After defining whole language as a philosophy of literacy instruction based on the concept that students need to experience language as an integrated whole, this ERIC "FAST Bib" presents an annotated list of 35 ERIC documents and journal articles consisting of critiques of and responses to the whole language approach in the elementary school. The…

A study compared the writing abilities of children in a whole language classroom with those of children involved in a skills-based classroom. Subjects, 37 African-American students in two heterogeneous first-grade classrooms in a low socio-economic area school in the inner-city of a large Alabama city, completed a reading/writing assessment (a…

Investigates writing skills learned in a low socioeconomic status, urban, primary, whole-language classroom. Finds that the children became more fluent writers who used more complex sentences, but the surface level skills used for some purposes did not become automatic. Suggests that some children need more opportunities for editing and…

A study described the influence of writing conferences on revision knowledge and revision activity for an initially knowledgeable first-grade reviser and a relatively naive one. Subjects, two first-grade students in a whole language classroom, were chosen from the 16 students in the class for close study. Data analysis consisted of reading all of…

Reports on a two-year descriptive study of eight low-income children's writing in skills-based and whole language instruction. Finds that the students at the "top" did well in whole language instruction, and for less proficient learners, the whole language curriculum appeared to provide more support. (RS)

Developed as a vehicle of communication for the Reading Recovery Council of North America, this journal represents an international effort to connect researchers, teachers, and all those interested in early literacy. Articles in the first issue of this fourth volume are: "The Development of Literate Potential in Literature-Based and…

Finds that six low-income children in two different instructional settings (skills-based and whole language) learned alphabetic concepts and skills necessary for successful reading and writing. Notes that both instructional settings provided explicit phonics instruction (albeit contextualized differently) and time for self-selected reading and for…

Provides a profile of the learning-disabled adolescent student. Supports a child-centered, whole-language philosophy of teaching advocating literature-based instruction across the curriculum for such learners. Analyzes written and verbal responses of three male students to determine the potential of such an educational approach. (HB)

A study investigated how writing skills were taught and learned in one low-SES, urban, whole language primary classroom. Participants were three teachers who team-taught a group of primary-age children and 11 children who were considered conventional writers, 3 of whom had learning disabilities. Teachers and children were observed twice a month…

A study examined the effectiveness of a program for improving student writing skills by using whole language. Targeted population was a fifth grade class of 30 students in a stable middle class, suburban community, located in Rockford, Illinois. Writing deficiencies were documented through data gathered from norm referenced tests, quality and…

Explores the different responses to a whole-language curriculum of two average third-grade students. Describes the teacher and the curriculum, and the contrasting literacy behaviors of the students. Discusses how this year-long observation challenged the author's beliefs about children's need for whole-language instruction. (SR)

A study compared the writing development and ideas about writing of students in a whole language program with students in a skills-oriented program from the time they entered kindergarten to the end of the second grade. Subjects were 22 inner city students who completed second grade out of an original kindergarten cohort of 50 minority students…

Presents a case study of a nine-year-old boy's reading and writing difficulties. Notes that instruction grounded in sociopsycholinguistics, whole language, and emergent literacy helped the learner overcome his difficulties. Provides an account of alternative approaches in assessing written language difficulties; and the role of the reader's belief…

Developed as a vehicle of communication for the Reading Recovery Council of North America, this journal represents an international effort to connect researchers, teachers, and all those interested in early literacy. Articles in the first issue of this third volume are: "Relations between Children's Literacy Diets and Genre Development: You…

A study investigated the effectiveness of an adapted Writing to Read (WTR) program that focused on the writing process and included the "Stories and More" software for literature-based emphasis. Over 1000 writing portfolio samples were collected from kindergarten through second grade students in 29 classrooms in 6 California school…