I'm not sure why but I think that the Language Albums have been getting a bad reputation. I don't know if it's the length or the cost of getting a pre-made set or just that's it's a little different than the phonics first reading than spelling approach most of us grew up with. I've spent the last month or so going through the manual, making the materials and introducing a select few to the kiddos. It's really not so bad! I'm just going to give an overview and share some resources that will hopefully help make it seem not so scary.
-Sounds are introduced first not letter names. I know that it's next to impossible to keep kids from learning the names of the letters but if you refer to them as the sound it makes reading a lot easier.
-Lowercase first.
-Except for the Pink, Blue and Green reading the kids could be working on various sections at the same time. It is not completely linear.
Preparation
1. Practical life exercises many emphasize going left to right (for the english language)
2. Sensorial exercises this would be matching, rhyming, opposites, puzzles, what's missing
3. Writing this includes activities to strengthen the hand such as the metal insets, peg boards, lacing, markers and crayons
4. 3 Part Cards these are used a ton in various subjects. For language the idea is to introduce the concept so they are familiar
5. Oral Expression Drama, Poetry, Songs and simply having a conversation are included here.
The rest of the album is normally split up into the different levels of reading. There is Pink, Blue and Green. There is nothing uniquely special about these. They just go from easiest to hardest.
Pink Reading
1. Initial Sounds sandpaper letters, sound cards, sound boxes
3. 2 or 3 Letter Phonetic Words. word pictures, word lists, sentence cards and single word books. You can find a TON of resources if you look for "CVC" words online. This is the same thing.
Blue Reading
1. Word Building with 4 or more letter words
2. 4 or More Phonetic Words word pictures, word lists, sentence cards, i spy, blue books
Green Reading
1. Introduction Digraph sandpaper letters, phonogram cards, phonogram classification cards
2. Reading word and picture cards and books
3. Word Building All of these activities are done with the moveable alphabet and include topics such as consonant digraphs, homophones, silent long e. Find affordable options Here or (even better FREE)
Grammar
1. Nouns noun box, animal farm, singular and plural
2. Articles "a" "an" "the" definite and indefinite
3. Adjectives noun adjective box, phonetic farm
4. Verbs verb game, noun-verb box, phonetic farm +verbs and Adverbs adverb game, adverb-verb box
5. Prepositions, Conjunctions, Pronouns and Interjections are all introduced one at a time.
Writing
Metal Insets, in the air, cornmeal, sound patterns, chalkboard, wide lined paper, capital letters sentence cards
Finding the Manual:
The Helpful Garden Free- she does an amazing job
Montessori Print Shop Manual and Language Bundles
KHT Montessori You can purchase individual albums or enroll in the certification course.
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