All About the Montessori Pink Reading Series
Maria Montessori was from Italy where the language is purely phonetic… not so in English. Ours is an incredibly complex language which can be difficult for even native language speakers to learn to read. The Pink, Blue, and Green Reading “scheme” was developed for Montessori schools in English speaking countries long ago to address the intricacies of English reading instruction. Focusing on purely phonetic words is like baby-stepping our way to becoming solid readers.
The WHY of Pink Reading
A good foundation is imperative to anything important. In reading there could be nothing more important than setting the child up for success and when you are the one presenting the lessons you need to feel like you know what you are doing.
Pink Reading is the beginning of reading, it’s your foundation. Just like anything else you want to have a strong foundation for your child to be set up for success.
Children write, or build words with the Movable Alphabet (link to printable movable alphabet), before they read. We call this encoding before decoding. In Montessori we move from the most concrete to the most abstract in order to prepare the child for the greatest success. We support the child in their work by giving naming lessons and demonstrating how to complete the work without using unnecessary speech. Then we turn the work over to the child and watch from a distance to see how they do. We do not correct them, even if we wish to, when they are focusing so as not to interrupt their concentration. When they need more instruction or ask for our help we can do some assessment (observations) to see where they really are. We support children just as much as they need and not more. In this way we are protecting that they own this work, they are the masters of their education and that their dignity is important.
A child will likely need to look at or use the control of error that is incorporated into the Pink Reading Series materials, perhaps many times, before they feel confident in their skills. Remember that they are just starting out and remove YOUR expectations of them. By not becoming an obstacle to our children’s learning we build confidence in their own burgeoning skills. We can tell that a child has mastered their new work when they no longer need the support of the control of error or adult. As long as a child has a desire to learn we don’t need to jump in to save them. Sit on those hands, bite that lip, walk away if you need to.
Why we LOVE this Foresight Montessori Pink Reading Program?
Our program has been tried and tested by children over and over with children and used all over the world to teach both native and English language learners.
Pink reading comes when your child knows the letter sounds and names and has mastery in phonemic awareness. Really important to make sure they are pretty solid in their letter sounds. We will have another blog post about pre-reading and Phonemic Awareness, so stay tuned.
This is a completely scaffolded series. You won’t find anything like our Pink reading program anywhere else. Your child will not experience something that they haven’t been set up to see. We have taken the best of the things we have loved over the years and what work the best and have put it together. Our program has developed to meet the needs of the students of our current era. It supports the student who finds challenge in reading as well as those who can literally skip through the program.
We have created a program that WORKS. That keeps children moving and still covers all the things they will need for a VERY solid foundation. We have sometimes seen people rush through pink reading with the goal of blue or green in the distance, but the problem we see is that those children are often SO shaky in their foundations that we frequently need to go backward with them and start right from the beginning again. Do the right thing and give every child the proper time with Pink Reading for it to become as solid as a rock.
Never Rush through Pink Reading! Do it right or do it twice.
Confidence is key. Majority of reading is influenced by a student's confidence level.
Our completely updated and revamped Pink Reading Series comes in 3 fonts. PRINT, D’NEALIAN, & CURSIVE! We know that many of you out there are doing a happy dance in your chair right now. The work you have loved forever not only looks even better but you can now get it in the font you always wanted!
We have kept this work ABSOLUTELY FREE. We continuously get questions about how to use this or that, how to tell where a child is in their reading level, where to start them, how to tell if a child is really ready to move to the next lesson. We are committed to helping you every step of the way.
Printable Movable Alphabet
As with the other parts of the reading series we will begin by using the Movable Alphabet. You can find them online for purchase and those are wonderful, or you can use our Red and Blue Printable Movable Alphabet. There are some instructions on how to set up this work.
Building Words with Objects and the Movable Alphabet
In this set children will build words for objects. This work requires a Movable Alphabet. You need to look for phonetic objects to accompany this file. The download has examples to help you choose your objects.
