The experience of observation in a bilingual Montessori school

Abstract

This oral communication is based on my observation report for the discipline Estágio I: Fundamentos Teóricos para o Ensino da Língua Inglesa, where I observed 4 hours of English Classes at Casulo Montessori Instituto Bilíngue, to students whose ages ranged from 18 months to 3 years old. Due to the kids' ages, the classes were 30 minutes long and they were based on a “presentation and practice” methodology, always aiming for the kids to practice the language in a natural context and aligned with what they were seeing on their first language curriculum. The experience in this school was personally cherished not only because of its bilingualism, but also because the Montessori method is one I truly believe in as a teacher, and to see it first-hand was an indescribably treasured. By observing these kids experience a second language in this unique way rarely seen in our country, I had the chance of gaining important understanding of the cognitive processes the mind goes through when learning another language, which I believe is something I will always carry with me as a teacher.