Discussion Board Question #10

In module 12 and in the Video – A Tale of Two Schools you learned about “The Reading Wars”. The Reading Wars are a debate about the best way to instruct children in reading. Two positions dominate the literature, the whole-language approach and the phonics approach. Some argue that we should use the “Whole-Language Approach”, while others think at the crux of literacy is “phonics” or learning how to sound out letters and new words. The “Whole-Language Approach” focuses on helping children to make meaning of what they read and to express meaning in what they write for real purposes. Teachers who use this approach do not place an emphasis on spelling or grammar and typically do not correct children’s spelling or grammatical errors. Proponents of the Whole-Language Approach believe that language should not be broken down into letters or decoded into sounds – rather that children view language as a complete system of making meaning in context. The phonics approach, on the other hand, explicitly teaches sound-letter correspondences.

PROMPT: In your opinion and based on evidence, which method is the best approach to use to teach children to read? In your response, provide at least two (2) reasonswhy you believe your chosen method is the best one for teaching literacy. 

REFERENCES: Your answer should appropriately use/cite research; you should have a reference for each reason/argument for a total of 2 references. For this assignment, you may use books, chapters, journal articles, your textbook and any reputable website for references.