Building Words with Pictures and the Movable Alphabet
This set gives the child more practice in “writing words” (encoding) with the Movable Alphabet. If a child wants to look at the back for the first several times that is absolutely fine.
Matching Objects and Word Cards
In this set the child will sound out the word cards and match them to the corresponding objects. I have included a large bank of noun cards to help in your search for phonetic objects.
Matching Pictures and Word Cards
Once the child has mastered set 4 they are 'becoming so advanced" and "can read so many things"! Children will sometimes opt to do all the sets of cards in one sitting and others want to take it one pouch at a time.
Word Families Cards
These Word Families Cards are great practice. Especially for a child who feels unsure of their skills. These cards can build confidence for the long run.
Little Word & Picture Booklets
Because these booklets only focus on a single word with a picture following on the next page, children are more at ease reading their first books. At this stage the children will be a shaky in their skill but these booklets give immediate feedback without teacher intervention.
Word Lists
Word lists help children feel more at ease with multiple words on a page and are a first step towards stringing words together.
Missing Vowel Cards
Vowels are the trickiest thing to really get down. They can sound a lot like each other. This work helps solidify their middle vowel sounds when they test themselves and whether they can find the right missing middle sound.
Rhyming Families
Rhyming is an integral skill and should be practiced continuously from the Phonemic Awareness level all the way through a child’s reading career. This work supports the child’s developing understanding of spelling patterns.
Command Cards
This work is awfully fun to do with a partner. It is all about silent reading practice and the joy of acting something out for a friend.
Smooth Reading & Fluency Practice Cards
This particular work is one of the FAVORITE steps that sets Foresight apart from all others. Learning to read words smoothly makes all the difference in beginning to pick up the pace. When we pick up the pace we can retain what we have read.
Phrases
We want the child to become familiar with reading words together on a card. These phrase cards are a great way to practice this skill.
Pink Level Sight Words
Sight words support the child in their desire to be involved with their world at large. The more a child can read on a sign or in a book the more they will feel like a reader. This set is uniquely created to scaffold what they have been learning in Pink Reading with important words to know by sight.
Matching Sentences with Objects
Humor is paramount in developing a love of reading. These silly sentences do just that. By taking objects and putting them together in humorous ways we create memory and a draw to use this work over and over again.
Matching Sentences with Pictures
Sentences are where it is at! A child can never get enough practice with their sentences. These fun sentences have lovely scenes to match with.
Nonsense Word Cards
Nonsense words are in our, and many experts, opinion such a crucial part of any reading program. Most words are made up of nonsensical parts until they are all put together. When a child can become comfortable and even find humor in reading nonsense words they will have the foundation for greater success down the road as they read longer words with more syllables.
Word & Nonsense Word Sorting Cards
Can the child tell the difference between the real and nonsense words in front of them? This set is perfect for increasing a child’s comfort in reading nonsense words while at the same time honing this skill.
Nonsense Word Lists
This work is a great way to continue this practice and to finish off the Pink Reading Series with a flourish!
Pink Reading Series Complete Printable Bundle
We have put all our printable Pink Reading together in a beautiful bundle to simplify getting all you love in one place. All the beautifully updated resources will be right at your fingertips whenever you need to print and reprint them. One of the most wonderful things about having the files is the ability to print off only what needs to be fixed instead of purchasing an entire new set. It is so much better for all involved. Including our mother earth.
The world of beginning reading is SO incredibly important. Holes in the foundation are much harder to patch up than doing it well the first time. If there is any place to spend the most time and to give the greatest care it is right here! In the Pink Level. We implore you not to rush a child through this to get to Blue or beyond. Allow them the time to get their legs under them. To feel the beauty and confidence found in doing really well at something! We have so much more to say on this subject and an incredible wealth of knowledge to share in our Pink Reading E-Course Coming Soon!
Loves,
Foresight Montessori
Cathie, Leticia, Milly & Katie