Application of Montessori Pedagogy in the Initial Literacy of Preschool Children

Prije više od 100 godina talijanska je liječnica Maria Montessori počela oblikovati obrazovni sustav usmjeren na dijete, na stvaranje odgovornoga građanina svijeta maksimalno potičući razvoj osobnih sposobnosti svakog djeteta. U prvim poglavljima rada opisuje se alternativni pristup odgoju i obrazovanju prema Mariji Montessori. Iznose se posebnosti Montessori metode koju čine Montessori načela, razdoblja posebne osjetljivosti te pripremljena okolina odnosno educirani Montessori odgojitelj, posebno strukturiran prostor i pribor za izvođenje metodičkog čina (vježbi). Teorijski okvir rada sadržava opis izvornih smjernica Marije Montessori o početnom opismenjavanju djece u dobi od treće do šeste godine te zaključke mnogih studija o utemeljenosti, uspješnosti i suvremenosti Montessori pedagogije. Oni pokazuju da su uz dobro implementiran sustav dječji ishodi na testovima superiorniji od onih postignutih uobičajenim redovnim programima. Osim posebnosti Montessori pedagogije rad opisuje spoznaje o pisanju i predvještinama pisanja te o čitanju i predvještinama čitanja. Nedostatak pojedinih predvještina može djetetu otežati učenje i biti uzrokom daljnjih poteškoća. Važna je uloga odgojitelja koji će izabrati i osmisliti one metodičke postupke koji omogućuju poticajnu okolinu i tako povećati i motivaciju samog djeteta da bi moglo, kako kaže Marija Montessori, „uhvatiti i shvatiti”. U radu detaljno opisujemo metodičke postupke Montessori pedagogije koji se primjenjuju u početnom opismenjavanju predškolske djece, ali i promišljanja educiranog Montessori odgojitelja o dobrobiti primjene takvih metodičkih postupaka. U radu zaključujemo da predškolska ustanova koja slijedi Montessori pedagogiju može poboljšati i izjednačiti definirane ishode u kvalitetnom razvoju djece, posebice u početnom opismenjavanju djece predškolske dobi.More than 100 years ago, the Italian doctor Maria Montessori began to design a child-centered education system, in order to create a responsible citizen of the world through the maximum development of each child's own abilities. The first chapters of the paper describe an alternative approach to upbringing and education according to Maria Montessori. The paper presents peculiarities of the Montessori method, which consists of Montessori principles, periods of special sensitivity and a prepared environment consisting of Montessori educator, a specially structured space and accessories for performing a methodical act (exercises). The theoretical framework contains a description of Maria Montessori's original guidelines on early literacy for children aged three to six as well as the conclusions of many studies on the validity, success and modernity of Montessori pedagogy which show that when the system is well implemented, children's outcomes are superior to those achieved by the usual regular programs. In addition to the specifics of Montessori pedagogy, the paper describes the knowledge of writing and writing skills as well as reading and reading skills. The lack of certain skills in early age can make it difficult for a child to learn and may cause further difficulties. The role of the educator is significant. He will choose and design those methodological procedures in order to create a stimulating environment as well as to increase the motivation of the child himself to be able, as Maria Montessori says, to "catch and understand". The paper describes in detail the methodological procedures of Montessori pedagogy that are applied in the initial literacy of preschool children. Further more, the paper describes the own reflections of an educated Montessori preschool teacher on the benefits of applying the methodological procedures of Montessori pedagogy. The paper concludes that a preschool institution that follows Montessori pedagogy can improve and equalize important outcomes in the quality development of children, especially in the initial literacy of preschool children