Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Maria Montessori. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Maria Montessori lived between 1870 and 1952. She was an Italian educator who has left her mark on education today. Her Montessori method of education is widely used all round the world. Many educationalists say it is the best system for child education. Montessori was also a doctor, philosopher and philanthropist. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times for her work.
Montessori was the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome’s Medical School. She trained as a psychiatrist and was interested in educating the "mentally retarded" and others with learning difficulties. She had great success when her class of “problematic” 8-year-olds had above-average scores in state reading and writing tests. This was described as "the first Montessori miracle."
Hearing about Maria’s achievements, Rome’s government asked her to start her own children’s school. In 1907, the Casa del Bambini opened in a poor neighbourhood of Rome. Montessori experimented with a philosophy she called “spontaneous self-development”, which meant letting children develop and learn at their own pace. Her methods once again met with great success. More schools opened and she gained worldwide fame.
Montessori was exiled from Italy because she refused to allow her schools to turn children into soldiers. She lived in Spain until the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936. In 1939 she moved to India and spent ten years working on training courses, which are still seen as innovative today. She traveled the world lecturing until her death in 1952.
249 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
educator
a.
do-gooder
2
mark
b.
problems
3.
philanthropist
c.
less developed
4.
retarded
d.
impact
5.
difficulties
e.
national
6.
state
f.
teacher
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
achievements
g.
speed
8.
spontaneous
h.
successes
9.
pace
i.
said no
10.
exiled
j.
natural
11
refused
k
revolutionary
12
innovative
l
expelled
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
an Italian educator who has left
a.
retarded
2
She was nominated for the
b.
reading and writing tests
3.
educating the mentally
c.
development
4.
others with learning
d.
at their own pace
5.
above-average scores in state
e.
Nobel Peace Prize
6.
spontaneous self-
f.
innovative today
7.
letting children develop and learn
g.
her mark on education
8.
Her methods once again met
h.
until her death in 1952
9.
still seen as
i.
difficulties
10.
She traveled the world lecturing
j.
with great success
LISTENING GAP FILL
Maria Montessori lived between 1870 and 1952. She was an Italian educator who __________________ on education today. Her Montessori method of education is __________________ round the world. Many educationalists __________________ system for child education. Montessori was also a doctor, philosopher and philanthropist. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three __________________.
Montessori __________________ to graduate from the University of Rome’s Medical School. She trained as a psychiatrist and was interested in educating the "__________________ " and others with learning difficulties. She had great success when her __________________ 8-year-olds had __________________ in state reading and writing tests. This was described as "the first Montessori miracle."
Hearing about Maria’s achievements, Rome’s government asked her to __________________ children’s school. In 1907, the Casa del Bambini opened in a poor neighbourhood of Rome. Montessori experimented with a philosophy ____________________ self-development”, which meant letting children develop and learn __________________. Her methods once again met with great success. More schools opened __________________ worldwide fame.
Montessori was exiled from Italy because __________________ her schools __________________ soldiers. She lived in Spain until the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936. In 1939 she moved to India and spent ten years working on training courses, which are still seen as __________________. She traveled the world __________________ death in 1952.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Maria Montessori lived between 1870 and 1952. She was an Italian educator / education who has left her marking / mark on education today. Her Montessori method of education is widely / width used all round the world. Many educationalists say it is the best system for child / children education. Montessori was also a doctor, philosopher and philanthropist. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times for her work.
Montessori was the first woman to graduate for / from the University of Rome’s Medical School. She trained as a psychiatrist and was interested in / by educating the "mentally retarded" and others with learning difficulties / difficult. She had great success when her class of “problematic” 8-year-olds had above-average scores in stating / state reading and writing tests. This was described as "the first Montessori miracle."
Hearing about / with Maria’s achievements, Rome’s government asked her to start her own children’s school. In 1907, the Casa del Bambini opened in a poor / poverty neighbourhood of Rome. Montessori experimented with a philosophy she called “spontaneous self-development”, which meant letting children develop / developing and learn at their own pace / space. Her methods once again met with great success. More schools opened and she gained worldwide fame.
