Sensorial education is an essential component of the Montessori method. This type of education focuses on developing children's senses, enabling them to explore and understand the world around them. In Montessori education, sensorial materials play a crucial role in achieving this goal.
What are sensorial materials?
Sensorial materials are specifically designed to help children refine their senses. These materials are designed to stimulate the senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing. Montessori sensorial materials are usually made of natural materials such as wood, metal, and fabric, which are carefully chosen for their sensory properties.
How do sensorial materials work?
Sensorial materials are designed to be self-correcting, allowing children to explore and learn independently. The materials are usually presented to the child in a specific order, allowing them to build on their previous experiences and knowledge. Each material is designed to isolate a specific sense, allowing the child to focus on that sense exclusively.
For example, the pink tower is a set of ten pink wooden cubes that vary in size. The child is invited to stack the cubes from the largest to the smallest, developing their visual discrimination skills. Similarly, the sound cylinders are a set of ten cylinders that vary in sound. The child is invited to match the cylinders by sound, developing their auditory discrimination skills.
What are the benefits of sensorial materials? Sensorial materials help children develop their senses, which is essential for their overall development. The benefits of using sensorial materials in Montessori education include:
-
Developing sensory awareness Sensorial materials allow children to develop a heightened awareness of their senses. They learn to distinguish between different smells, tastes, textures, sounds, and colors, which helps them understand the world around them.
-
Building cognitive skills Sensorial materials are designed to encourage children to problem-solve and think critically. They learn to compare and contrast, classify, and categorize, which are essential cognitive skills.
-
Developing fine motor skills Many sensorial materials require fine motor skills to manipulate. As children work with the materials, they develop their hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and precision.
-
Building concentration and focus The sensorial materials are designed to be engaging and captivating for children. As they work with the materials, they learn to concentrate and focus, which is a vital skill for learning and life.
In conclusion, sensorial materials are a crucial part of Montessori education. They provide children with a unique learning experience that is tailored to their individual needs and abilities. Through sensorial education, children develop a greater understanding of the world around them, build cognitive and motor skills, and learn to concentrate and focus. By providing a hands-on, multisensory approach to learning, Montessori education lays the foundation for a lifetime of learning and exploration.
