Both the phonics and whole language approach to reading have their merits and drawbacks. The problem that exists in our society today is the powers that be in education tend to be in either one camp or the other. It is not an either/or dilemma as to what is the best way to teach. What is needed is a hybrid approach that takes the best of each method. Those that discount the whole language method of learning need to take a step back and realize that’s how our grandparents and great grandparents learned to read and write. I don’t know about you but my grandparents were avid readers and prolific writers; something that our education system strives for today. It wasn’t until the mid-60s that phonics was adopted in the United States as the best way to teach a student to learn how to read. The beauty of phonics is a student learns how to break down and put together a word without memorization. Thus, he/she can build a vocabulary while reading. It’s akin to on the job training and so mu...
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