Yıldırım Doğru S. S., Doğru H. B.
Preschool Education: Global Trends, sa.5, ss.7-19, 2024 (Hakemli Dergi)
Özet
ABSTRACT
Introductıon.
The main idea of Montessori Pedagogy and Montessori Therapy based
on it is to contribute to the development of the child by accepting them with their
own personality and providing special ‘sensory development tools’ and activities
suitable for the child’s ‘structure plan’.
Purpose.
This study will focus on the therapeutic use of the Montessori method in
infants and young children with special needs. Also,
it is aimed to explain Montessori
Therapy and its usage in the education of children with special needs in-depth and
to evaluate the perspectives of parents of children with special needs on Montessori
Therapy.
Method.
The research is a descriptive study and includes compiling information on
Montessori therapy and the results of interviews conducted with the families of five
children with special needs. The research data consists of a literature review and
family interviews.
Results.
As a result of the research, parents of children with special needs stated that
alternative preschool education (Montessori education) approaches for their children
could be effective in helping children acquire basic life skills.
Conclusions.
Montessori principles such as individualized learning, manipulative
materials, freedom and discipline, natural environment, and continuous observation
can help maximize the potential of these children. However, every child is unique, and
the therapy may need to be constantly adapted to be effective. Therefore, practitioners
of Montessori therapy should carefully observe and assess the needs of the children,
and continuously update themselves with current research and best practices.
Key words:
special needs, Montessori method, Montessori therapy, Montessori
education, preschool children, parents of children with special needs