Skip to main content

Phonics vs Whole Language Instruction



Recently I was thrust into making a quick decision whether I should focus mainly on teaching phonics or using the whole language approach. My new students were showing gaps which needed to be filled before any significant learning was to take place. I began to focus on my initial idea only to realize that I still needed to expose them to whole words in a natural way. 

So what is the best way to ensure that students benefit from the strengths of both approaches? The answer is to adopt a  balanced approach to the teaching of reading. Below are the links to some great articles which suggest ways to get the best of both.










Mrs Meacham's Classroom
















Balanced Literacy Resources
Teaching Resources




Motivation for Literacy
Balanced Literacy Diet




Labels:

Comments

  1. KindertripsOctober 09, 2012 5:53 am

    Your post has been such an inspiration. I have been trying how to do the "shared reading" with my basal series. I have the read aloud and guided reading down, but was struggling with the shared part. Your link to the Balanced Literacy Diet has totally solved my problem. Thank you, thank you for this post! Amazing ideas, really amazing-
    Jennifer
    www.kindertrips.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousOctober 09, 2012 3:11 pm

    I am an assistant English language teacher in Japan and I have encountered students who struggle with reading everyday. Many of them lack phonemic awareness and phonetic skills. I am grateful for your link to Balanced Literacy Diet. It will be a great help to me and my students. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 10, 2012 1:24 pm

    Your post is very helpful. The resources you have attached will be beneficial in the classroom and in a professional learning community. I feel having a balanced approach to teaching reading helps students make a connection to reading and writing effectively. I am learning how professional learning communities work and now that I have found your post I have a great resource to share with other colleagues. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

12 Common Reading Errors and How to Overcome Them

Reading is the act of making meaning from the printed word, symbols or pictures in one's environment. Children are often taught to read formally using a multifaceted approach which involves word recognition, comprehension, fluency and motivation. As they grow and as their reading exposures increase many begin to struggle and are soon left behind if they do not form meaningul connections. Teachers must be able to find those who have not quite gotten the hang of reading and to make attempts to assist them. There are many reasons why the act of reading may be difficult for some, nevertheless, it is important to find the possible causes and to employ corrective measures to help overcome them. In my 24 years of teaching I have used many different reading strategies in my classroom, however, I believe that the most powerful tool a teacher can use with her students is actually listening to them read and individually note their progress.   This article summarizes 12 common errors t
Post a Comment
Read more

Our Healthy Classroom COVID-19 Safety Posters and Student Printables

  Keep your students well informed about how they should keep their classroom germ-free and healthy. These   42 COVID-19 safety posters (21 colored;21 black 'n white)   are great as a bulletin board display or they can be used as anchor charts for instruction when discussing the key rules of keeping themselves safe in their classroom. Reduced sizes are included for   student notebooks . Print Only the posters that you need. The following safety posters are included in colored and black and white: •Cough or sneeze in elbow •Cover your nose, mouth and chin (mask etiquette) •Keep fingers out of mouth •Eat your own food •Keep objects out of mouth •Keep fingers out of mouth •Use hand sanitizers •Wipe your surface •Wear your mask •Hands off your face •Stay at your desk •Wash hands with soap •Wash hands for 20 seconds •Rinse with water •Use your own supplies •Stay home when sick •Greet from a distance •Take your temperature •Keep 6ft apart •How to wear your mask •How to wear your shield C
Post a Comment
Read more

Base Words vs Root Words

In my experience over the years I have come across some terms which have similar yet totally different meanings. It is sometimes so easy to interchange these terms, but, as teachers we need to understand what we teach before we get down to teaching it. One such dilemma is the use of the terms 'base word' and 'root word'. Now don't get me wrong here, it's all the best that we are able to tell the difference, especially in the teaching of the higher grades. However, for the younger kids it may not be all that important to distinguish. A base word refers to the part of a word that is an actual word that can stand alone. Prefixes and suffixes were added to them. The root of a word refers to that part of the base word that comes from another language. These cannot stand alone. As a matter of fact, the knowledge of the root of a word can help older kids with Spelling and Vocabulary. Take a look at the visual below for an explanation using
Post a Comment
Read more