The Principles of the Montessori Pedagogy in Teaching English

Rednak, Rebeka (author), Skela, Janez (mentor)

Education plays a crucial role in the development of children, and in recent decades, alternative approaches to teaching have emerged alongside traditional public-school systems. One of the most established and widespread among them is the Montessori method, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori. This pedagogical approach emphasizes the holistic development of the child, fostering independence, responsibility, and a natural love of learning. At its core, the Montessori philosophy promotes self-directed activity, hands-on learning, and collaborative play in a carefully prepared environment that meets the developmental needs of the child. This Master’s thesis focuses on the key characteristics and pedagogical principles of the Montessori method, with particular attention to the role of the teacher, the autonomy of the learner, and the function of specially designed Montessori materials in the learning process. The theoretical part outlines the foundations of Montessori education, including the importance of the prepared environment, the developmental stages of the child, and the emphasis on intrinsic motivation and freedom within limits. The empirical part examines how these theoretical foundations are applied in everyday educational practice. The research primarily explores the roles of the teacher and the learner in a Montessori classroom, particularly in the context of English language instruction. It examines the teaching methods employed by educators, the degree of student independence, and learner engagement—that is, how independently and confidently students work, and how motivated they are to engage with tasks and use the English language in meaningful ways. The findings confirm key theoretical concepts: teachers function more as guides or facilitators than as traditional instructors, and students demonstrate a high degree of autonomy, motivation, and engagement when working with Montessori materials in their daily learning environment.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Montessori pedagogy, child-centered education, learner autonomy, prepared environment, motivation, English-language teaching
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Year: 2025
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-173085
• Publication date in RUL: 13.09.2025

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Značilnosti pouka angleščine po načelih pedagogike Montessori

Abstract

Izobraževanje ima ključno vlogo pri razvoju otrok, pri čemer so se v zadnjih desetletjih ob tradicionalnem javnem šolskem sistemu razvili tudi alternativni pedagoški pristopi. Eden najbolj uveljavljenih in razširjenih med njimi je metoda Montessori, ki jo je razvila dr. Maria Montessori. Ta pedagoški pristop poudarja celostni razvoj otroka ter spodbuja njegovo samostojnost, odgovornost in naravno radovednost do učenja. Temelj pedagogike Montessori je v samousmerjenem učenju, praktičnem delu z materiali in sodelovalni igri v skrbno pripravljenem okolju, ki ustreza razvojnim potrebam otroka. Magistrska naloga se osredotoča na glavne značilnosti in pedagoška načela metode Montessori, s posebnim poudarkom na vlogi učitelja, avtonomiji učenca ter pomenu posebej oblikovanih materialov Montessori v učnem procesu. Teoretični del predstavi temeljna izhodišča pedagogike Montessori, vključno s pomenom pripravljenega okolja in razvojnimi stopnjami otroka ter poudarkom na notranji motivaciji in svobodi znotraj določenih meja. Empirični del proučuje, kako se ta teoretična izhodišča udejanjajo v vsakodnevni vzgojno-izobraževalni praksi. Raziskava se osredotoča predvsem na vlogo učitelja in učenca v učilnici Montessori, zlasti v kontekstu poučevanja angleškega jezika. Preučuje uporabljene učne metode, stopnjo samostojnosti učencev ter njihovo vključenost in angažiranost – kako samostojno in samozavestno delujejo ter kako motivirani so za opravljanje nalog in uporabo angleškega jezika na smiseln način. Ugotovitve potrjujejo ključne teoretične predpostavke: učitelji večinoma delujejo kot usmerjevalci ali mentorji, ne kot tradicionalni podajalci znanja, učenci pa izkazujejo visoko stopnjo samostojnosti, motivacije in vključenosti pri delu z materiali Montessori v svojem vsakodnevnem učnem okolju.

• Keywords: pedagogika Montessori, v otroka usmerjeno izobraževanje, učna avtonomija, pripravljeno okolje, motivacija, poučevanje angleškega jezika