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Phonics in Whole Language Classrooms
by Constance Weaver
This digest discusses some of the ways children develop functional phonics knowledge
in the context of authentic reading and writing, as well as some of the ways teachers
can foster such development.
Ways in Which Children Develop Phonics
Knowledge...
- "By having familiar and favorite stories (poems, rhymes, etc.) read
to them again and again, during a shared reading experience wherein they
can see the text and see the teacher point to words as they are spoken. (Holdaway,
1979)." This process facilitates the learning of words and of letter/sound
patterns, as well as an understanding of print and how it is read in English.
- "By discussing letter/sound relationships in the context of authentic
reading selections." Teachers can facilitate such discussion within
the shared reading experience, using big books or charts that all the children
can see. Alphabet books also invite the discussion of letter/sound relationships.
- "By engaging in a limited number of activities reinforcing letter/sound
relationships, as an outgrowth of the shared reading experience." For
example, children might make charts of words exhibiting letter/sound patterns
of particular interest to them. After two or more charts have been compiled,
children could make related graphs comparing appropriate data (Whitin et al,
1990).
- "By learning to use letter/sound cues along with prior knowledge and
context." For example, proficient readers seem unconsciously to use
initial letters plus prior knowledge and context to predict what a word might
be, before focusing on more of the word or the following context to confirm
or correct. This strategy seems to come naturally for many children, but others
may need instructional assistance in first using the strategy consciously.
- "By rereading favorite stories, songs, and poems, independently or
with a peer." This independent practice contributes greatly to solidifying
children's growing understanding of print. The rereading is facilitated if children
have individual copies of the text, and if they can listen to a tape recording
of the text as they read. It's especially helpful if the tape recording is appropriately
paced (Carbo, 1989).
- "By observing and participating as the teacher demonstrates letter/sound
relationships while writing." For example, the teacher may model his/her
writing process, lead the children in guided writing, and/or write something
from the children's dictation.
- "By writing independently, constructing their own spellings as best
they are able." Of course, primary grade children should be writing
in whatever way they can, whether it be scribble writing, random letters and
symbols, or letters that at least begin to be decipherable as words. But when
they can use letters to represent sounds, they begin to promote their own phonics
development through writing (Temple et al, 1993).
- "By developing their own strategies for learning letter/sound patterns."
The story of Jevon in "Jevon Doesn't Sit at the Back Anymore" (White,
1990) beautifully illustrates how children may develop their own strategies
that teachers are not always aware of. During Jevon's second year in her kindergarten,
White noticed that Jevon was learning letter/sound relationships by observing
the spellings of his classmates' names, which were written on the message board
and sign-up sheets, as well as on the papers they wrote. White reports that
"Long before Jevon connected sounds and symbols in inventive spelling,
names made their way into his written communication" (1990, 18-19).
Ways Teachers Can Help Children Develop Phonics
Knowledge...
- "First, have faith in children as learners." They can and
usually will develop a grasp of letter/sound relationships with little direct
instruction, just as they learned to talk without direct instruction in the
rules of the English language. Also, don't assume that because children cannot
do worksheets on particular phonics elements that they cannot read words with
those same patterns (e.g. the example from Watson and Crowley, 1988, 263-265).
- "Discuss interesting patterns of onsets and rimes, in the context
of shared reading experiences." Among the stories, poems, rhymes, and
songs chosen to share with children should be some that emphasize alliteration
and rhyme.
One of the best ways to generate children's interest in the sound elements of
a selection may be to ask simply "What do you notice about this poem?"
or, more specifically, "What do you notice about the sound in this poem?"
(Mills et al, 1992). Though children may notice different sound elements than
the teacher anticipated, this procedure gives children ownership over their
own learning.
Of course much of the poetry that rhymes is humorous poetry--one thinks, for
example, of Shel Silverstein's poetry or Jack Prelutsky's, though humorous poetry
should comprise only a modest proportion of the poetry to which children are
introduced. One book particularly rich in poems with alliteration, rhyme, and
onomatopoeia is "Noisy Poems," collected by Jill Bennett (Oxford University
Press, 1987). A cumulative book with wonderfully alliterative and onomatompoetic
verbs is "Deep Down Underground," by Olivier Dunrea (Macmillan, 1989).
