Children under the age of 6 have what Dr. Maria Montessori called “the absorbent mind.”
The Absorbent Mind takes in everything in its environment continuously, tirelessly, and without awareness or discrimination.
After the age of 6, the child develops a Reasoning Mind, and takes things in through conscious work and memory.
Dr. Montessori described the Absorbent Mind like a camera and the Reasoning Mind like a painter: the camera takes a photograph, capturing every detail of a scene, just as it is in that moment.
A painter chooses what to capture in a scene, interpreting and adding or omitting details as they please.
Children with a Reasoning Mind are no longer able to simply absorb language from their environment, but they now are able to think analytically about vocabulary, grammar structure and pronunciation.
They can exert a conscious effort to learn a language.
Children with an Absorbent Mind (0-6) will benefit most from rich conversations and immersion, and don’t necessarily need direct instruction in order to absorb the vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation of a new language.
Exposing children to two or more languages before the age of 6 allows them to absorb the grammatical structures, syntax and accents of each language effortlessly and completely.
Children with a Reasoning Mind (6+) will enjoy and benefit from direct teaching through language classes, language learning games and books, and flash cards with translations, in addition to interactive conversations and immersion.
Further reading:
The Absorbent Mind by Maria Montessori
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