MOLTT Sandpaper Digraphs & Phonograms: A Tactile Bridge to Reading & Writing

Product Overview

The MOLTT Sandpaper Digraphs and Phonograms set is an advanced Montessori language material designed to guide children from single letter sounds into the complex world of letter combinations. This tactile resource introduces 16 of the most common English phonograms and digraphs, providing a multi-sensory foundation for spelling, reading fluency, and confident writing.

Material Components & Specifications

This complete set features 16 individual green wooden boards, each mounted with a specific letter combination crafted from fine-grit sandpaper. The phonograms included are: ai, ar, au, ch, ee, er, ie, oa, oo, or, ou, oy, qu, sh, th, ue.

The set comes in two optimized sizes for ease of handling and presentation:

Larger Boards: Measure approximately 10.2" L x 7.5" W.

Smaller Boards: Measure approximately 8.7" L x 4.7" W.

All boards have a consistent, slim profile of about 0.1" thick, and are finished with smooth, rounded edges for safety and durability.

Primary Educational Purpose

This material serves as the critical next step after mastering the single Sandpaper Letters. Its core purpose is to:

Teach Common Phonograms: Introduce the sounds made by specific letter pairs (digraphs like 'sh') and combinations (phonograms like 'oa'), moving beyond the alphabetic principle.

Prepare for Writing & Spelling: Build muscular memory for forming these common combinations correctly, directly preparing the hand for cursive or print writing.

Build Reading Confidence: Provide the keys to decoding a vast number of words, smoothing the transition to fluent reading.

The Tactile Learning Process

The activity is intentionally direct and sensory-based. The child is guided to trace the shape of the entire letter combination with their first two fingers, following the precise style and direction of writing. This kinesthetic-tactile experience simultaneously reinforces:

Visual Memory: The image of the letter group.

Muscular Memory: The motor pattern needed to write it.

Auditory Memory: The associated sound, which is voiced by the guide during tracing.

Extension Activity: Word Building

When ready, the child progresses from isolated tracing to application. Using their knowledge of both single letters and these phonograms, they can combine multiple cards on a workspace to construct simple, familiar words (e.g., combining 'sh', 'ee', and 'p' to form 'sheep'). This activity powerfully demonstrates how sounds blend to form words, cementing understanding and fueling excitement for independent reading and writing.