Insights from Phonology

Insights from Phonology

1. Acquisition View (whole language)

   • focus is on meaningful communication
   • alphabet books, meaningful texts, songs , poems, chants
   • involve students in meaningful activities where they use language to communicate important ideas
   • help students make connections between sounds and letters
   • students focus on constructing meaning as they read and write
   • instills a love of literature,
   • promotes critical thinking skills

2. Learning View

   • explicit teaching of phonology
   • teaching correct pronunciation
   • heavy emphasis on the role of sounds
   • strong emphasis on the associations between sounds and letters
   • phonics is the primary source of information for decoding words

3. Source: Freeman, D. E., & Freeman, Y. S. (2014). Essential Linguistics: What you need to know to teach reading, ESL, spelling, phonics, grammar (2nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann

4. Source: Krashen, S. (2002). Defending whole language: the limits of phonics instruction and the efficacy of whole language instruction. Reading Improvement, 39(1).

5. Choosing a method for teaching an additional language or teaching reading can be determined by what skills are wanting to be aquired and what goals are wanting to be accomplished.