HIEROGLYPHICS or PICTOGRAPHS –
symbols that represent whole ideas or concepts
ALPHABETIC Code – each letter represents
a sound
Late 1700s
-
Horace Mann
promoted "no drill"
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Sight-word (whole word) instruction
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Teach MEANING over word decoding
1830s
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McGuffey Readers – primarily sight-word
1950s
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Rudolph Flesch
asked Why Johnny Can’t Read – he recommended return to PHONICS
at a time when "Dick and Jane" were in use.
-
His book promoted a split in philosophy
between whole-language and phonics teachers.
Today
-
The National Reading Panel reports
a combination of phonics, word sounds and oral reading is the most effective
way to teach reading.
-
Many schools are still using "whole language."
-
We see massive documented reading failure
in America’s children.
-
Scientific research shows that direct,
systematic phonics is the best
foundation for beginning to read.
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