Language and Literature

Language Arts

In Lower Elementary (1st – 3rd grade, ages 6-9), students acquire the foundational skills (e.g., handwriting and reading fluency, phonics, and spelling) they need to become capable writers and engaged readers. The Montessori Upper Elementary (4th – 6th grade, ages 9-12) program builds on these skills and guides children to acquire clarity and sophistication in thought and communication, both oral and written.

Writing mechanics in Lower Elementary

Our goal is to graduate students who have become proficient in the basic process of writing. We teach neat, fluent handwriting (especially to students who join us from outside, without Montessori Primary experience). Our students practice cursive writing from day one (as against the common public school practice of teaching block letters, and then re-training students to cursive in grade 3). As students start writing sentences, we introduce the mechanics of punctuation, capitalization, where to place sentences on the page, and how to construct well-written paragraphs.

Grammar

Grammar is the structure of language. At Vruksha, we present grammar simply and coherently, using unique Montessori grammar materials which help students visualize parts of speech (verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc.) with colorful symbols (a red circle is the active verb, a black large triangle the noun, and smaller triangles in light and dark blue as the articles and adjectives, for example). We guide students to analyze sentences and understand the role of words within a sentence (subject, predicate, object, etc.), using Montessori materials early on, and adding in sentence diagramming in the upper elementary grades.

Reading for skills

Once our lower elementary students learn to decode words with ease (which they do quickly with our phonics-based program), we systematically build their comprehension skills. We show them how to use dictionaries to look up unfamiliar words, enabling them to build their own vocabulary lists. We use a systematic “Reading for Understanding” program, which allows each child to progress at their own pace, and guides them to read for meaning across a variety of subjects, from science to sports. As they read these passages, they learn vocabulary, comprehension skills, and fluency, all while acquiring a broad range of background knowledge essential for reading comprehension.

Reading for content

Once students are readers, they read everywhere in our Montessori classrooms. They do research in history. They read science experiment instructions. They read about different cultures in geography. They learn that reading is a key means to discovering the answers to questions that are meaningful to them.

Applied writing

We believe good writers are made, not born. In Lower Elementary, writing is often about volume, because writing a lot helps children achieve comfort and fluency. Our teachers excel at encouraging students to write about subjects they care about, whether that’s research on animals or countries, or famous people, or creative stories. As children mature, our teachers support them with careful instruction in writing. With our Institute for Excellence in Writing program, children learn to brainstorm ideas, develop keyword outlines, and learn to use their expanding vocabulary to write compelling sentences. They practice editing their own work, and that of peers, and write multiple drafts, first by hand, and then later by typing them up on school-provided computers. Throughout, our teachers review each piece of writing—providing immediate, tailored feedback to each child. We never just grade a piece of work and then have the child put it away; our students continuously correct their mistakes and actively learn from them. The result? Children who don’t feel daunted by a white sheet of paper, but instead have the confidence of solid skills—and the repeated experience of producing a finished product that makes them proud!

Word study, vocabulary development, & spelling

In Lower Elementary, our students build their vocabularies and improve their spelling primarily through word study activities. By understanding common suffixes and prefixes, students are given a tool for interpreting and decoding a range of words. With hands-on word building materials, students explore compound words and root words. In Upper Elementary, spelling practice takes a variety of forms, depending on the needs and abilities of individual students. Students may use lists that focus on specific spelling concepts (e.g., the different ways of making the long [a] sound). They may make posters or use spelling command cards, or they may use an auditory spelling program. Vocabulary development continues, with an emphasis on understanding Latin and Greek roots of many of the words in our language. Our students are encouraged to not memorize definitions—but to understand the meaning of new words, and to actively use them in their own writing.

Reading for pure enjoyment

Most children of parents who consider a school like Vruksha will learn to decode and become decent readers. But will they love reading—and continue to read, outside of class and for pure interest in adulthood? In Montessori Elementary, we ensure that reading is joyful and rewarding. Children have time for free reading books of their choice—without any required reading logs or book reports. Teachers regularly read aloud to children, from a variety of authors and genres—including poetry and plays—and share their own love of the written word.