The Whole Language Debate
A WebQuest for Introduction to Early Childhood
Education EDUC-300-01
Spring 2004
Designed by Logan Okita
okit3254@pacificu.edu
Introduction
Welcome! This WebQuest is designed to provide you with the resources and opportunities to explore two forms of emergent literacy: Whole language and phonics-based. Although and because education is political, you as a future educator will eventually come across these two forms. You will be able to make better decisions if you make informed decisions. This superficial WebQuest is designed to help you make these informed decisions in the future.Whole language approach is the philosophy of literacy development that advocates the use of real literature--reading, writing, listening, and speaking--to help children become motivated to read and write (Morrison 327). It is also known as sight word or look-say. Whole language is a method used in emergent literacy. Another method is based on phonics instruction and places an emphasis on teaching letter-sound correspondence. After learning the correspondence between letters and sounds, children are able to combine sounds to form words and eventually make automatic connections between words and sounds outside of the classroom.
"Children who are phonemically aware can think about and manipulate sounds in words. They know when words rhyme or do not; they know when words begin or end with the same sound; and they know that a word like bat is composed of three sounds /b/ /a/ /t/ and that these sounds can be blended into a spoken word. Popular rhyming books, for example, may draw children's attention to rhyming patterns, serving as a basis for extending vocabulary (Ehri & Robbins 1992). Using initial letter cues, children can learn many new words through analogy, taking the familiar word bake as a strategy for figuring out a new word, lake" (NAEYC Position Statement).
Objective
By the end of their time using this WebQuest, students will be able to make an informed decision about the type of emergent literacy curriculum they feel is most successful by contributing to a discussion of this content and/or by using these materials in subsequent professional work.By the end of their time using this WebQuest, parents will be able to identify which type of emergent literacy curriculum is being used in their child's classroom by observing the classroom, assignments, child's progress, and speaking with teachers. Parents will also be able to make informed decisions about their child's education based on this knowledge.
Task
Your task for this WebQuest is very simple. You are to look at the different web sites, articles, and books to help you to become informed about emergent literacy.Process
- Review the web sites about Open Court and write down your
thoughts about the curriculum and its affects on literacy in young
children. Write down four conclusions that you have come to and
provide evidence for these conclusions.
- Open Court Resources
- Review the web sites about phonics-based curriculums and write down your thoughts about the curriculum and its affects on literacy in young children. Write down four conclusions that you have come to and provide evidence for these conclusions.
- Phonics-based Resources
- Review the web sites about Whole Language and write down your thoughts about the curriculum and its affects on literacy in young children. Write down four conclusions that you have come to and provide evidence for these conclusions.
- Whole Language Resources
- Links on Reading.
- The Great California Reading Debate.
- Whole Language or Direct Instruction.
- Introduction to the controversy.
- Example from a bilingual classroom.
- NAEYC
Position Statement
- Now that you have been able to review the materials available online, discuss the information that you have found and conclusions that you have come to with the other students at your table. What does everyone else think? Why do your conclusions differ? Or why are they the same?
- After discussing your conclusions with the group, go to the
library and do some more research. The school district that you
end up teaching at may specify which type of curriculum is to be
used. Look into reasons behind your opinion and be able to
provide evidence for them if you are ever asked to explain the basis
for your conclusions.
Resources Needed
There are several books that may prove to be helpful. These books are available at the Pacific University library:
- Goodman, Kenneth S. ed. The Whole Language Evaluation Book. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc. 1989.
- Meyer, Richard J. Phonics Exposed. New
Jersey, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., 2002.
- Krashen, Stephen D. Three Arguments Against Whole Language & Why They Are Wrong. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc. 1999.
- Brown, Hazel and Cambourne, Brian. Read and Retell. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc. 1987.
- Government document. Put Reading First.
September 2001.
Evaluation
Students will be asked to explain their opinions and the basis of these opinions to the class. The class will not criticize the opinions of others, but be open to other opinions and provide evidence to support their own opinion.Credits & References
College of Education, Pacific University, 2043 College Way, Forest Grove, OR 97116Supervising Professor: Mark Bailey
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Last updated on (April 29, 2004). Based on a template from The WebQuest Page