Research has shown that Phonics learners do better on standardized tests, but before jumping to the conclusion that Phonics must be better, realize that proponents of Whole Language claim that the research is a bit misleading. Instead of focusing on how children read and comprehend normal texts in the classroom, the true indicators of learning, research focuses on achievement on standardized tests. (Note: research doesn't prove or disprove the same can be true of a Phonics classroom). Yet, Phonics proponents claim that standardized tests are a good indicator of achievement.
Other research shows that although Phonics learners achieve better scores early on, eventually Whole Language learners catch up, thus there really isn't any difference in the end.
BIGGEST ARGUMENTS
The biggest arguments tend to be focused on student interest. Whole Language proponents claim that we may be doing more harm than good when we force our children to learn systematically and intensively with workbooks and basal readers. BORING!!! By introducing concepts pertinent to children's lives they will be more inclined to grow into life long learners because they will enjoy learning. Phonics proponents claim that in order to be life long learners, children must learn the basics first. Whole Language proponents disagree. In fact, many believe that Phonics teaching is against a child's make-up; it is difficult for a child to grasp part to a whole teaching. Besides, Whole Language teaching encourages students to grasp phonics and phoneme awareness in the course of learning to read and write.
There in lies a problem...It is assumed that parents will encourage learning in the home even before a child enters school. It is assumed that reading will be a part of a child's home environment. Whole Language proponents encourage parents to read and reread nursery rhymes, books, poems, and songs as well as read alphabet books and discuss words to develop a sense of phonics. While that is a wonderful concept and all parents should do these things, not all parents do. Many times, the students who find themselves at a disadvantage in this area are already disadvantaged in other ways. Many are minorities, from low-income homes, and/or from uneducated households. These children may have not had the same resources and/or advantages of other students and thus are sometimes set up for failure.
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