Our method : Natural French
The Montessori method is a child-centered educational approach that was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator, in the early 1900s. It is based on the idea that children are naturally curious and eager to learn, and that they learn best through hands-on, experiential activities.
In a Montessori classroom, children are given the freedom to choose their own activities and work at their own pace, with the teacher serving as a guide and facilitator rather than a traditional instructor. The environment is carefully prepared to allow for self-directed learning and exploration, with a range of materials and resources available for children to use.
The Montessori method emphasizes the development of the whole child, including their cognitive, physical, social, and emotional skills. It also places a strong emphasis on respect for the child's individuality and the development of self-motivation and independence.
Overall, the goal of the Montessori method is to create a nurturing and supportive learning environment that allows children to reach their full potential and become confident, capable, and self-directed learners.
1. Listening
Clearly the language acquisition process begins long before the child actually begins to speak. Therefore our methodology is based on children beginning to assimilate the new language through daily exposure from the first year of life.
2. Understanding
After hearing the same combinations of words at different times and in various contexts, the child eventually understands the meaning of everything they listen to. Parents talk to their children naturally, using a variety of words, phrases and sentences in different tenses. We reproduce this situation with their students by exposing them to the language as it is used naturally and in contexts which are easily recognisable to them.
3. Speaking
Talking is a natural consequence of listening and understanding. After the children have listened to and understood the language, we create situations where they have a chance to put into words everything that they have been learning up to that point.
4. Reading
Reading is a natural consequence of listening, understanding and speaking. Starting to learn a language by reading and writing is not the natural process; it is like a bird trying to fly before it knows how to spread its wings.
5. Writing
Writing is expressing thoughts on paper. To reach this stage of language development, it is essential to have mastered the previous stages: listening, understanding and speaking.