A study explored the nature of whole language as compared to the basal program for the years 1990-1991 and 1991-1992. The samples of pupils involved were from the eight elementary schools, housing grades kindergarten through grade five, in East Brunswick, New Jersey. The students have been instructed for many years in the basal approach. Since…

Investigates Nebraska elementary school teachers' attitudes about whole language. Finds that teachers with a higher tendency to use whole language were those who felt more comfortable with whole language, had training in whole language, felt whole language should replace basal programs, and felt whole language can be used in conjunction with…

Noting that existing research reveals considerable diversity among researchers' philosophical stances toward literature-based reading instruction versus traditional basal reading instruction, a study determined what effects literature-based instruction had on the reading achievement of fourth graders. Subjects, fourth-grade students of the John P.…

Compares the effects of basal and whole language approaches on the reading achievement of first grade students. Finds no statistically significant differences in reading achievement between classes taught with a basal approach or with a whole language approach. (RS)

Compares whole language, literature-based, and basal reader literacy instruction in terms of the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey, the Reader Self-Perception Scale, and the Writer Self-Perception Scale. Finds that a literature-based approach to reading and writing appeared to exert superior impact on intermediate-aged children's affective…

Reports on a three-part study comparing the effects of whole language practice versus traditional basal instruction on children's reading attitudes. Finds no evidence that the whole language philosophy offers inevitable advantages over traditional instruction in building students' attitudes toward reading. Suggests that how individual teachers…

Investigates the relationship between type of reading instruction and reading comprehension. Uses predictor variables including IQ, group, race, and comprehension pretest score to predict comprehension score. Finds that the dependent variable was not significantly related to method of reading instruction, and there was no interaction effect…

This annotated bibliography of material from the ERIC database presents 87 annotations on the topic of the "whole" whole-language debate. Entries in the bibliography are grouped under the topics of philosophy and analysis; the struggle for a definition; comparative analyses of whole language versus traditional approaches; and application…

A study investigated whether there was a relation between methods of language arts instruction and reading comprehension as measured by the Cloze-procedure. Subjects, 88 third-grade students in 4 classes (2 "traditional" and 2 "whole language") at 2 elementary schools in South Dakota, had their reading comprehension tested 6…

Studies the attitudes toward reading as a sex-role appropriate behavior in classrooms using basal reading instruction or the whole language approach. Suggests that the nature of instruction has a significant effect on boys' view of the sex-role appropriateness of reading and writing. (MG)

Identifies elementary classroom teachers' awareness of whole language and basal reading terms. Finds that teachers were more aware of basal reading terms. Finds that university/college course was the highest reported source of awareness with each of 30 survey terms. (RS)

Compares results of a modified whole language approach (incorporating daily 15-minute total class phonics instruction) with those obtained from a popular basal approach. Finds that students in the whole language classes made greater gains in phonics, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and total reading achievement than students in the basal…

Finds four major unresolved issues, according to state legislators: (1) assessment of students' reading progress; (2) whole language versus basal approaches; (3) use of tradebooks in place of basals; and (4) whether at-risk readers should spend increased time reading or practicing isolated reading skills. Suggests that legislators lack sufficient…

A study investigated whether students in whole language based and basal reader approaches would have different concepts of reading when asked to define reading. Subjects, 69 suburban New Jersey first and third graders and 16 New Zealand first graders, were asked 3 questions: "What is reading?"; "What do you do when you read?";…

A study examined the first grade materials in five new basal programs submitted for the 1993 Texas state adoption. (The programs were those of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich; Houghton Mifflin; Scott Foresman; Macmillan/McGraw-Hill; and Silver Burdett Ginn). These series are compared with program materials currently in use in the state. The analysis…