Montessori Language Cards

Toddler Goals

• Build vocabulary
• Transition from 3-dimensions (objects) to 2-dimensions (picture cards)
• Develop eye-hand coordination

• Children who are rapidly learning the names of everything in their world
• Around ages 1.5 to 2.5 years-old

• Build vocabulary; expand the learner's internal dictionary
• Build contextual understanding of language and how it is used to describe the rich diversity of life
• Help the children learn that their voice matters (they have something to say and it is worth saying)

• Children who have a growing vocabulary and are interested in the sounds of language (music, rhymes, etc.)
• Around ages 2.5 to 4-years-old and older

• Develop phonemic awareness
• Develop letter-sound knowledge
• Gain practice phonetically spelling words (segmenting) 

• Children who have a growing vocabulary and are interested in the sounds of language (music, rhymes, etc.)
• Around ages 2.5 to 4-years-old and older

• Introduce the child to reading words that follow reliable phonetic spelling patterns
• Help the child realize that a written word is a group of sounds which are represented by graphic signs and have meaning—this is the first time they connect the printed/graphic word with an image
• Emphasize the graphic symbols that represent key sounds made by pairs of letters (phonograms)
• Support independent learning with self-correcting materials
• Give the child enjoyable and meaningful ways to practice reading

• Children who know the sounds of the alphabet and phonogram key sounds
• Anywhere from 3.5 to 6 years-old or older 

• Help children stretch beyond phonetic reading based on their interests
• Give the child enjoyable and meaningful ways to practice reading
• Help the child decipher non-phonetic words 
• Tie words to meaning to promote comprehension and fluency
• Deepen the child's vocabulary knowledge
• Generate deep interest in meaningful subject areas

• Children who are ready to move into the non-phonetic half of English at the word-level
• Anywhere from 4 to 8 years-old or older 

Teach common spelling irregularities/patterns

Appreciate the curiosities and complexities of English

Build awareness that sounds have more than one spelling

Give the child enjoyable and meaningful ways to practice reading and spelling

Children who can read phonetic words and asks about how words are spelled

Anywhere from 4 to 6 years-old or older 

Give the child enjoyable and meaningful ways to practice reading and play with language function

Present the functions of words/grammar in a fun, tangible way

Develop the child's analytical mind

Prepare the child for analyzing sentence structure and syntax

Children who are strong phonetic readers and who can read the key sound phonograms (like th, ch, ee, etc.)

Anywhere from 4.5 to 8 years-old or older 

Give the child enjoyable and meaningful ways to practice reading and play with types of words

Create opportunities to practice spelling while isolating key aspects of words

Develop the child's analytical mind

Prepare the child for analyzing sentence structure and syntax

Children who are strong phonetic readers and who can read the key sound phonograms (like th, ch, ee, etc.)

Anywhere from 4.5 to 8 years-old or older 

Give the child enjoyable and meaningful ways to practice reading and play with language structure

Develop the child's analytical mind

Prepare the child for analyzing sentence structure and syntax

Children who are emergent readers ready to move into the non-phonetic half of English

Anywhere from 4.5 to 8 years-old or older 

Give the homeschool family foundational materials needed to implement the Montessori/Dwyer approach to literacy

Homeschools with children of mixed abilities/ages (a combination of the above collections)