"Research Informing Practice--Practice Informing Research: Innovative Teaching Methodologies for World Language Educators" is an edited volume that focuses on innovative, nontraditional methods of teaching and learning world languages. Using teacher-research projects, each author in the volume guides readers through their own personal…

The grassroots movement of whole language philosophies and their applications continue to be attempted by classroom teachers. However, even though educators have been provided with whole language theoretical foundations formulated through solid research conducted in the past 20 years, application into theory involves much more than traditional…

An integrated language perspective on teaching in the elementary school is outlined in this book. The text provides the theory on which the perspective is based and provides many examples of how it may be translated into practice. Chapter one provides the general principles of the integrated language perspective. Chapter two describes the…

The biggest concern with whole language instruction lies in ignoring some of the obvious problems in implementation or denying that there could be any problems at all. Problems mentioned by Maryland reading supervisors involve: teacher competence; phonics/spelling/skills instruction; responses of whole language advocates when asked what direction…

Reports a study that examined the usefulness of concept maps for detecting differences in kindergarten teachers' theoretical orientation (whole language versus phonics). Results revealed that content but not structure measures differentiated whole language from phonics teachers. Concept maps proved useful in measuring teachers' theoretical…

This paper examines whole language and process approaches to writing instruction, outlining their benefits (frequent and meaningful writing, support of self-regulated learning, and emphasis on the integrative nature of learning in literacy development) and weaknesses (overreliance on incidental learning and lack of emphasis on the mechanics of…

Twenty articles dealing with literacy published in the "American Annals of the Deaf" from 1996 to 2000 were reviewed. A movement away from the whole language approach to a more eclectic, analytic orientation was noted. Old problems in processing syntax continued. Questions regarding the value of captioning for deaf individuals with poor literacy…

Describes a whole-language, interdisciplinary summer program for school and college teachers. From hands-on exploration and reading and writing about self-selected topics, participants learned to understand theory and practice of whole-language instruction and to explore implications for their own teaching. (SM)

Describes the controversy over phonics versus whole-language reading instruction, and cites research concluding the necessity for combining the two methods to achieve comprehension. Gives examples of practitioner techniques of combining phonemics, phonics, and whole language in early reading instruction. Sidebars highlight key resource…

Presents eight philosophical principles needed for implementing a whole language foreign language class (WLFLC) and provides a description of a WLFLC as a practical example. Outlines the three basic components needed to establish a WLFLC and presents a description of activities used, including language projects, reading children's literature in…

This study explored the perceptions of whole language instruction held by a group of teachers of young children. Four questions framed the study: (1) How do teachers of young children define a whole language program? (2) What kind of whole language activities have the teachers tried in their classroom, and how did teachers feel about the outcomes…

This paper presents theoretical principles of the whole language approach and its historical interdisciplinary influences. Suggestions for implementing whole language intervention with language-disordered children are presented, such as using theme building to achieve long- and short-term objectives, using scaffolding strategies, and using…

Describes a former superintendent's disconcerting swim in the teacher candidate pool while trying to find a teaching position without "pulling strings." After landing a job teaching 36 fifth graders, he soon realized that espousing methodologies is very different from actually doing them. Allowing students more responsibility for their learning…

Examines the perception and beliefs of Chinese English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) teachers toward the debate between on the whole language and direct approach in the teaching of EFL in China. Findings shed light on English instruction in China and provide a better understanding of the educational background of the large number of Chinese students…

Examines the degree to which whole language practices have become a part of reading instruction offered by first grade teachers in six school districts. Finds that teachers spent less than 10 percent of the reading instructional time engaged in practices which could be considered in agreement with whole language theory. (MG)