The Movable Alphabet: how to use it at home

The movable alphabet was one of Dr. Montessori’s original lessons. She discovered that children could learn to write before they could read!

I know this sounds crazy.

After your child has a solid foundation of the letter sounds because of their experience with the sandpaper letters, they will be ready to work with the movable alphabet.  

*I purchased these letters from amazon and the wooden bucket from Goodwill. I highly suggest looking for much of your Montessori containers and trays at thrift stores.

There are several ways a child can work with this lesson. Here are the introductory lessons.

1. Start with a transitional lesson. You would match a sandpaper letter and a movable alphabet letter. Always working from left to right. Have your child choose 3-5 sandpaper letters and then allow them to find the match in the movable alphabet.

2. Dictation lesson. Say a word, for example, CAT. Then say the word slowly using a finger to represent each sound. So in the instance of CAT, it would be three fingers held up “CCCCCCC” “AAAAA” “TTTTTT.” Finally, you would find each sound letter that made up that word and lay it out on the table or rug.

Writing with the Movable Alphabet. The Classic Lesson:

1. Bring your child to a table or rug on the floor. Ask them to bring the box of letters and the box of objects. Open the box and either choose an item from a miniature objects box or something in the room. 
2. Name the object: “mat.”
3. Place the object in the upper left corner.
4. Say to your child, “let’s listen to the sounds in this word.”
5. Say, “what is the first sound you hear? Can you find the letter that makes that sound?’ Then ask them to lay it down. 
6. Continue to lay out each letter in the word “mat.”
7. Then move onto a new object and invite your child to do it independently and find you when they are finished. 

Extensionsions of the lesson:

1. Build phrases and sentences with the movable alphabet.
2. Draw the objects and or write the words and make it into a small booklet.
3. Dictate sentences to your child for them to write.

*Start with phonetic words.

* Use CVC (consonant vowel consonant) pattern words.

Short vowel objects list (taken from the CGMS)

“a”

rat, cat, mat, hat, bag, rag, tag, van, man, pan, ax, wax, ant

“i”

tin, kid, lid, six, pig, pin, bib, wig, mitt

“o”

pot, top, tot, box, dog, log, fox, rod, mop, ox, dot

“u”

jug, hut, nut, mug, gum, tub, cub, bud, gun, sun, bus, rug

“e”

hen, ten, elf, net, pen, peg, egg, web, jet

“The exercises with the movable alphabet place the whole language in motion. They provoke a real intellectual activity…These continuous exercises, therefore, by means of which both spoken and written words are built up, do not only prepare the way for writing, but for correct spelling as well.” Marie Montessori, The Formation of Man

“Not only does he create his language, but he shapes the organs that enable him to frame the words. He has to make the physical basis of every moment, all the elements of our intellect, everything the human being is blessed with.” Marie Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

https://www.alisonsmontessori.com/Small_Movable_Alphabets_with_Box_Red_Blue_p/l07.htm

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=montessori+moving+alphabet&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoJX8BRCZARIsAEWBFMIADGOaZxPNqWdBXhOTOTSxpKeddtXIqEB9o7-AXR4ojCuBC2iQej0aAit4EALw_wcB&hvadid=323388923239&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9019482&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=b&hvrand=16327679571171942930&hvtargid=kwd-427702193972&hydadcr=27096_10153214&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_1zeq3c8wyu_b

https://livingmontessorinow.com/montessori-monday-inexpensive-and-diy-movable-alphabets/