Dwyer and AMI Primary Language Album

In the last couple (now 3-4) weeks I have taken quite a few questions along the same lines and thought a blog post might be a great place to sort it all out ;)

1/7/12 - let me just reiterate right here - YOU have to decide what will work best for your family. My experience is my experience; while much of my opinion is based on a seriously high amount of observation, even I find myself outside of statistics many times, so I will not lock anyone into them ;) I can only help guide you based on your situation ;)


Within the English-speaking Montessori homeschool world, there are 3 language development "schemes" (anyone have a better word for that!?) that are most prevalent. I am sure there are many variations on these, but as a homeschooler coming to the internet getting started on Montessori, here are the three you will find most often, of late:
(when I was first getting started and before I went to training, #3 was not readily available and I never came across #2, though it was available)

1. Pink/Blue/Green - altogether the most prevalent. It was developed specifically for the English language  and is heavily promoted by AMS (the Montessori organization with the strongest presence in the United States; and the most accessible to homeschoolers and new Montessori teachers). This system has to work because it is so prevalent, but it can be very overwhelming for new homeschooling parents, and tends to be heavily modified by each user because of these overwhelming aspects. It was not developed by anyone in the Montessori family (Maria, Mario, etc.), but is a specific response to the English language, in a Montessori-inspired manner. History is sketchy on the internet, but it seems to be in response to American-English, versus English in general or British-English (can someone please verify this for me!?). In any case, it may be more appropriate for schools (over homeschools) when seeking to apply it in a pure form. But I would personally not send my child to a school that uses this approach, if I want a true Montessori school.
2. Dwyer Pamphlet - published by NAMTA - becoming more prevalent as families are really getting burned by the p/b/g work. I wrote up my first post about it here: Analysis of Dwyer booklet compared to AMI Primary Language Album. The emphasis of her pamphlet is "The Exploration of Language" - utilizing keys to unlock language. Keys - what Maria Montessori called her sensorial materials (keys to the world). And while it simplifies the process, it potentially over-simplifies it by mentioning some topics without going in-depth. The reason is that Muriel Dwyer summarized the approach that AMI uses; this booklet was never meant to be a complete step by step guide. 
3. AMI Primary Language Album - growing in prevalence only because certain AMI-trained Montessori teachers are taking AMI out of the cloistered elite and sharing it with the world. However, picked up straight by a homeschooling parent without Montessori training - it can feel almost as overwhelming as the p/b/g work. If you have a detailed scope and sequence with the album, you're much better off, but there can still be questions. Support and understanding of how the album works is growing. 
4. There are other resources as well, that seem to be variations on the above: Gettman, Montessori Read & Write, Hainstock's books, and the like. Much more user-friendly and designed to speak to the homeschooling mom, but not as complete as they could be. Excellent filler resources. 

So overall - no one perfect solution for the homeschool mom who would like to pick up a straight-forward guide and run with it. Why is that? Because every child is different, thus modifications are necessary. The nice thing? There is plenty of online support available through e-mail groups and generous Montessori-trained teachers who want this work in the hands of homeschoolers. 

Some other bloggers who have posted fantastic resources or reviews on the differences between pink/blue/green and the Dwyer pamphlet: 

• What Did We Do All Day?
• Kingdom of the Pink Princesses
• Dream Before You

There are many more - and you are welcome to add your link below if you have a blog post/series up about it :) 

Who developed each approach? 

The booklet by Muriel Dwyer appears to be a(n excellent and useful) summary of the AMI approach, which would have been approved by Maria Montessori (2020 edit: Muriel Dwyer worked with Mario Montessori on this approach that works for *any* language for AMI to continue to use in non-purely-phonetic languages). The AMI language album is not heavily focused on learning a language in the same style as Italian - instead is truly keys-based in its exploration of any language. There are conflicting sources for who developed the pink/blue/green series and it seems to be a collaborative effort. I am unfortunately short on time to look much further at this time, but would love if someone else could share this information if they know it for sure :) (see comments)

I think that clarifies most of the questions I have received thus far, except one other main one: 

If I want to follow your recommendation to use the AMI Primary Language with the Dwyer booklet, how do I do that? 

