Integrating the Montessori Approach in Your Materials Development: why (not)?
by Elisa Fia
May 12, 2026
In this post, Elisa Fia discusses how the Montessori approach can inform the design of materials, providing specific ways in which materials writers and teachers can do so, whilst also discussing the limitations of this pedagogy for specific educational contexts.
In recent years, the term Montessori has started to appear more frequently in conversations around language teaching and materials development, especially in young learner education contexts. For many educators, the Montessori approach evokes images of wooden objects, calm classrooms and highly independent learners. Beyond aesthetics, this approach offers a set of pedagogical principles that can meaningfully inform how we design materials.
This post explores what Montessori can offer ELT materials writers and teachers, and equally, where this approach may not be suitable.
What is Montessori really about?
Before integrating anything into our materials, we need to understand the theoretical foundation of this approach. The Montessori educational philosophy is grounded in a few key principles:
- Self-directed learning
- Sensorial engagement
- Structured environments with freedom within limits
- Built-in opportunities for self-correction
At its core, Montessori education emphasizes learners’ active engagement with materials and their ability to make their own choices about their learning process (Ogbemudia et al., 2024). Learners themselves select, manipulate and reflect on tasks. For materials writers and teachers, this opens an opportunity to design materials that go beyond language presentation, and is better concretised in the concept of language exploration.
Why bring Montessori into ELT materials?
1. Re-centering learner autonomy
One of Montessori’s most compelling contributions is its focus on autonomy. Learners are encouraged to choose what they work on, how long they spend on it and, occasionally, even how they approach it (Marshall, 2017). In ELT materials, this could translate into:
- Offering task choice (e.g., different speaking prompts or writing paths)
- Designing open-ended activities
- Allowing flexible sequencing, especially in digital materials
For both young and adult learners this can translate in a wider sense of ownership and enhanced motivation.
2. Moving from abstract to concrete
Montessori materials are famously tactile and concrete. Abstract concepts are introduced through physical and sensorial experiences before being generalised (Marshall, 2017). In language learning, this principle can be incorporated by:
- Using visuals and realia to introduce vocabulary
- Designing meaning-first tasks before focusing on form
- Encouraging experiential learning (e.g., describing objects, categorizing, sequencing)
For example, instead of presenting comparative adjectives through a rule, learners might first interact with images or objects and describe differences (“This is bigger than…”), building intuitive understanding.
3. Sensorial learning and deeper processing
This post explores what Montessori can offer ELT materials writers and teachers, and equally, where this approach may not be suitable.
In Montessori education, materials are designed to isolate specific features (e.g., size, colour, texture) and allow focused exploration (Ogbemudia et al., 2024). In ELT, this can inspire:
- Multisensory vocabulary tasks (sound discrimination, visual categorization)
- Activities that isolate one feature at a time (e.g., pronunciation contrasts)
- Tasks that promote noticing, a key concept in second language acquisition
For instance, minimal pair activities (ship/sheep) reflect this principle very clearly: isolating one phonological feature to train perception.
4. Built-in self-correction
A distinctive feature of Montessori materials is the “control of error”, meaning learners can identify and correct mistakes independently without immediate teacher intervention (Marshall, 2017). In ELT materials, this could be operationalized through:
- Answer keys that promote reflection
- Tasks where only one solution “fits” logically
This aligns strongly with formative assessment practices and learner autonomy.
But… why not?
While Montessori principles are appealing, if adopted carelessly, they risk leading to the creation of materials that can be impractical for classroom use.
1. The challenge of standardisation
Montessori thrives in flexible, learner-driven environments. However, many ELT contexts are constrained by: exam requirements and a fixed syllabus. Materials writers often need to ensure coverage and progression, which can sometimes conflict with open-ended exploration. For example, English proficiency exams (such as IELTS, TOEFL, etc.) preparation requires targeted practice of specific task types. Too much freedom may reduce efficiency or leave gaps in preparation.
2. Not all learners want (or can handle) autonomy
Autonomy is not a universal preference. Some learners prefer being provided with clear guidance and structure, and may even feel uncomfortable with open-ended tasks. In addition, simply giving more choice to materials does not automatically lead to autonomy: self-regulated learning develops over time and needs support (Marshall, 2017), which ultimately means more work required for educators. In this case, materials need to include graduated support, such as:
- Guided choices
- Models and examples
- Clear outcomes and success criteria
3. The risk of superficial “Montessori-washing”
There is a growing trend of adopting the look of Montessori (minimalist design, manipulatives, neutral colours) without its pedagogical depth. True Montessori-inspired materials are:
- Purposefully sequenced
- Focused on isolating specific learning features
- Designed for repetition with variation
Without this rigor, materials risk becoming aesthetically pleasing but pedagogically weak.
4. Practical constraints in adult ELT contexts
Montessori was originally developed for children, and some aspects do not transfer easily to adult language classrooms. The main challenges are the limited time for exploratory learning and the learner expectations of efficiency and explicit instruction. For example, some adult learners prefer a clear grammar explanation rather than discovering rules through extended exploration.
So… how can we integrate it meaningfully?
1. Design for “guided autonomy”
Instead of full freedom, offer structured choices:
- “Choose two of these questions to discuss”
- “Start with Task A or Task B depending on your level”
This maintains learner autonomy, but still ensures an instructional direction.
2. Sequence from experience to analysis
Four simple principles:
- Experience (e.g., discuss images, complete a task)
- Notice (identify patterns)
- Analyse (focus on form)
- Apply (practice)
This mirrors Montessori’s concrete-to-abstract progression, but also aligns with communicative language teaching.
3. Build in self-correction opportunities
Ask yourself when designing tasks:
- Can learners check their own answers?
- Is feedback immediate and meaningful?
- Does the task encourage reflection?
Even simple design tweaks, for example including prompts such as “Check: does your answer include…?” allow the learner to correct their own errors.
Final reflections: Montessori as a mindset, rather than a method
Montessori should not be a checklist to apply to materials. It should enable us to reflect on the role of the learners, the materials and the educator. Some questions that we can ask ourselves when designing materials are:
- Are learners active or passive?
- Do materials invite exploration or just completion?
- Is there space for independence?
At the same time, Montessori reminds us that context matters. Effective materials balance freedom and structure, exploration and efficiency, learner autonomy and guided instruction. For materials writers, the question is not if they should use Montessori, but whether Montessori principles genuinely enhance learning in their context.
References
Marshall, C. Montessori education: a review of the evidence base. npj Science Learn 2, 11 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-017-0012-7
Ogbemudia, I.M., Alasa, V.M., & Ikenyiri, J.C. (2024). The Montessori Pedagogy: A Multi-Sensory Approach to Childhood Education. Jurnal Pendidikan Abad Ke-21.
Elisa Fia is a freelance English teacher and author based in Iceland, with experience teaching learners of all ages, from young children to adults. She previously taught English in a Montessori daycare in Italy, where she developed a strong foundation in child-centered education. Today, her work focuses on supporting adult learners, creating inclusive and welcoming learning environments. Her teaching approach emphasizes communication and real-life language use, helping students integrate more smoothly into Icelandic society while achieving their personal, academic and
professional goals through English.