Powerful Literacy in the Montessori Classroom: Aligning Reading Research and Practice

Teaching reading successfully requires deep knowledge of the reading process and development, as well as the implementation of impactful reading instruction and differentiation. This book aligns Montessori didactic materials and pedagogy, developed over a century ago, with current research on reading development. Readers will gain a solid overview of the Montessori philosophy and method, specifically those related to reading and language development, enabling them to support their practice in today's educational context while inspiring the wider field of education. The authors explain how the Montessori approach is inherently aligned with the Science of Reading in that they are both scientifically based and contain methods that follow a logical, systematic, and explicit progression of teaching and learning. Montessori education supports instructional differentiation that is cognizant of children's need for independence and highly mindful of literacy and language development. This book provides valuable contributions to all educators implementing Science of Reading and structured literacy in their practice, and is a must-have for Montessori teachers (preschool to grade 3) and those that prepare, coach, and supervise them.

Book Features:

• Aligns the Montessori curriculum to reading research, currently known as the Science of Reading.
• Explains how the Montessori curriculum builds reading skills, background knowledge, and vocabulary across disciplines.
• Shows educators how to balance state requirements and standards with maintaining a pedagogy aligned with Montessori principles.
• Provides descriptions of teaching materials, classroom examples, and images.
• Demonstrates how to use Montessori methods to support multiculturalism and differentiation to meet the needs of diverse students.
• Includes suggested progressions of development, such as phonological awareness, that extend lessons using the Movable Alphabet.
• Explores multisensory approaches to language and literacy instruction.