Just a clarification...Whole Language does include phonics instruction. It is not an either or situation though the powers that be have tried to make it into a dichotomous relationship. It's instruction in context and for those that need it not for everyone just because the Reading Panel (which had lots of flaws) said so. And, I agree with you: at the center of everything we do should be a focus on meaning making. Elisa
Elisa Waingort Grade 2 Spanish Bilingual Dalhousie Elementary Calgary, Canada The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart. —Helen Keller Visit my blog, A Teacher's Ruminations, and post a message. http://waingortgrade2spanishbilingual.blogspot.com/ I have taught for 18 years in either grades K or 1, and I am a real proponent of systematic phonics instruction as providing a solid base of letter/sound representation in terms of decoding strategies for beginning readers. Please check out the National Reading Panel's findings in the area of phonics. The information is very comprehensive and serves as a good rationale in terms of a research base for using phonics instruction in your classroom. Now in terms of "do all children need phonics?", not all children learn in the same fashion, so I would advocate a more "balanced" approach that would include whole language instruction as well as the phonics. Afterall, our goal is for every word to eventually become a sight word. I have found that phonics instruction is most helpful for my students that struggle; however, my stronger readers use phonics skills to help them decode more difficult words and when they are writing to help them spell words. The bottom line is "gaining meaning" from text. Children can decode words all day, but if they aren't gaining meaning from what they are reading, then technically they are not "reading". So yes, teach phonics along side other word recognition strategies in order to catch all readers. Make sure that these skills are taught and applied in context of real text. Decodeable phoncis texts tend to be boring and have very little plot. The children don't like them either. You say that you teach 2nd grade so if your K and 1st grade teachers have provided your children with a solid reading base (including phonics), you can focus more fully on teaching the comprehension strategies such as those outlined in Mosaic of Thought. I hope this helps. Jeanne Garringer > Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:06:36 +0000 > From: swill...@comcast.net > To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > Subject: [MOSAIC] phonics question- 2nd grade teacher > > > > Hello All, > > > > I'm a second grade school teacher. Throughout my time in school the great > phonics controversy has popped up more than once. I would like your take on > the topic. Do all children need to be taught phonics? Why or why not? > > > > > Thank you, > > 2nd grade School Teacher > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _________________________________________________________________ Windows LiveT SkyDriveT: Store, access, and share your photos. See how. http://windowslive.com/Online/SkyDrive?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_CS_SD_photos_072009 _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
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