Unlocking the Power of Language

September 8, 2025

We all know that reading is much more than just decoding words. When we understand and appreciate the full meaning behind words, phrases, and sentences, reading can transport us in powerful ways.

In our Children’s House classrooms, we support young children’s deeper understanding. One way we do this is through a set of activities called the Function of the Word exercises.

At first glance, these exercises may appear to be grammar lessons, but they serve a distinctly different purpose. They are actually reading activities designed to help children explore how language works and to do so in a joyful, hands-on, and developmentally appropriate way.

Why Do These Exercises Matter?

Children around age 4½ to 5 are in the midst of what Dr. Maria Montessori identified as a Sensitive Period for Language. During this time, they naturally begin experimenting with grammar, word order, and expression. The Function of the Word exercises tap into this innate curiosity by offering playful and engaging opportunities to explore how words function within a sentence.

These lessons are full of movement and drama. When a child reads something like “jump and sing a song” and gets to act it out, they are having fun and actively building the foundation for what we call “total reading.”

Total Reading

We want children to move from decoding into “total reading,” which is when they can comprehend and interpret the meaning of written text, including understanding the author's intent, emotions, and the overall message conveyed. This is when children go beyond basic decoding skills and integrate various components of reading to achieve a holistic understanding.

In essence, total reading is the complete comprehension and interpretation of the thoughts and ideas presented in a written text. It's not just about recognizing the words on the page, but about understanding what those words mean and how they connect to the larger message.

From Words to Sentences: A Natural Progression

The Function of the Word exercises provide children with increasingly longer phrases to read, and eventually lead up to sentences. A sample progression is as follows:

Example exercises of the Noun Family:

1 word (noun): horse
2 words (noun and article): the horse
3 words (noun, article, adjective): the brown horse
Phrase (with conjunction): the brown horse and the spotted cow
Phrase (with preposition): the brown horse and the spotted cow in the pasture

The best part is that as children read these words and phrases, they find the figurines to set up the scene.

Example exercises of the Verb Family:

1 word sentence (verb): gallop
Short sentence (verb and adverb): gallop swiftly

Children love experiencing how verbs bring life to a sentence! They act out the sentences and delight in experimenting with how adverbs change the action.

Through this kind of progression, children begin to understand how words build on each other to create meaning.

Making Language Visual and Hands-On

In Montessori, we also use symbols to represent each part of speech. Using color-coded symbols provides children with a sensorial impression of the different functions of words and how they relate to each other. Children also begin to visually identify syntactical patterns.

Noun: large black triangle
Article: small light blue triangle
Adjective: medium blue triangle
Conjunction: pink bar
Preposition: green crescent
Verb: large red circle
Adverb: small orange circle

Using these symbols, children can build and manipulate sentences. They play games where they switch the order of words to explore how syntax changes meaning. Imagine the giggles when children realize how different “the man on the horse” is from “the horse on the man”!

Oral Language Games

Before reading and symbol work, each function is introduced through spoken games. Here are a few examples you can try at home:

Article Game: Ask your child for “the ball” (a specific one) or “a ball” (any ball). See if they can tell the difference!
Adjective Game: Ask for “the pencil,” but don’t specify which one. Then say, “I meant the red pencil, but I didn’t say red. How did you know?”
Conjunction Game: Name a group of objects using “and,” such as “a spoon, a cup, and a plate.” Play around with omitting the conjunction.
Preposition Game: Use simple commands like, “Put your hands behind your back” or “Put the napkin under your legs.”
Verb and Adverb Game: Give playful commands like “Jump quickly,” “Walk slowly to the door,” or even a three-part task: “Say hello to your teddy bear, hop to the kitchen, and touch the blue chair.”

These games can be fun time-fillers while waiting for others, an appointment, or your turn in line. Plus, they help children internalize the beauty and power of language in meaningful, developmentally aligned ways.

A Joyful Journey Toward Literacy

It’s important to note that in the preschool years, we don’t introduce children to grammatical terms (this comes later in Montessori elementary classrooms!). The goal isn’t to memorize parts of speech, but to explore language playfully and deeply. Through repeated, engaging, and sensorial experiences, children begin to read with understanding, emotion, and appreciation.

Schedule a visit to our school here in Louisville, Kentucky, to see how Montessori provides a true foundation for lifelong literacy.

