Sand Paper Letters

An Introduction to the presentation of Sand Paper Letters

About this topic…

Specific Learning Outcomes Students will:• Be introduced to the main

principles in the development of literacy

• Be introduced to the presentation of Sand Paper Letters

• Apply the three period lesson to the presentation of materials

 

Prerequisites

• MPLS Unit 5 – Montessori Materials Part II

• Three Period Lesson• Introduction to Literacy

Introduction

Sand Paper Letters

Learning to write

Traditionally children were taught how to write by continuously practicing the formation of letters using a pencil and lined paper.

Not only did this approach prove tiresome for young children, it was also unnecessary.

Despite some enduring assumption, the mastering of writing is not a task requiring huge effort on the part of the child, nor does its introduction need to wait until a child is able to hold a pencil 

Learning to write

Montessori’s sand paper letters are based on the observation that small children can absorb an understanding of letter formation with a multisensory approach with great ease and pleasure.

Used in combination with the metal inserts – which prepare the hand for the ability to write – sand paper letters prepare the child’s mind for writing.

That is, through touch, the activity serves to establish a motor memory along with a visual memory of the letters." 

Learning to write

"Now the hand can be prepared directly to trace the signs of the alphabet by the help of the tactile and muscular senses, not by that of sight. We have, therefore, prepared for our children letters cut out in sandpaper, and pasted on smooth cardboard. They reproduce in dimension and shape the letters of the movable alphabet.

We teach the children to trace them in the same way as is followed in writing. This is a very simple procedure which leads to marvellous results. Thus the children stamp, so to speak, the shape of the letters on their hands.

When they begin to write, spontaneously their penmanship is well nigh perfect and all children write in the same way because all have touched the same letters.”

Dr. Maria Montessori, 'The Formation of Man',

Learning to write

The sand paper letters activity integrates the hand, the mind and muscular memory. "When a teacher has a child see and touch the letters of the alphabet, three sensations come into play simultaneously: sight, touch, and kinaesthetic (muscular) sensation. This is why the image of the graphic symbol is fixed in the mind much more quickly than when it is acquired through sight in the ordinary methods.”Dr. Maria Montessori, 'The Discovery of the Child',

Sounds to Symbols

In the Montessori approach, the sounds of the letters are taught before the child is introduced to the names of the letters.

This allows the child to link sounds to symbols.

The names of the letters are taught later.

Since some letters can represent more than one sound, the other sounds which are less frequently used than the phonetic sound are also taught later.

“S” is for Sounds

Letter sounds can be recognized in all parts of a word

It is a mistake to think that it is easier for children to listen to or identify just the beginning letter of a word.

Children are led to hear how the sounds they are learning occur in different parts of words. With this practice they soon begin to realize the sequence of sounds in words.

Presentation

Sand Paper Letters

What comes before?

Before the sand paper letters are presented, the child should have experience with:• the first level of the sound game• rough and Smooth Board Number 2. While working with the sand paper letters, the child can also be working with the sound game and moveable alphabet.

Materials

To complete this presentation, you will need box containing the letters of the alphabet, lower case and cursive.

• The letter should be made of sandpaper cut out and mounted on thick cards or wood;

• Consonants should be on a pink background,

• Vowels should be on a blue background

1. Invite the child2. Sensitise the pads of finger tips.3. Choose three letters and give to the child

to carry to the table.• Choose letters that they are very

different in form and in sound. • If possible include the letter the child's

name starts with (if name is Shannon wouldn't select "s".)

• Ensure one of the letters is a vowel.4. Place the letters on the right edge of

table

5. Turn over one of the letters and place in front of the child

6. Trace the sound using two fingers and then say the sound "c". Repeat multiple times

7. Say some words that have the sound at the beginning and invite the child to volunteer some others.

Hold the card with the left hand and trace with the right.

Use two fingers.

8. Invite the child to trace it and say the sound

• If the child makes an error when tracing the letter, model the correct pattern again.

9. When the child has finished, turn the letter over and place on right edge

10.Repeat with remaining two letters

12.Three period lesson1. This is…2. Point to, Show me, Trace, Hand me,

Touch…3. What is this?

13.Return all letter to the right edge. Invite the child to continue tracing and naming the letters

14.Fade and Observe - continue to watch to ensure that the child is tracing correctly

Record Keeping

• Create an individual note card for each child.

• List each of the sandpaper letters and each numeral for 0 - 9

• When you present a letter underline the letter on the card

• Over time, when the child knows the sound turn the line into a circle

• If you invite a child to present a new series, review this card and make sure that all the letters she knows comes to the table

What comes next?

• Tracing the Letters• The Connection Lesson• Group game• Blindfolded tracing• Letter boards