre we use the phonetic sound and lower case letters to introduce letters to our tamariki giving them the best possible start on their literacy journey.
Dr Maria Montessori was ahead of her time, recognising the importance of the senses and phonetic sounds in order to promote literacy. In March this year UNICEF reported the "dire state" of literacy in Aotearoa with NZ primary schools just beginning to recognise the importance of teaching the phonetic sound of letters and words which is leading to improved spelling, writing and reading.
The Sandpaper Letters are an amazing multi-sensorial Montessori material that prepares children for writing. The child’s first impression of the letters is visual, when she sees their shapes. This is reinforced through the sense of touch. The tactile work of repeatedly tracing the letters, which are made of sandpaper, gives the child a muscular memory of the letters’ shapes. She also gets an auditory impression of the letters as the Montessori teacher says the sound of the letter (not the letter’s name), and the child repeats the sound. This helps the child make a connection between the letters’ forms and their sounds. This multi-sensorial approach introduces the child to the idea language can be spoken, heard, and seen.