Montessori: How to Develop Your Child's Intelligence, a lecture by Wendy Fidler 

Dr Maria Montessori was a scientific pedagogue. In my presentation I will explain the neuroscience that underpins how the Montessori sensorial materials help children develop, integrate and coordinate sensory perceptions necessary for intelligence. 

The child must learn all he knows by exploring his world - age alone does not provide school-readiness. Sight and vision are not the same ability; vision problems can be learning problems; vision is intelligence; primary seeing skills are essential to reading skills; language is a visual activity; vision and audition are a team; children need to talk to themselves; reading to children. 

To assure children's academic success we will explore:

• General Movement Patterns - procedures for the development of spatial appreciation, spatial orientations, flexibility and posture; 

• Special Movement Patterns - procedures for the development of manipulative skills; 

• Eye Movement Patterns - procedures for the development of visual inspection skills; 

• Vision-Language Patterns - procedures for the development of communication skills; 

• Visualization Patterns - procedures for the development of interpretation skills.