TOEFL Listening Practice Skill 1-3 (Longman TOEFL PBT)

Task 2 M3 LA3

Fill in the story elements of “Maria Montessori“ in the following table.

Task 2a

Orientation	Events	Reorientation
Maria Montessori was an Italianphysician, educator, and innovator, acclaimed for her educational method that builds on the way children naturally learn. She opened the first Montessori school—the Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House—in Rome on January 6, 1907. There are now more than 22,000 Montessori schools in at least 110 countries worldwide.	-     Maria Montessori was born on August 31, 1870, in the provincial town of Chiaravalle, Italy. She was well-schooled and an avid reader—unusual for Italian women of that time. The same thirst for knowledge took root in young Maria, and she immersed herself in many fields of study before creating the educational method that bears her name. Maria was a sterling student, confident, ambitious, and unwilling to be limited by traditional expectations for women. When she graduated from medical school in 1896, she was among Italy’s first female physicians.  -     Maria’s early medical practice focused on psychiatry. She also developed an interest in education, attending classes on pedagogy and immersing herself in educational theory. Her studies led her to observe, and call into question, the prevailing methods of teaching children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In 1907 Maria accepted a new challenge to open a childcare centre in a poor inner-city district. Utilizing scientific observation and experience gained from her earlier work with young children, Maria designed learning materials and a classroom environment that fostered the children’s natural desire to learn. News of the school’s success soon spread through Italy and by 1910 Montessori schools were acclaimed worldwide.	As a public figure, Maria also campaigned vigorously on behalf of women’s rights. She wrote and spoke frequently on the need for greater opportunities for women, and was recognized in Italy and beyond as a leading feminist voice. Maria Montessori pursued her ideals in turbulent times. Living through war and political upheaval inspired her to add peace education to the Montessori curriculum. But she could do little to avoid being ensnared in world events. Travelling in India in 1940 when hostilities between Italy and Great Britain broke out, she was forced to live in exile for the remainder of the war. At war’s end, she returned to Europe, spending her final years in Amsterdam. She died peacefully, in a friend’s garden, on May 6, 1952.

Task 2b

Answer these questions.

1.  What do the bolded words in the text mean?

The bolded words are: physician, educator, and innovator. Physician is a professional who practices medicine, which concerned with promoting, maintaining, and restoring health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury, and other physical and mental impairments. Educator is someone who educates people. Innovator is someone who introduces changes and new ideas.

      2. What moral value can you draw from the text?

we can follow educational movement that Maria Montessori did . As a teacher we should design learning materials and a classroom environment that foster the children’s natural desire to learn. We focus on respecting and encouraging each student’s individual differences in the teaching and learning process. We also should respect the women’s right to have better education in the society.

3.  How did Maria manage the struggle in difficult times?

She traveled to India in 1940 when hostilities between Italy and Great Britain broke out and she was forced to live in exile for the remainder of the war.

4. How did she end her life?

At war’s end she returned to Europe, spending her final years in Amsterdam. She died peacefully, in a friend’s garden, on May 6, 1952.

5. Why do you think Maria’s story beneficial for education?

Maria Montessori’s effortss  for education, particularly her design in  learning materials and a classroom environment that fostered the children’s natural desire to learn are now applied and useful worldwide. That is the reason Maria’s story beneficial for education.