How Do Children Learn with the Sandpaper Letters?

The Sandpaper Letters are an amazing multi-sensorial Montessori material that prepares children for writing. The child’s first impression of the letters is visual, when she sees their shapes. This is reinforced through the sense of touch. The tactile work of repeatedly tracing the letters, which are made of sandpaper, gives the child a muscular memory of the letters’ shapes. She also gets an auditory impression of the letters as the Montessori teacher says the sound of the letter (not the letter’s name), and the child repeats the sound. This helps the child make a connection between the letters’ forms and their sounds. This multi-sensorial approach introduces the child to the idea language can be spoken, heard, and seen.

Learn more about the Sandpaper Letters and other Montessori language materials by purchasing NAMC’s Montessori Early Childhood Curriculum or enroll in our Montessori Diploma Program!

— NAMC Staff

As much as possible, NAMC’s web blog reflects the Montessori curriculum as provided in its teacher training programs. We realize and respect that Montessori schools are unique and may vary their schedules and offerings in accordance with the needs of their individual communities. We hope that our readers will find our articles useful and inspiring as a contribution to the global Montessori community.
© North American Montessori Center - originally posted in its entirety at Montessori Teacher Training on Wednesday, October 14, 2020.