Montessori Language Approach by Muriel Dwyer

This is the essential guide to the Montessori approach to language education. Dr. Montessori originally developed her method for helping children to learn Italian, a completely phonetic language. But it was Muriel Dwyer who used that method to tackle the complexities of non-phonetic languages like English and Swahili. Muriel Dwyer was a brilliant AMI Teacher Trainer who worked extensively in both London and Africa (in the Swahili language).  

This short booklet is a thorough and complete update to Ms. Dwyer's classic, "A Key to Writing and Reading for English." It emphasizes exploration and conversation as the foundation for literacy while also providing specific exercises adults can do with the children--the keys of the Dwyer/Montessori reading scheme. Maitri Learning follows this approach and provides many of the materials Ms. Dwyer specifies in detail in this book including:

• Sandpaper letters: Download (make your own)
• Movable alphabet
• Phonetic 3-part reading cards (Ms. Dwyer uses the phonetic object boxes; these cards can be used for independent work after the first phonetic object box presentation)
• Phonetic activity cards
• Puzzle words
• Phonogram folders
• Phonogram dictionary

Read this testimonial from a Montessori educator about how valuable she found the book.