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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 6, 2026

Decomposing the Variance in Reading Comprehension to Reveal the Unique and Common Effects of Language and Decoding

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

I Y Liberman¹, A M Liberman

¹Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, Connecticut.

Annals of Dyslexia

|November 16, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The Whole Language approach may hinder reading acquisition by neglecting the alphabetic principle. Code Emphasis, focusing on phonological awareness, shows promise for improving early reading skills in children.

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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.