Reading instruction has been the subject of significant controversy for more than five decades, and Kappan has allowed advocates of many different types of reading instruction to make their cases in the magazine's pages. Teresa Preston chronicles the history of the reading wars as they played out in Kappan. Researchers and scholars have debated…

With the concise and readable "Brain Words," you will learn how children's brains develop as they become readers and discover ways you can take concrete steps to promote this critical developmental passage. Introducing their original, research-based framework of "brain words"--dictionaries in the brain where students store and…

US public education faces concerted attack by those bent on corporate control, privatization, regimented reading instruction, and high-stakes testing. One democratic, humanistic, and research-based alternative can be found in the theory and practice of whole language, which empowered teachers and students alike through the 1980s and 1990s -- until…

Based on a diagnosis of the problems in the traditional way of teaching English reading in China, this paper introduces the "whole language" theory and explores its application to the teaching of English reading. To begin with, it demonstrates the various problems in the teaching of English reading which severely prevent the improvement…

The ability to learn is an important life skill. It is a critical skill for participation in all aspects of life, including school, work, and the community. It is a major key to accessing knowledge, gaining independence, and exercising life choices. Many people believe that individuals with moderate disabilities cannot learn how to read. They…

The dichotomisation of literacy instruction into phonics instruction versus a whole language approach fails to realise a fundamental tenet of providing equitable educational opportunities to diverse groups of children. Diversity becomes a problem to solve through "inoculation programmes" or "special" education expertise.…

This article discusses whole language and phonics approaches to teaching L1 reading. It argues to bring these two perspectives together under an integrated approach to better teach second language reading. The article offers an integrated lesson plan with adaptable activities and techniques that show how to apply the integrated approach.

This article describes an unconventional method to teach un-contracted braille reading and writing skills to students who are blind and have additional disabilities. It includes a keyboarding curriculum that focuses on the whole language approach to literacy. A special feature is the keyboard that is adapted with braille symbols. Un-contracted…

Whole language versus phonics: the debate rages on over the proper techniques for teaching reading. Whole language is a child-centered, literature based approach to language teaching that will immerse the students in real communication. The reasons placed behind whole language teaching are based on linguistics, pedagogy, and psychology. In the…

Describes professional development program in Ontario school district to improve student reading and writing skills. Program used food-pyramid concepts to help teacher learn to provide a balanced and flexible approach to literacy instruction based on student needs. (PKP)

At New York City's progressive Bank Street School for Children, teaching is directed to the whole child's social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. The school's reading program focuses on a language-experience approach based on student choice. This article shows how collaboration between teachers and librarians has strengthened the…

Suggests that many educators are finding common ground and common sense under the banner of "Balanced Literacy." Discusses the term, the search for balance, and the difficulty in maintaining a balanced literacy program. (RS)

Until recently, computer technology has been used as a glorified worksheet, word processor, and CD-ROM interactive reader. Now, technology can move well beyond these basic functions into improving literacy skills and strategies, problem solving, and communication. This paper addresses methods in which a balanced literacy program, wherein the…

A primary-grade teacher describes how she uses singing to teach phonics in her classroom. Notes how children are helped to integrate the three cuing systems of language--semantic, syntactic, and graphophonemic--as they read and sing together. (ET)

Describes a summer reading enrichment program that used whole language methodology and represented a collaboration between the Learning Institute of the Jewish Community Center on Staten Island, New York, and the Staten Island Children's Museum. Discusses getting started at the exhibit, program format, program evaluation, and recommendations for…