ANSWER: The Dwyer booklet is like the framework, the how-to, and the areas of absolute emphasis; and most parents who are interacting with their children right now, will be able to apply it right away. However, there are some "meaty details" that, if you have the Primary Language album, you will have so many aha moments, that your children will wonder why you're so excited! ;) 

DETAILS: 

The Dwyer booklet corresponds with large portions of the Primary Language album in the following manner (see the chart below)

As you can see, the Dwyer booklet gives the framework and the main things to emphasize, allowing for you to see at a glance what is most important within the foundation. From there, you can better apply the primary language album pages. Best scenario: use a detailed scope and sequence with ages to determine what should be done within a general time frame (parallel works); then use Dwyer to see where in the framework that is, so you have your "place in the grand scheme of things"; and use the language album for your actual presentations.


I hope this all helps! Keep asking questions as they come up!

Dwyer on the left; AMI Primary Language album (Keys of the World modified) on the right.
Note that where it says "mentioned" or "listed" in Dwyer, it means she refers to it, but provides no or very few details. The chart clearly shows that Dwyer summarized the AMI approach - they are the same, just a different level of detail. 

(not included)	Prologue
	Education as an Aid to Life
	Development of Language (from Theory)
	Introduction to Language
	Introduction to Spoken Language
Aural Development (ages 0-4+)	Spoken: Vocabulary Enrichment
	Orientation Game
	Naming Objects in the Environment
	Collecting Classified Objects
	Practical Life Objects
	Parts of an Object
	Language of the Sensorial Materials
	Three Period Lesson
	Classified Cards - Social
	Related Objects Game - Presentations A & B
	Description/Definition Game
	Stories – Biological Classifications
	The Story of Living and Non-Living Matter
	The Story of Plants and Animals
	The Story of the Five Classes of Vertebrates
	Sorting Game – Biology Classifications
	Nomenclature Cards – Scientific
	Life Cycles
	Oral Language Games
Aural Development (ages 0-4+)	Spoken: Language Development
	Storytelling
	Reading and Books in the Library
	Poems
	Conversation
	Question Game
	Cultural Folders
	Extension: fictional story telling
	Land and Water Form Folders
	Land and Water Form Outline Maps
	Biome Folders
	Art Folders
	My State
	Writing
	Introduction to Writing
Aural Development (ages 0-4+)	Sound Games
	Sensitizing Fingers
Symbols for the Sounds (3 1/2 or so + )	Sandpaper Letters
Done WITH the above individual letters	Sandpaper Phonograms (Additional Sandpaper Letters)
Typically around 4, earlier or later	Movable Alphabet
Separate development (not in Dwyer)	Metal Insets (12 Stages)
	Small Metal Insets
	Map Making
	Writing - Art of Handwriting
Lightly touched on (hinted at) in Dwyer booklet	Sand Tray
	Chalkboards
	Paper Material (10 stages)
	Initial Strokes
	Green Boards (Initial strokes)
	Handwriting Charts – 6
	Book Making
	Reading: Phonetic Reading
	Introduction to Reading
Dwyer: Object Box 1	Phonetic Object Box
Dwyer: “Beginning of Reading”	Phonetic Reading Cards
Dwyer: “Activity Word Game” (part 1)	Phonetic Reading Commands
Dwyer: “Beginning of Reading”	Phonetic Booklets
	Rhyming Words
	Reading: Phonograms
Dwyer marks this as Object Box 2	Phonogram Object Box and Alphabet Boxes
(only hinted at)	Phonogram Shadow Box
Dwyer has “folders” for a version of these	Phonogram Booklets
	Phonogram Cards
(not covered in Dwyer???)	Phonogram Alphabet Exploration
Dwyer: “Activity Word Game” (part 2)	Phonogram Commands
Dwyer: kind of the Phonogram dictionary, but a bit different – would be great to do both versions	Research
	Spelling
	Dictionary
	Personal Dictionary
	Reading: Puzzle Words
Puzzle Words in Dwyer, under “The Test” (introduced with the movable alphabet according to AMI)	Puzzle Words
	Reading Classification
