Writing with Phonograms, the child's work
Writing comes before reading. This may sound backwards but just think about it. It is easier to create a code than to crack one. So, in Montessori classrooms, we help children create words using a movable alphabet. This lets children "write" before their hand has mastered the pencil. It also increases their chances of success because they have a finite selection of symbols from which to choose. Instead of searching their entire symbolic memory (which includes numbers and other symbols) for the correct letter, they simply look in front of them to see the possibilities.
When we first show them how to use the alphabet, we, the teachers, suggest words with which we know they will succeed. But as soon as possible, we want them to write their own words. We want them to realize that they don't need our help and that the movable alphabet is a tool for THEM to use, not an exercise for us to ask them to complete.
These images show one child using the alphabet to focus on words with the "ai" sound. He has already done a great deal of work with completely phonetic words (no phonograms included). The phonogram movable alphabet makes it easier to isolate the increased difficulty of using two letters to make one sound.
For more information on the movable alphabets, links to Montessori sites, and free downloads, visit Maitri Learning (www.maitrilearning.com).