Literacy Foundations Kit

Skilled reading depends on two things working together: understanding language and recognizing words in print. That is Gough and Tunmer's (1986) simple view of reading, and Scarborough's (2001) reading rope shows the strands that make up each side. Step 1 of this kit builds vocabulary, part of the language comprehension side. Steps 2 and 3 build letter-sound knowledge and decoding, the word recognition side. The hands-on, self-correcting 3-part cards give students the repeated practice that makes reading easier and, eventually, automatic.

The Science of Reading is the body of research from cognitive psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience that explains how we learn to read. It shows that reading comprehension grows from two foundations: language comprehension and word recognition. Learn more in our guide to Montessori and the Science of Reading.

Start with Step 1. Put out a few vocabulary, matching, or sorting packets at a time, chosen to match what your students are curious about, and swap them every week or two. Teach the names with the three-period lesson, then practice with the matching cards. Before sorting, discuss what the members of each group have in common, then invite students to sort.

Begin Step 2 as students show interest in sounds. Use the letter-sound charts and 3-part letter-sound cards to learn the key sound for each letter. Then use the phonetic picture cards with the movable alphabet so students build words, sound by sound, before they read them.

Move to Step 3 when a student can blend sounds. Start with the pink Level 1 packets, then the blue Level 2 packets. Students sound out each label, match it to its picture, and check their work with the control card. The phonetic activity cards (phonetic charades!) and phonetic word cards add more reading practice.

The steps overlap. Most students keep enjoying vocabulary work long after they start reading. The lesson plan booklet walks you through each step.

Typically ages 3 to 6 (preschool and kindergarten). Vocabulary work can begin at age 3, and the reading steps begin whenever a student can blend sounds. The kit also works well for:

• Older students who need phonics practice
• English learners
• Intervention
• Homeschool families

These materials are found in most Montessori language albums. Each one isolates a single skill and invites hands-on, independent work. Together they follow the Montessori sequence: spoken language first, then encoding (building words with the movable alphabet), then decoding (reading).

Next, students move on to our Phonetic Level 3 Set (green series) or Digraph Decoding Kit, where they practice reading phonograms like sh, ai, and ee. After that come non-phonetic words in our 3-Part Reading Cards.