Module 4 “Language and Phonics Exercises (Part 1)”

Q1. Cut out all the ten shapes of metal insets on tough chart paper and make creative designs of all levels as described in the book. Paste the inset papers carrying your designs on your assignment.

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5

Level 6

Level 7

Level 8

Level 9

Q2. Explain how to word building is introduced to children using Moveable Alphabet and Alphabet boxes at Pink, Green, and Blue levels.

Ans. Moveable Alphabets are stiff cut-out letters made of plastic. They are introduced to the children when they have learned to identify the letters and their phonics sounds. This means they have already progressed step 1 and step 2 as per the framework of teaching phonics. There are 28 compartments 5 blue vowels and 21 red consonants. The Moveable Alphabet is an early example of word-building, supporting the child as he or she begins the demanding tasks of reading and writing that requires identification of individual letters with their sound. They are usually accompanied by small object boxes or small pictures of the objects with which children are familiar.

Building words with the moveable alphabet pieces allows children to focus on the word rather than the formation of the letter shape with a pencil, so a child’s understanding of word construction isn’t limited by his or her fine motor control.

Pink Level:

At the pink level, first students are just asked to polish their skill of identifying letters and their corresponding sounds. For example, the directress will ask a group of students to find out the letter with sound /m/ without encouraging the competition among them rather than making it a fun-filled activity. At least one of them will be able to find it and hand it to directress.

Once the children become acquainted with the exact places of alphabets, they are given a familiar small object which is a three-letter phonetic word, must be easily accessible letters mostly in the fashion of CVC (consonant vowel consonant) in their most common sound, When the student correctly identify the object, they are asked to segment the word or the directress may sound out each comprising part for example if it is a hat, a letter with /h/ sound should be searched in the box of moveable letters then /a/ and /t/, and placing it in its appropriate place on the mat or table.

This exercise serves the purpose of analyzing words in a phonic way and preparing children for reading, writing, and spelling. With the help of large moveable alphabets, students focus on segmentation while writing and blending while reading the words instead of focusing on the use of pencil and paper or beautifying their writing skills. Throughout this activity, children only focus only the skill they are learning, isolating that concept so that it can be fully mastered.

Blue Level:

At this level, more than 3 letter words are introduced, such as a barn, ring, plug, or clip. Similar to pink level, small objects or objects pictures are used.

Segmentation:

Students are first required to identify the objects correctly. Then students are asked to segment the word into its basic phonics sound or directress should assist for example if it is a clip it is pronounced as four-segment /c/, /l/, /i/, /p/ and builds the word with the help of moveable alphabets

Blending:

Contrary to this while blending the same materials are used to help in reading. Here directress may show the word first with either moveable alphabets or written cards and pronounce the phonic sound of each letter later eloquently blending each sound forming the word.

Green Level

The child is finally introduced to the green level comprised of phonograms, after the successful completion of the pink and blue levels. In this level, phonetic words with one phonogram are used. For example, while teaching the phonogram “sh” the teacher introduces the child to words like brush, shell, shrub, fish, etc. Less common phonograms are only introduced to the child as and when he comes across them.

Material:

Two alphabet boxes one containing all alphabets in red and the other all in blue or black.

First, green boxes containing green color-coded pictures and alphabet boxes containing phonetic words with only one phonogram are arranged. Phonograms themselves should be in red while the rest of the alphabets are in black/blue. The phonogram is written on the top of the box. Each phonogram has a different box dedicated to it. The directress shows the phonogram written on the lid to the child and asks to pronounce it. He/she picks up one of the picture cards and names it at the same time. Then she shows the alphabet cards to the student turn by turn, pronouncing each alphabet phonetically and blending them, and then placing it beside the corresponding picture.

Q3: Write a Comprehensive note on Exercises of oral language.

