Giving Every Child the Gift of Expression

Language is more than words—it’s how we think, connect, and understand the world. At JMS International Montessori, language development is nurtured gently and intentionally, allowing children to build rich communication skills in both English and Sinhala from the earliest years.

In the Montessori environment, language is not taught—it is discovered. Children engage with materials and activities that build vocabulary, strengthen expression, and lay the foundation for reading and writing with joy and confidence.

How Language Grows in Montessori

Children aged between 2½ and 6 are within the sensitive period for language. Their minds are naturally receptive to absorbing speech, rhythm, and vocabulary with ease. Montessori leverages this opportunity by providing a rich, hands-on, and multilingual environment. Language development happens in four natural stages:

• Listening – Absorbing sounds and speech patterns
• Speaking – Expressing thoughts and naming objects
• Writing – Learning phonics and forming words
• Reading – Blending sounds and understanding text

Each step is carefully supported, allowing children to progress at their own pace with encouragement, not pressure.

Language Activities at JMS

Here are some key Montessori materials and practices used to support language development:

• Sandpaper Letters – Children trace textured letters while saying the sound, linking touch, sound, and sight.
• Moveable Alphabet – Allows children to build words even before they can write them with a pencil.
• Object-to-Name Matching – Builds vocabulary in English and Sinhala through everyday objects.
• Storytelling & Picture Cards – Encourages imagination, sequencing, and verbal expression.
• Reading Exercises – Children progress from phonetic reading to sight words and short books.
• Writing Practice – Begins with tracing and evolves naturally into forming letters and sentences.

Bilingual Learning: English & Sinhala

At JMS, we are proud to offer a bilingual environment where both English and Sinhala are taught side by side. Children become comfortable expressing themselves in both languages, enhancing not only their literacy but also their cultural identity and cognitive flexibility.

Why Montessori Language Learning Works

Unlike traditional rote methods, the Montessori approach focuses on hands-on discovery, multisensory engagement, and joyful repetition. Children don’t just memorise—they understand. They don’t copy—they create. And that’s the foundation of lifelong literacy.

Helping Children Find Their Voice

Language is power. At JMS International Montessori, we help children find their voice, develop confidence in communication, and fall in love with words. Whether they are speaking, writing, or reading, our goal is to make language meaningful, personal, and full of wonder.