The Three Period Lesson and It's Applications for Toddler

In Montessori, there is a learning process called The Three Period Lesson. This key part of the Montessori method suggests that there are three stages in introduce a new concept to a child.

Stage 1: Naming Period

The first step is the introduction. It can be done by showing the real object, reading a book, a lesson or a lecture. We should tell the child the name of the object clearly and let the child experience the object.

"This is..."

It is always good to repeat the words several times while pointing to the object.

Stage 2: Recognition and Association Period

In stage two, the child already clearly heard the name of the object more than once. This stage involves processing the information, developing an understanding of the concept through work, experimentation, and creation. So, we can challenge the child in this stage.

Can you hand me (the object)?
Can you point (the object)?
Can you place (the object here)?

Stage 3: Recall Period

In this stage, the child should already understand the concept and should be able to make an association. So, when we asked the child,

What is this?

The child then should be able to answer the name of the object correctly.

So, what did we do today? The highlights are learning about land transportation and how to say Alula's name.

Learn About Transportation

We didn't do a morning walk today, as Papa needed to go to the office early. So, we had breakfast together, and we decided to walk Papa to the nearest train station. On the back home, Lulu and I stopped a while at the roadside to watch cars and buses passing by. As Lulu has been familiar to cars, this time I emphasise the introduction to a bus. Coincidentally, our spot was close to a bus stop. So it was a perfect setting to introduce Alula to a bus.

Lulu sat in her stroller and I bent down to be the same level to her. As a vehicle passed, I pointed on it and mentioned its name out loud.  

Car!
Car!
Car!

Then Lulu followed me to point out and shouted "car!" when the next car passed. Ok, this may be easy as she has been familiar with it. So, let's try on the bus.

Lulu, the big vehicle over there is a bus.

Bus!
Bus!
Bus!

I pointed and told her each time a bus passed. She paid attention carefully, and her eyes followed to where I pointed. Apparently, Lulu is quite quick witted. After about ten minutes, she pointed out to a bus and say "Bus!"

Yeay! Lulu can say an additional vocabulary. Well done, Alula!

Saying Alula's Name

Alula hasn't been able to tell her name yet on her 14 months of age. It's probably because her name is not simple. Alula consists of three syllables, while Lulu, her nickname involves "u", a vowel that is not as easy as "a" to be pronounced by a young toddler.

Actually, this activity was pure spontaneous. Alula has her own table and chairs in her size. I placed our family photo on the wall, just at the eye level of Lulu. When we were drawing on her table this afternoon, I pointed to our family picture.

This is Papa
This is Mama
and this is Lulu.

Luuu.. Luuu..
Lulu.

This is Lulu.

She looked at the picture for a while. Lulu pointed to Papa's picture and said "Papa", then pointed to Mama's picture and said "Mama". After that, she was quickly back to her drawing again.

It will take a while, I thought. I continued to draw with her. But to my surprise, she pointed to the picture again and said, "Lulu."I was ecstatic. Was that real?

Wow, alhamdulillah. It seems that Mama's little baby can say her name!

I praised her.

I checked again just in case that was only my imagination :D

Oohh, so this is Mama, this is papa, and this is...

"Lulu!", she said.

Ah, two new words for today. Alhamdulillah. But still, I need to repeat the second activity in the future; just to be sure in which stage of Three Period Lesson she is in.