a professional movement and theoretical perspective that embodies a set of applied beliefs governing learning and teaching, language development, curriculum, and the social community. Whole language teachers believe that all language systems are interwoven. They avoid the segmentation of language into component parts for specific skill instruction. The use of strategies taught in meaningful contexts is emphasized. Phonics is taught through writing and by focusing on the patterns of language in reading. Assessment focuses on authentic demonstrations of student work. The whole language movement has produced much interest, activity, and controversy and has had a major impact on how the reading education community thinks and talks about instruction.
Focuses on the integration of all the language arts - reading, writing, speaking, and listening - to create child-responsive environments for learning that are supported by literature-based instruction.
Philosophy for teaching language suggesting it be taught as a whole, not through fragmented or isolated skills; characterized by reading real story and chapter books, story telling, reading aloud by the teacher, student writing, student choice and self-direction, and emphasis on meaning and comprehension; teaching is based on individual learning needs.
a holistic approach that focuses on the meaningfulness of language, stresses the importance of language as a bridge to literacy, and includes speaking, listening, and expressive writing as integral parts of literacy development.
A teaching method that focuses on reading for meaning in context. Teachers may give phonics lessons to individual students (as needed), but the majority of reading lessons emphasize teaching students to look at the wholeness of words and text. Whole language methods were prevalent in California elementary schools until the mid-1990's, and are faulted by some educators as the reason for the decline of reading skills among the state's students.
An approach to reading instruction that de-emphasizes letter-sound relationships and emphasizes recognition of words as wholes.
a philosophy of language instruction emphasizing integration of all language skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening); reading for meaning; and contextualized language learning and use. Some whole language instructors avoid reading and writing instruction that is based on phonics; some whole language teachers may give phonics lessons to individual students as needed.
Method of teaching reading that downplays sounding out words, instead encouraging children to learn whole words through the context in which they are used. Often children are not given Dick-and-Jane-style readers, but "real" books.
A technique for teaching language arts that emphasizes the reading of whole texts before analyzing words and individual letter sounds. The first books used many be picture books. The learning of skills is done in the context of meaningful reading and writing.
Teaching reading and other language skills as they apply to meaningful concepts, rather than in isolation
A term used by reading teachers to describe an instructional philosophy which focuses on reading as an activity best taught in a broader context of meaning. Rather than focusing on reading as a mechanical skill, it is taught as an ongoing part of every student's existing language and life experience. Building on language skills each student already possesses, reading and writing are seen as a part of a broader "whole language" spectrum.
Whole language describes a literacy instructional philosophy which emphasizes that children should focus on meaning and moderates skill instruction.