Grammar Tells A Story
Grammar Tells A Story is a handbook for the adult guide, not a material for the child's hands. Michael J. Dorer ties Montessori theory to daily practice and lets the grammar symbols speak for themselves in more than fifty imaginative, entertaining stories that a teacher or parent can tell to children from 3 to 6 years. The soft cover edition from 2023 runs to 280 pages and gives you both stories to read aloud and a way of presenting language that children remember because it made them laugh.
“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”
Grammar Tells A Story bridges the gap between concrete manipulation and abstract linguistic concepts that emerge in the second plane of development.
- Identifies basic parts of speech through story characters and their roles
- Constructs simple sentences by arranging narrative elements in logical sequence
- Develops awareness of word order and its impact on meaning
- Builds vocabulary through contextual story exploration
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By transforming grammatical elements into narrative characters and plot devices, this material respects the child's need for imagination while building precise language skills. Each story component within Grammar Tells A Story corresponds to a specific grammatical function, allowing children to physically arrange and rearrange language elements before they can fully articulate rules. The narrative format of Grammar Tells A Story engages the child's natural tendency toward storytelling, making invisible grammatical structures visible through character interactions and plot sequences. This material recognizes that grammar awareness develops through meaningful context rather than isolated drill, providing children with memorable associations between story elements and their linguistic functions.
How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Arrange the story materials on a mat or table, organizing character cards, action cards, and descriptive elements in separate groups. Ensure adequate workspace for sentence building.
- 1
Introduce one story character representing a noun, demonstrating how it performs the main action in a simple narrative
Start with familiar characters from the child's daily life - 2
Add an action card (verb) to show what the character does, creating a two-word story foundation
Act out the verb physically to reinforce its meaning - 3
Introduce descriptive elements (adjectives) to enrich the character, building three-part sentences
Let the child choose which descriptions match their mental image - 4
Expand the story by adding location or time elements, introducing prepositional concepts
Connect story settings to places the child knows - 5
Encourage the child to create their own story combinations, exploring how different arrangements change meaning
Accept all grammatically correct combinations, even silly ones
Every Child Is a Little Creator
Heritage
Since 1929
Brands used by
schools worldwide
European brands
AMI
Endorsed
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Grammar Tells A Story