Ans. At the age of 3 years old, a child already knows how to speak but maybe not be clear and is equipped with a limited number of words. Oral language exercises in Montessori schools are aimed to enhance children’s spoken skills through fun-filled engaging activities and formal lessons. This learning is however unconscious and almost instinctive. Exercises of oral language are mainly divided into two categories:

1. The Enrichment of Vocabulary:

These lessons are given right from the beginning to add vast vocabulary to children’s oral language skills. They are planned systematically and formally with activities like Show me, Get up and go or demonstration activities. Three Period Lesson style is a very effective teaching method for these exercises. Following exercises can be incorporated in lessons to serve the said purpose:

i. Objects of the Environment:

These lessons also serve the purpose of orientation for new students to the school and make the child comfortable with their new surroundings and overcome their hesitation. Materials required for this exercise are objects already present in the classroom environment, for example

In classroom chair, table and bookshelf.

floor, wall, and ceiling

in toilet Soap, tap, and towel.

ii. Sensorial Materials:

As discussed in module 3, sensorial material is introduced along with appropriate vocabulary. For example, cylinders or pink towers were introduced to teach the dimensions but also introduced the child with the noun (e.g. cube, cylinder) and comparative adjectives (e.g., tall, taller tallest), etc.

iii. Classified cards:

Set of cards used for various purposes like biology, geography can be used in the beginning to just enrich their vocabulary and can be later categorized or sorted for the understanding of further classifications among things. For example, assorted cards are shown to name them can be first divided into living and nonliving things, and later living things may de be categorized as plants and animals which later classified as vertebrates and non-vertebrates.

iv. Social Vocabulary:

As discussed in module 2 EPL (Exercise of practical life), through exercises of grace and courtesy directress may act role play to teach social vocabulary, like a small act of being polite using the word sorry, excuse me please or two unknowns introducing each other or just daily practice of saying good morning while entering the class or bye while leaving the class. (words while coming in or going out may change to enrich vocabulary).

2. Language Training:

These exercises aimed to teach children how to express themselves in various ways, expose them to different forms of literature e.g. storybooks, poems, newspapers, etc. to learn the grammar of the language. Following activities can be done in the class to attain the purpose:

i. Telling and Reading stories

Children love to listen to stories, this activity can interest them more if directress should read or tell stories with nuances like gestures, modulation of voice, mood, facial expression. Stories should be selected to lay the foundation of good morals. Children should also be encouraged to share their own stories as well. Once the story has been read out to the children, it is put back in the Book Corner of the class.

ii. Poetry: (Rhymes, Jingles, and Songs)

Children and especially young children are attracted to rhymes, they can be also a powerful way to teach children important things unnoticeably to teach them different things like counting (1,2,3,4,5 once I caught a fish alive) or about materials (London Bridge is falling down). Select poems age-appropriate and encourage children to create their own poetry as a mode of expression.

iii. Books Corner:

A book corner is a place where the child goes to read a good book or just look at the illustrations in it. To make this corner more inviting and interesting for children, it should be colorful and equipped with a lamplight, floor mat, a couple of chairs, etc. Books with the least amount of text and more pictures should be placed on the bottom shelf to make them accessible for the youngest children whereas the books with more lengthy texts should be placed higher up for relatively older students. The quality of the books must also be maintained.

iv. News Time:

This exercise involves sharing news sporadically with each other, i.e., students to directress and vice versa. This exercise helps develop confidence and improves the storytelling and expression of a child. For the exercise to be effective in its goal, however, it is important that the directress listens to the child with keen interest, and does not interrupt them except to encourage them to share further details by asking questions, etc. if they are feeling shy or lost for word

v. Asking Questions Game:

These are games that help children think more deeply and exercise their brains in a fun way, played in groups or even individually. An example of this would be asking questions about the lunch a child brought to school, for example, a club sandwich. The directress could ask a series of relevant questions like, "What is the sandwich made of?" "Where do the ingredients come from?" "What color are they?" etc. The directress should repeat these exercises regularly to encourage brainstorming and sharing of ideas.

vi. Grammar Games:

These games are played to introduce parts of speech and their proper use to a child. These will be discussed in detail in module 5 (assignment).

Q4: Prepare a complete set of Montessori language material to be used at Pink, Blue, and Green levels.