Mentioned in Phonogram Dictionary and Dictation as parallel work.	Presentation I – Classifying the Environment
	Presentation II – Cards with Labels
	A. Social
	B. Scientific
	C1. Biology Classifications: Living and Non-Living
	C2: Biology Classifications: Plant and Animal
	C3: Biology Classifications: Five Classes of Vertebrates
	Extension: Mix and sort - work up to 5 sets
	Presentation III – Definition Stages
	Reading: Function of Words
Mentioned in Phonogram Dictionary and Dictation as parallel work.	Introduction to Function of Words and Background
	Article
	Adjective
	Logical Adjective
	Detective Adjective
	Conjunction
	Preposition
	Verb
	Adverb
	Logical Adverb
	Continuation of Commands
	Symbol and Phrase Game
	Word Study
Further exploration of reading skills and language exploration – much of this can and should be done orally to begin with (with some details left out to be discovered when the child can read for himself), so that the reading portion becomes a deeper work for the children as well as a way to enhance whole reading skills with something familiar. Mentioned in Phonogram Dictionary and Dictation as parallel work.	Introduction to Word Study
	Compound Words
	Suffixes
	Prefixes
	Word Families
	Adjectives
	Singular and Plural
	Synonyms
	Antonyms
	Homophones
	Homographs
	Animal Collectives
	Animals and Their Young
	Animal Sounds
	Animal Homes
	Animal Families
	Contractions
	Reading Analysis
Dwyer: Listed under “Dictation”	Introduction to Reading Analysis
	Simple Sentences Stage I
	Simple Sentences Stage II
	Simple Sentences Stage III
	Musical Expression
Not touched on in Dwyer’s booklet.	Introduction to Musical Expression
	Notation with the Bells: whole step, half step, tetrachord
	Note Names with the Bells (Name Lessons with the Bells)
	Introduction to the Musical Staff: Staff, Ledger Lines, G-Clef
	Note Names on the Numbered Staff Board
	Note Names on the Unmarked Staff Board
	Unmarked Staff Boards – Parallel Exercise 1: Matching Cards with Bells
	Unmarked Staff Boards – Parallel Exercise 2: Nomenclature Cards
	Unmarked Staff Boards – Parallel Exercise 3: Grading
	Unmarked Staff Boards – Parallel Exercise 4: Descriptions/Definitions
	Composing on the Bells
	Reading Music
	Language Extension
Much of this work falls under real life experiences, aural and oral language development. We want the children to have real experiences so they have something to write about with the movable alphabet.	Who Am I?
	How to Teach a Song
	Clapping – Rhythm
	Introduction to Biology
	Introducing Animals
	Plant Study and Experiments
	Telling Time
Additionals particular to Keys of the World albums - not included in straight AMI albums or in Dwyer's booklet.	Appendix
	Language Scope and Sequence
	Language Materials List
	Master Copies

Related printable and physical materials available here: 

Keys of the World Language Arts

I am getting a lot of off-blog questions - mostly along the same lines. I get wordy in my responses, but here is a quick response ;) 

Can I just use the Dwyer booklet (summary of AMI)and not use the (AMI) full primary language album at all? 

Yes. *If* you are looking to just focus on learning to read and write, and that's it. As a homeschooler you are probably already providing a rich language experience, just living life, using real vocabulary, reading with your child and having lots of real experiences. 

Slightly longer answer: As you can see, the primary language album also includes music, science, as well as all the language studies that come after learning how to read and write. Yes, there are variations on these in elementary, but these are primary level lessons here, and if you have time and a ready-child, the primary language album will serve you well. There is SO much more available in the AMI Primary language album.

It just depends on your situation :)

1/5/12 - See My Boys' Teacher's comment about the albums. This answer also depends which albums you are using.


Click here for a link to the Montessori Trails page correlating Dwyer with AMI with Pink/Blue/Green - aligned next to each other according to stages.