To clarify the concept of sensitive period, we should start with the concept of critical period, the source.

The concept of critical period was first put forward in the field of animal behavior research. In 1950s, Lawrence, a European ecologist, and his colleagues found that some birds or goslings would follow their mothers at birth to ensure that they could be cared for and protected, thus improving their survival rate. This behavior is called imprinting. The goose hatched from the incubator in the laboratory didn't see its mother. They saw Lawrence at first sight, so they took Lawrence as their mother and followed him everywhere.

Lawrence said that 13 ~ 16 hours after hatching is the key period for these goose babies to form this attachment.

The critical period here refers to a certain moment in the development process of animals, which have already possessed some physiological abilities, and at the same time are most sensitive to the stimulation from the environment. If you get this stimulus, it will produce normal development, and it will be difficult to make up for it if you miss it. This period is a critical period.

Montessori borrowed the biologist's description of biology and the concept of critical period and put forward his own sensitive period theory. Through careful, patient and systematic observation of children's natural behavior, it is pointed out that children have a special sensory ability in each specific period, which makes them sensitive to certain things in the environment, pay close attention to related things and have patience, but turn a deaf ear to other things.

Montessori research found that when children are in a sensitive period, they will have a sense of sensitivity. When the sensitivity is generated, the child's heart will produce an irresistible force, which will drive him to have a passion for trying or learning the specific things he is interested in. This power will not disappear until the needs are met or the sensitivity is weakened. Montessori called this period a "sensitive period". Some educators call it a critical period of study or education.

What sensitive periods did Montessori discover?

First, the language sensitive period (0-6 years old)

The baby began to pay attention to the adult's mouth shape and make babbling sounds, which began his language sensitive period. Learning a language is a difficult project for adults, but children can learn their mother tongue easily because children have natural language sensitivity. Therefore, if the child is about two years old and still speaks slowly, it is necessary to take the child to the hospital to check whether there is a congenital disorder.

Language ability affects children's expressive ability, and good language ability can lay a good foundation for future interpersonal relationships.

Second, the sensitive period of order (2-4 years old)

Children need an orderly environment to help them know things and get familiar with the environment. Once his familiar environment disappears, he will be at a loss. In Montessori's observation, children will be afraid, cry or even lose their temper because they can't adapt to the environment, so it is an obvious sensitivity for children to determine "the need for order".

Children's sensitivity to order is often manifested in their requirements for order, living habits and property. Montessori believes that if adults can't provide an orderly environment, children will have no foundation to build their perception of various relationships. When children gradually establish internal order from the environment, their intelligence is gradually built.

Sensory sensitive period (0-6 years old)

From birth, children will be familiar with the environment and understand things through senses such as hearing, sight, taste and touch. Before the age of three, children absorb the stimuli generated by the surrounding things through subconscious "absorptive thinking"; At the age of three to six, they can judge things in the environment more concretely through their senses. Therefore, Montessori designed many sensory teaching AIDS. For example, auditory tube, tactile board, etc. It can sharpen children's senses and guide children to produce wisdom by themselves.

Fourth, the sensitive period of subtle things (1.5-4 years old)

Busy adults tend to ignore the little things around them, but children tend to grasp the mystery. Therefore, if your child is interested in small insects in the soil or tiny patterns on your clothes, it is a good time for you to cultivate your child's meticulous habits.

Five, action sensitive period (0-6 years old)

Two-year-olds can already walk, which is the most active period. Parents should fully let their children exercise, make their children's body movements correct and skilled, and help their children develop their left and right brains in a balanced way. In addition to the training of big muscles, Montessori emphasizes the training of small muscles, that is, the fine sports education of hand-eye coordination, which can not only develop good sports habits, but also contribute to the development of intelligence.

Sensitive period of social norms of intransitive verbs (2.5-6 years old)

Two-and-a-half-year-old children gradually break away from egoism and have an obvious tendency to make friends and group activities. At this time, parents should establish clear life norms and daily etiquette with their children, so that children can abide by social norms in their later lives and have a self-disciplined life.

Seven, reading and writing sensitive period (3.5-5.5 years old)

Although children's writing ability and reading ability are relatively late, if children are fully studied in sensitive periods such as language, senses and body movements, their writing and reading ability will naturally rise. Generally speaking, children are sensitive to writing at first, and the sensitive period of writing is generally 3.5-4.5 years old. Later, children became sensitive to reading, and the sensitive period of reading was 4.5-5.5 years old. At this time, parents can choose more books and decorate a home environment full of books, so that children can develop good reading habits and become knowledgeable people.

Eight. Cultural sensitive period (6-9 years old)

Montessori pointed out that children's interest in cultural learning germinated at the age of three, but at the age of 6-9, there was a strong demand to explore things. Therefore, children's minds in this period are like fertile soil, ready to accept a large number of cultural seeds at any time. Adults can provide rich cultural information at this time, based on local culture, and extend to the big mind of caring for the world.