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More Than a Method: Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Maria Montessori

September 1, 2025

August 31 marked the birthday of Dr. Maria Montessori. Thus, we want to take time to honor the roots of this movement, the visionary contributions of Dr. Montessori herself, and our shared responsibility to carry her legacy forward. At the heart of Montessori education is a deep respect for human potential. Unlike traditional models that begin with the adult's idea of what a child should learn, the Montessori approach emerged from deep observation and genuine curiosity. Dr. Montessori did not set out to create a new educational system. Rather, she observed children with scientific curiosity and developed an approach in response to their needs. It’s important to remember that Dr. Montessori was first and foremost a scientist. She was one of the first female physicians in Italy, graduating in 1896 with a specialization in pediatrics and psychiatry. In her medical practice, she encountered children who were often seen as uneducable. However, rather than accept this assumption, Dr. Montessori looked closer. A Discovery That Changed Everything In 1900, Dr. Montessori was appointed director of a university program for children with developmental delays. Observing their sensory-seeking behaviors in bleak institutional settings, she began studying how sensory experiences affect cognitive development. She designed hands-on materials and engaged the children in purposeful activity. The results were stunning: children who had been dismissed by society not only improved, but some went on to pass the same standardized exams given to their peers in traditional schools. Dr. Montessori’s response was not one of self-congratulation. Instead, she challenged the broader education system, asking: If children with significant delays could thrive when given the right environment and tools, why weren’t typically developing children doing better in school? This question launched a lifetime of work dedicated to understanding and supporting the natural development of all children. The Birth of the Montessori Method In 1907, Dr. Montessori opened her first classroom, the Casa dei Bambini, in the working-class neighborhood of San Lorenzo in Rome. Tasked with overseeing daycare for children too young for public school, she began by introducing simple, practical activities, starting with self-care and environmental care. She also provided an array of materials designed to engage children’s hands and minds. The transformation was extraordinary. Children who had previously been described as wild and unruly became calm, focused, and joyful. They took pride in their appearance and their surroundings. They concentrated for long stretches of time, developed social awareness, and, unprompted, began asking to learn how to read and write. Dr. Montessori was fascinated by what she called “spontaneous discipline” and the deep love of work she observed in the children. Through observation and experimentation, she continued to refine the materials, the environment, and the adult's role. Education Rooted in Development What emerged was a revolutionary approach: an educational philosophy based on the science of human development. Rather than seeing the adult as the source of knowledge and the child as an empty vessel, Dr. Montessori recognized that children come into the world with innate potential and a deep drive to learn. Montessori education supports this natural unfolding by honoring what Dr. Montessori called human tendencies, such as exploration, orientation, order, communication, work, and repetition, through carefully prepared environments that meet the specific needs of each developmental stage. The adult's role is not to instruct, but to guide, observe, prepare, and support. This vision of human development extends beyond the individual to a larger understanding of humans as part of a cosmic web of interrelationships. In this interconnected world, every part plays a role in maintaining balance and harmony. Humans have a unique place in this system, and our role requires conscious awareness, humility, and stewardship. In addition to fostering rich academic growth, Montessori education cultivates mature, adaptive, and compassionate individuals who are capable of making meaningful contributions to our interconnected world. The Enduring Impact of Montessori’s Vision Dr. Montessori eventually left her medical practice and professorship to fully devote her life to this work. She lectured around the world, trained teachers, wrote extensively, and advocated for children’s rights. She also always insisted that the focus remain on the children, not on her. Through decades of scientific observation, experimentation, and cross-cultural study, Dr. Montessori discovered that children, when provided with the right conditions at the right time, flourish. Her insights have stood the test of time. Today, there are approximately 15,000 Montessori schools worldwide, with over 3,000 located in the United States alone. For over a century, Montessori education has empowered children to reach their full potential—academically, socially, and emotionally. Yet Montessori is not just about individual success. It’s about building a better society. We know that children are not just preparing for the future. They are the future. By focusing on children’s holistic development, we are supporting a generation of individuals who are more connected to themselves, to one another, and to the planet. Carrying the Legacy Forward Dr. Montessori’s vision asks us to do more than remember her birthday. We need to believe in children, observe them closely, and prepare environments that honor their needs. This also means that we, as adults, approach our role with humility and a sense of curiosity. Our job is to accompany children as they create the future. In this way, Montessori education becomes not just a method, but a movement, one rooted in peace, interdependence, and the full development of the human being. Thank you for being part of this vision. Together, here in Louisville, Kentucky, we are carrying the Montessori legacy forward, not only by what we teach, but by how we believe in the children before us. Come visit to learn more!