Phonics teaching and learning in whole language classrooms: New evidence from research

The article published in The Reading Teacher in April 2000 by Karin L. Dahl and Patricia L. Scharer starts out acknowledging that phonics is an important part of reading and writing, but presents the results of a study that helps to define just how phonics instruction is actually integrated into classroom programs (Dahl & Scharer, 2000, p. 584). The 1999 study examined eight different whole language classrooms of first grade students. It posed four questions:

§  What phonics skills and concepts are taught?(Dahl & Scharer, 2000, p. 584)

§  Where does phonics instruction occur?(Dahl & Scharer, 2000, p. 584)

§  How is it conducted? (Dahl & Scharer, 2000, p. 584)

§  What do children learn? (Dahl & Scharer, 2000, p. 584)

The study found that the foundation concepts of phonics were more than a third of the instruction.  Instruction addressed consonant and vowel patterns in the context of reading and writing activities, and phonics skills were taught in tandem with phonics strategies.  Across the classrooms examined, phonics instruction was not a separate curriculum.  It was woven into daily whole language activities. Some 45% of phonics study was done in the context of the writing program ((Dahl & Scharer, 2000, p. 588).

At all the sites, phonics instruction was child centered, intensive, strategic, and often taught at the “point of use.” Although instruction varied across the classrooms that were studied, they concluded with three characteristics that were common to teaching phonics in a whole language classroom.  First, teachers assessed and responded to individual needs of learners.  Second, skills were taught in the context of meaningful reading and writing activities. Third, phonics instruction was not confined to the reading program, but included a wide range of writing instructional events (Dahl & Scharer, 2000, p. 594).

The study’s findings about phonics teaching questions the entire concept of a debate between whole language and phonics and why they are put on opposite ends of the spectrum.  Phonics was clearly taught in these whole language classrooms and children learned phonics there. The authors argue that we must move away from an “either/or” approach.  Of the research I have done so far, this article and study captured my sentiments on the debate precisely.  I could not agree more than the dichotomy between whole language and phonics is almost silly.  This study confirms my sense that the approaches must go hand in hand and neither should really be emphasized over the other. 

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