DISCLAIMER: I think I already sent this to incorrect address. Sorry if this is a duplicate!!
I think this is such an interesting dialogue on the effectiveness of whole language versus phonics instruction. About five years ago during a faculty meeting, my principal asked our faculty to choose between the two and go to a side of the room for each strategy. I went to the whole language side as fast as I could. I was SHOCKED that the phonics side was more populated. Her point in the exercise was to demonstrate the differences in teaching philosophies. I lean towards whole language and have found my comfort zone with the reader's workshop. I also teach Words Their Way for spelling/phonics. Monday I spend teaching spelling groups in rotations---each group has an individualized list based on their word knowledge. Tuesday through Thursday we spend about 20 minutes on phonics. I work with one group and the rest of the class has the choice to build words with wicki sticks and write them in their journals, build their words with phonics tiles, or write word mountains using graph paper. Phonics is not my natural learning style, and so I spend a shorter time on it. But it has been my experience that it helps. I have loved being a part of this email group. Keep the heated debates coming! It's GREAT! Margaret _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