Montessori was exhaled / exiled from Italy because she refused to allow her schools to turn children onto / into soldiers. She lived in Spain until the Spanish Civil War broke / broken out in 1936. In 1939 she moved to India and spent ten years working on training courses, which are still seen as innovative today. She traveled the world lectures / lecturing until her death in 1952.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
She was an Italian dreocatu
2.
Montessori toemhd of education
3.
the best ytmsse for child education
4.
She was atnodenim for the Nobel Peace Prize
Paragraph 2
5.
She naridet as a psychiatrist
6.
learning teiduflcsifi
7.
above-average ssorce
8.
the first Montessori lmecrai
Paragraph 3
9.
the Casa del Bambini epenod
10.
experimented with a lpoiophsyh
11.
children ledopve and learn at their own pace
12.
she gdniea worldwide fame
Paragraph 4
13.
Montessori was ilexde from Italy
14.
turn children into sorlesdi
15.
training sseocur
16.
She traveled the world itcgrunel
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
difficulties. She had great success when her class of “problematic” 8-year-olds had above-average
( )
pace. Her methods once again met with great success. More schools opened and she gained worldwide fame.
( )
the Casa del Bambini opened in a poor neighbourhood of Rome. Montessori experimented with a philosophy she
( )
scores in state reading and writing tests. This was described as "the first Montessori miracle."
( )
a psychiatrist and was interested in educating the "mentally retarded" and others with learning
( )
Montessori was the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome’s Medical School. She trained as
( )
philanthropist. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times for her work.
( )
on education today. Her Montessori method of education is widely used all round the world. Many educationalists
( )
say it is the best system for child education. Montessori was also a doctor, philosopher and
( )
Montessori was exiled from Italy because she refused to allow her schools to turn children into soldiers. She lived
( 1 )
Maria Montessori lived between 1870 and 1952. She was an Italian educator who has left her mark
( )
in Spain until the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936. In 1939 she moved to India and spent ten years working
( )
Hearing about Maria’s achievements, Rome’s government asked her to start her own children’s school. In 1907,
( )
called “spontaneous self-development”, which meant letting children develop and learn at their own
( )
on training courses, which are still seen as innovative today. She traveled the world lecturing until her death in 1952.
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
left today education on mark her
2.
best the education child for system
3.
times nominated Nobel three was the Prize She for Peace
4.
writing - in and above scores reading tests average state
5.
This miracle Montessori first the as described was
6.
spontaneous called she philosophy self-development
7.
letting at children their develop own and pace learn
8.
she and opened schools More fame worldwide gained
9.
refused to allow her schools to turn children into soldiers she
10.
until lecturing world the traveled She death her
MARIA MONTESSORI DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Maria Montessori?
2.
Would you like to have met Maria Montessori?
3.
What would you like to know about Maria Montessori and why?
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Maria Montessori. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MARIA MONTESSORI POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Maria Montessori. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Maria Montessori. Include an imaginary interview with her. Write about what she did every day and what she thought about.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to Maria Montessori. Ask her three questions about her life. Tell her how important she is in today’s world. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Maria Montessori expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
educator
a.
teacher
2
mark
b.
impact
3.
philanthropist
c.
do-gooder
4.
retarded
d.
less developed
5.
difficulties
e.
problems
6.
state
f.
national
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
achievements
g.
successes
8.
spontaneous
h.
natural
9.
pace
i.
speed
10.
exiled
j.
expelled
11
refused
k
said no
12
innovative
l
revolutionary
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
an Italian educator who has left
a.
her mark on education
2
She was nominated for the
b.
Nobel Peace Prize
3.
educating the mentally
c.
retarded
4.
others with learning
d.
difficulties
5.
above-average scores in state
e.
reading and writing tests
6.
spontaneous self-
f.
development
7.
letting children develop and learn
g.
at their own pace
8.
Her methods once again met
h.
with great success
9.
still seen as
i.
innovative today
10.
She traveled the world lecturing
j.
until her death in 1952
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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