- "As an outgrowth of the shared reading experience, engage children
in, and/or allow for, a limited number of activities that reinforce their natural
learning of letter/sound relationships and patterns." Mathematically-related
ideas can involve the making of charts that list words with particular sound
patterns, and graphs based upon the charts (for example, you might chart all
the "sl-" and "sp-" and "st-" words in several
poems, then make a class graph showing the relative frequency of the words in
each list (see Whitin et al, 1990).
Children may especially enjoy collaborating in such activities--and in creating
their own alphabet books, too.
In "Looking Closely: Exploring the Role of Phonics in One Whole Language
Classroom (Mills et al, 1992)," we see various phonics-enhancing activities
that can stem from and enhance enjoyment of literature, as well as activities
involving children's names.
- "Emphasize the use of letter/sound cues along with prior knowledge
and context." Teachers can do this, in such ways as:
... by modeling how they themselves use meaning (and grammar) along with initial
letters to predict what a word might be;
... by repeatedly encouraging children to think "what would make sense
here" before trying to sound out a word,
... by engaging together in oral cloze activities based on their shared readings
("What would fit in this sentence, 'I put c------ in the soup?'")
and
... by discussing, in literature discussion groups, how various children dealt
with problem words. It is critical to help children develop and use letter/sound
knowledge in the context of constructing meaning from texts.
- "Foster the acquisition of phonics knowledge indirectly, through various
means--"
... by pointing to words during shared reading experiences with big books, charts,
etc.
... by providing small, multiple copies of many selections, so that children
can easily reread favorite stories, songs, and poems
... by providing tapes of many selections for children to listen to, as they
follow along with the written text
... by attending to letter/sound patterns while modeling the writing process,
engaging children in guided writing, and writing down what children have dictated
... by encouraging children to write as best they can, and by helping them to
develop phonemic awareness and phonics knowledge through invented spelling (see
Freppon & Dahl, 1991)
... by encouraging children to experiment with print and solidify their understanding
of letter/sound patterns in a variety of self-chosen ways.
- "Be alert for children's idiosyncratic ways of developing phonics
knowledge, and support those." Jevon's learning of letter/sound relationships
through his classmates' names is but one example (White, 1990).
- "By providing additional materials and help for individual children,
as appropriate." For instance, children who seem readily to grasp the
concept of letter/sound relationships might especially benefit from Dr. Seuss
books that reinforce letter/sound patterns--and other children would enjoy and
benefit from such books too.
Children who are exceptionally slow in grasping letter/sound relationships may
benefit from tutorial assistance, such as that offered in Marie Clay's Reading
Recovery Program.
References...
Carbo, M. (1989). How to Record Books for Maximum Reading Gains. National Reading
Styles Institute, P.O. Box 39, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577.- Freppon, P.A. & Dahl, K.L. (1991). "Learning about Phonics in a Whole
Language Classroom." Language Arts, 68(3), 190-97. [EJ 422 590]
- Holdaway, D. (1979). The Foundations of Literacy. Sydney: Ashton Scholastic
(available from Heinemann in the U.S.). [ED 263 540]
- Mills, H. et al (1992). Looking Closely: Exploring the Role of Phonics in
One Whole Language Classroom. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
[ED 341 955]
- Temple, C. et al (1993). The Beginnings of Writing. Third Edition. Boston:
Allyn & Bacon.
- Watson, D. & Crowley, P. (1988) "How Can We Implement a Whole-Language
Approach?" In C. Weaver, Reading Process and Practice: From Socio-Psycholinguistics
to Whole Language (232-79). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. [ED 286 157]
- White, C. (1990). Jevon Doesn't Sit at the Back Anymore. Richmond Hill, Ontario:
Scholastic.
- Whitin, D.J. et al (1990). Living and Learning Mathematics: Stories and Strategies
for Supporting Mathematical Literacy. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Credits...
This publication was prepared with partial funding from the Office of Educational
Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, under contract no. RR93002011.
Contractors undertaking such projects under government sponsorship are encouraged
to express freely their judgment in professional and technical matters. Points
of view or opinions, however, do not necssarily represent the official view of
the Office of Educational Research and Improvement. ERIC Digests are in the public
domain and may be freely reproduced and disseminated.
ERIC Digest.
Author: Weaver, Constance
ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication, Bloomington, IN.
THIS DIGEST WAS CREATED BY ERIC, THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER.
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