“The development of language is part of the development of the personality, for words are the natural means of expressing thoughts and establishing understanding between people.”

DR. MARIA MONTESSORI

The Movable Alphabet is a box divided into compartments, containing the letters of the alphabet cut out in wood.  The vowels are pink and the consonants are blue or vice versa.  The letters are in cursive font.  The Movable Alphabet encourages the child to write, using the sounds that he knows. We are very clear in using the term write, rather than spell, because writing is what the focus is on, not spelling. Words that are written with the Movable Alphabet are never corrected. This material is presented to the child before they are introduced to reading.  It's much easier to organize your own thoughts and put them together than it is to decipher someone else's. Since the words have come from the child, he is more likely to attempt to read them back usually before he begins any other form of phonetic reading work. The Moveable Alphabet teaches the child that he can express himself through written language. Its beauty is that the cumbersome mechanics of writing and the parameters of proper spelling are not present, so that the child is free to truly express his ideas without criticism or obstacle.  The writings initially start as words, then come phrases and simple sentences.  This will lead the child into writing short stories.  It is a remarkable process and a significant work of the language materials!