Academic Aids

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The Three Period Lesson

The Montessori method of teaching uses The Three Period Lesson (3PL).  3PL is used to teach many other materials in the class.  We also use it at The Little House to teach Chinese strokes.

The 1st Period
At this stage we work with only two letters at a time.  This isolates the sounds to two specific letters.  First we trace one sand paper letter.  When we have completed that first tracing, we say the sound that corresponds to the letter.  Then, we take that letter away to introduce the second letter, by tracing and then saying the sound.

The 2nd Period
During the second stage, we place both the letters in front of the child and ask the child to point to the sound that corresponds to the one letter.  By observation, we can tell when the child has remembered the sound.  We often make a game out of this period.

I never go on to the third stage unless the child has mastered the 2nd stage for that particular sound.

This stage may not necessarily follow immediately after the first two stages.  Many children are hesitant to say something that they think will come out sounding wrong.  They may be able to recognise the sound when you say it.  Therefore continuous reinforcements are needed.

Letter Sounds

Starting Sounds

 a - apple

 b - ball

 c - cat

 d - dog

 e - elephant

 f - fish

 g - girl

 h - house

 i - igloo

 j - jug

 k - kangaroo

 l - lion

 m - mat

 n - net

 o - octopus

 p - penguin

 q - queen

 r - rabbit

 s - snake

 t - tent

 u - umbrella

 v - vase

 w - water

 x - box (ks)

 y - yellow

 z - zebra

Long Vowel Sounds

a

e

i

o

u

ae/ a_e

ee/ e_e

ie

oe

ue

ai

ei

oi

ay

ea

pay

peace

tie

toe

queue

We have also found a website that will assist you in teaching your child how to read. Please click on the link below for more information.
https://www.icanteachmychild.com/10-steps-to-teaching-your-child-to-read/

Sound games

We believe that the education of a child begins at home and that the home can be a wonderful environment to support and build on the lessons imparted in school.

It is essential to train the child’s hearing even though the child may be able to read as these are separate skills which are of equal importance. Phonemic awareness while being a good indicator of a child’s potential to read is also a crucial tool in spelling.

An excellent way to train the hearing of a child to different letter sounds would be playing the sound game.

Here is how the game is played:

  1. Ask your child to listen to the word you are saying. “Listen. M-O-P.” Say mop by stretching the sounds as opposed to normal speech.

  2. Now ask your child, “What sounds can you hear?” or “What sound does it begin with?”

  3. We need to lead them to the point where they can identify that m-o-p is mop. So when you say m-o-p you ask what am I spying in the room? It does not have to be three letter phonetic words. It could be tr-ee. So we are really looking for hearing syllables.

This game is a variation of the “I Spy” game with the goal being to keep it light but engaging.

Penmanship

As part of the curriculum, we have started your child on a physical diet (exercises such as climbing the challenger, human wheelbarrow, jumping in the trampoline, spinning) to strengthen shoulder and back muscles (to help with the writing) and to develop coordination and balance. For reinforcement at home, please help us achieve these goals by giving your child more opportunities to do activities on the floor (belly on the floor) or on a vertical surface.

If your child is physically ready and you wish to help him/her develop the right pencil grip, please see photos below:

With a pencil grip, thumb & index fingeron the grip, middle finger behind the grip.

Pinkie and ring finger holds a small object (small rubber used in the photo)