Whole Language vs. Code Emphasis: Underlying assumptions and their implications for reading instruction

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Education

Background:

• The Whole Language approach posits reading acquisition is natural, like speech.
• This method relies on guessing from context, lacking explicit phonetic instruction.
• Code Emphasis contrasts by emphasizing the alphabetic principle and phonological awareness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of phonological awareness in reading acquisition.
• To compare the effectiveness of Whole Language versus Code Emphasis methods.
• To examine the relationship between preliterate phonological awareness and later reading achievement.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of existing evidence on preliterate children's phonological awareness.
• Review of studies on the teachability of the alphabetic principle.
• Correlation studies linking phonological awareness to reading success.

Main Results:

• Preliterate children often lack explicit awareness of phonemes.
• This phonological awareness predicts reading achievement.
• Teaching the alphabetic principle improves reading skills.
• Difficulties in learning may indicate underlying phonological weaknesses.

Conclusions:

• Explicit instruction in the alphabetic principle is crucial for reading development.
• Code Emphasis, focusing on phonological awareness, is a more effective approach.
• Early identification of phonological weaknesses can inform targeted interventions.