Most of the time, it’s better to help a child develop vocabulary by emphasizing the words associated with something you’re doing that has meaning for them. So as we approach a child with their cup of milk, we naturally say something like, Here’s your milk. You love your milk. Your milk tastes good.
Occasionally though, it’s easier to teach vocabulary directly — by simply telling a child the names of things — such as 3 different colors, fruits, etc.
But when teaching directly, people often make the mistake of going too quickly from telling them the name of something — to asking them to tell them back, from memory.So they say something like, This is an apple, these are grapes, this is a banana. Now tell me — what’s this, what’s that, and whats the other one? And going to quickly like this can be very confusing. So the Montessori 3 Part Lesson includes another step.
So, very simply, the 3 Part Lesson is used to teach new vocabulary, and it goes like this —
Part 1. This is…. An apple, grapes, banana
Part 2. Show me…. The banana, the apple, the grapes, the apple, the grapes, the grapes, the banana, etc. (Out of order)
Part 3. What’s this? Pointing to one then another, etc.
Some things to keep in mind:
Vary the placement of the objects, so the child doesn’t learn to identify the word by where the object is placed.
Be very careful not to proceed to Part 3 before the child is ready. If you do ask and they can’t name the object, go back and repeat Part 1.
When responding to the child’s correct answer, avoid saying “good boy, or good girl.” For this can give the impression that the child’s value comes learning something quickly. Instead, use simple responses, such as “right…correct…good job…yes!” And if the child makes a mistake, say something like let’s look again — and go back and repeat Part 1.
Watch a video demonstration of a 3 Part/Period Lesson here.
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