Montessori perceived the miracle of language development as “a treasure prepared in the unconscious, which is then handed over to consciousness, and the child, in full possession of his new power, talks and talks without cessation.”
Absorbing and perfecting language depends on human contact, but language is not taught. Words are the labels for our experiences. A child who has varied experiences and is given the words for those experiences will develop a well-rounded means of expression. Just as a rich vocabulary is dependent on the child’s experience, the transition to reading and writing is dependent on a strong vocabulary. Soon, the child, explorer of the world, will be able to express thoughts and understand and interpret the thoughts of others.
