Political Cartoon

Directions to the Teacher - Say to the child, pointing to
the first picture, "What is that? Do you know his name?
I wonder if he has a name? Suppose we call him Frank.
O there is his name right under him," pointing to the
whole word, Frank, but not to the letters. Nothing is
yet to be said about letters. "Here is his name again.
And here it is again. And here it is once more. What
is that?"," pointing to the other picture. "Perhaps it is
Frank's sister. What is her name? O here is her name. It
is Jane. Can you show me her name again? - again -
once more." Repeat till the child can tell the words
readily.

Phonics and whole-word advocates have been arguing with each other, sometimes very acrimoniously, ever since the publication of Gallaudet’s The Mother’s Primer, a pioneering whole-word primer, in 1836.

I think that this cartoon accurately portrays the debate, as it is representative of both the whole language and phonics approach.


Cartoon