Whole Language: "A Criminal Act against the Children and the Culture"
Re: Must I Honeymoon With Poor Readers?
"Whole Language" was all the rage almost ten years ago when I was doing my master's degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Whole Language tries, and fails, to teach reading without teaching phonics. Students are not allowed to examine how words are formed from letters and syllables. They are not allowed to examine how the different parts of speech are combined to form the sentences we use to express meaning and ideas. They are allowed to spell words any old way. Fun and self-esteem are the most important things in this method.
My professors had us examine if Whole Language could be used in second language contexts. Fortunately, we spent very little time on it, and spent the bulk of our time examining linguistics and the tried and true methods of teaching grammar and language skills.
But the future teachers of native English speakers were caught up in this Whole Language nonsense. This is a very worrying trend.
Re: Must I Honeymoon With Poor Readers?
"Whole Language" was all the rage almost ten years ago when I was doing my master's degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Whole Language tries, and fails, to teach reading without teaching phonics. Students are not allowed to examine how words are formed from letters and syllables. They are not allowed to examine how the different parts of speech are combined to form the sentences we use to express meaning and ideas. They are allowed to spell words any old way. Fun and self-esteem are the most important things in this method.
My professors had us examine if Whole Language could be used in second language contexts. Fortunately, we spent very little time on it, and spent the bulk of our time examining linguistics and the tried and true methods of teaching grammar and language skills.
But the future teachers of native English speakers were caught up in this Whole Language nonsense. This is a very worrying trend.
Redeemed by Our Savior, I work out my salvation with fear and trembling in Pohang, South Korea, where I live with my wife, daughter, and son and teach English at a science and technology university. Baptized a Methodist and raised a Missouri Synod Lutheran in Buffalo, NY, I spent six years as a guest of the Anglican Communion before being received by the Grace of God into the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church on the Feast of Saint Andrew, my patron, anno domini 2002.
<< Home