The Montessori Three-Period Lesson: A Step-by-Step Guide

Montessori lessons are often presented in a very specific manner, and one of the most common presentations used is the three-period lesson. The three-period lesson is used to help young children learn vocabulary and concepts.

"The purpose of the three-period lesson is to help the child to better understand...and to allow you to see how well the child is grasping and absorbing what you are showing him.

~ Elizabeth Hainstock, Teaching Montessori in the Home

The three-period lesson was developed by Edouard Seguin, a French physician who worked with special needs children in France and the United States during the late 19th century. Maria Montessori was influenced and inspired by Seguin's writings and his work was the source of many of her practical ideas.

As a parent, you have probably been using this presentation with your child informally without even realising it. It is a way of gauging your child’s mastery of a particular concept and one that you can use throughout childhood.

The three steps, or periods, are:

1. Introduction
   i.e. “This is a pencil.”

2. Identification
   i.e. “Show me the pencil.”

3. Recall
   i.e. “What is this?”

Period 1: Introduction

“This is ______.”

From the time your baby is born, you name people, places and things, and use those names over and over. The baby hears the sounds you make and begins to form a preliminary understanding of language.

Initially, your baby will not notice differences e.g. all animals might be called “cats”, or all vehicles might be called “cars.” He begins to internalise language way before he is able to verbalise, and takes it in with all his senses. Not only will he hear the words “hot” and “cold”, but he will also touch, taste and feel the objects offered to him when those words are being said. He miraculously internalises the world through all his senses, termed “the absorbent mind.”

Period 2: Identification

“Show me ______.”

When your child hears the names of things over and over, they begin to connect the word with the object. This stage of learning takes the longest, and the first period may need to be repeated until the child is able to complete period two.

Montessori identified how crucial movement is to learning, so playing games that incorporate movement are excellent e.g. ask your child to bring you (a book). Naming games such as “I Spy” or simply “Find me an apple” can also be used during this second period of learning.

There is no need to rush on to the third period until the child has fully learned vocabulary during the second period. This stage could last for days, weeks or even months.

Period 3: Cognition

“What is this?”

This last period may seem like a “test”, but the question is only asked when we know the child will answer correctly. This is why it is so important to spend as much time as necessary on period two.

When a child can name something, it indicates cognition, which is the third step of learning. If you ask “What is this?” and your child does not know, it tells you that more repetition and identification is necessary. Instead of suggesting that your child has failed, just play more games and reintroduce the vocabulary until your child is ready to name the object.

The three-period lesson can be used to introduce vocabulary and is applied in all areas of the classroom. See the video below by Montessori Training - Montitute for a demonstration of the three-period lesson in action.

The Montessori three-period lesson in action.