Combining Phonics and Whole Language for Reading Instruction

By Matthew Glavach, Ph.D.    

There is more to phonics than whole language enthusiasts are willing to accept – There is more to whole language than phonics proponents are willing to accept.

THE SCIENCE OF READING

The science of reading is trending in the direction of phonics which is focused on sound–symbol development important to decoding words. This approach to reading includes studying consistent word patterns. Pattern recognition is compatible with current brain science related to reading. It includes practice with isolated word patterns, especially rhyming patterns such as “fun, run, and sun “and sentence structures such “Tad has a tan hat.  Whole language puts emphasis on rich oral language experiences (e.g. rhymes, puns, chants etc.), and on the act of reading with its focus on great children’s literature.

PHONICS INSTRUCTION

In phonics instruction, children study the shapes and sounds of alphabet letters so they can identify them on the page when reading. This skill helps children decode new words into shorter sounds, which can be blended together to form words. The phonetic strategy gives beginning readers a tool to use when facing difficult and unfamiliar words, therefore building their confidence. There is no denying that success with sound and symbol relationships and learning logical word and sentence patterns can help children to decode words but there is a downside. 

THE DOWNSIDE

For too many children, this is what reading is as there is often a tight skill sequence and little time for reading popular children’s books that have joy, interest, and rich meaning, a focus of whole language instruction. Also, phonics lacks prosody, the music of language, the sounds that bring joy, mystery and meaning in the way words are spoken. The lack of prosody affects many children’s already short attention spans, and they can lose interest quickly.  While many schools are trying for a more balanced reading program between phonics and whole language, this can take more teacher training and time.

BALANCED APPROACH

An approach that includes phonics and whole language can have many benefits. Many words are not phonetic.  These words are best learned in context, especially the context of books children love to read. While whole language includes many skills related to learning to read and developing an appreciation of literature, my focus is on a strategy called repeated reading. I use repeated reading with popular children’s books.

COMBINING PHONICS AND WHOLE LANGUAGE

The instructional program starts with sound–symbol relationships focusing on beginning and ending consonants and short and long vowel patterns with a focus on rhyming word patterns. and then repeated reading with popular children’s books is added.  Phonics activities continue focusing on rhyming word patterns. Now, repeated reading becomes the focus of the lessons.

This approach helps children who are not responding to phonics as they may learn better in context rather than a linear approach. The repeated reading activity does not take away from the joy of reading as the children love reading their books again and again with expression and prosody. I believe that prosody has a strong role in learning to read I also included phonics songs (discussed later).

Something interesting happens when children have success with repeated reading.  The children are able to complete phonics activities more easily.

FRUSTATION

One problem with repeated reading is the requirement of a ninety to ninety–five percent success rate which corresponds to comprehension expectancy rates.  Many of the children with reading difficulty become frustrated when not able to reach this level so they can move to their next book.

A DIFFERRENT RATE FOR READING PRACTICE AND READING COMPREHENSION

A seventy percent success rate for practice reading and a ninety percent success rate for reading comprehension. While this is the same as current recommendations, there are different ways to reach successful reading.

The first time the children read the book, a seventy percent rate is used.  They read the book again for comprehension. This brings success through motivation. When children are successful, they will read the book again and again, to almost anyone who will listen, and their comprehension rates improve. Also, the children see many of the same words again in books they read. This does not change the expectancy level for comprehension, it makes it more adaptable. Following is the approach I developed to repeated reading.

A FLUENT READING PRACTICE WITH PROSODIC CUES

Repeated reading is based on a reading-aloud fluent reading practice which includes prosodic cues (the music of language) and multiple exposures to each word in the context of popular children’s books. This exposure also helps children develop a letter-sound recognition system – much like that which occurs with the practice of phonics.  This reading-aloud intervention increases phonological awareness in children with literacy difficulties and specific language impairment, and improves comprehension, vocabulary, and general language abilities.

REAL BOOKS

The program is based on real books, popular books that children enjoy reading. The books should be carefully sequenced to offer students the greatest opportunity for success.  The books chosen should include certain criteria.  At early levels, these include predictable stories with repeated phrases and rhyme patterns. Repeated phrases and rhyme patterns provide valuable language cues.  They should include books that children will want to read again and again. Leveled readers can also be used.

 

REPEATED READING ACTIVITIES

Oral Reading

In the program students learn to read while listening to and reading a book orally.  They have advantages when reading orally.  They use more than one sensory mode.  They see, pronounce, and hear the words, which helps them remember words.  And when students hear teachers read orally with expression, they have a model for meaningful, fluent reading.

 

Repeated Reading

Repeated reading is students reading the same text until they read the text at specific levels.  It begins with students listening as the teacher reads a book part, usually a few sentences or a paragraph.  Then, after practice, students read the book part back to the teacher.  In repeated reading, students learn to read by repeating the reading!  Repeated reading also includes:

 

Following the Words: Tracking

Tracking helps the students focus on the words.  When they start, the students often move their finger under each word.  As they develop, they track smoothly under the phrases. Tracking also coordinates students’ eye and hand coordination and helps focus attention.

 

Reading Slowly/Normal Pace

For each book, teachers read the first repeated reading slowly, but not so slowly as to lack expression.  For many students, reading slowly seems to make it possible for their brains to extract the letter sounds and to organize them into the brain’s word form area to be used for decoding words.  Reading slowly also helps students who have auditory discrimination difficulties.  This is followed by reading at a normal pace with expression.

 

Limited Interruptions

Repeated reading of text is done with limited, or no, interruptions. Researchers have found that students with reading problems are more likely to be interrupted during reading and that the focus of the interruption is on sounding out words.  The student begins to anticipate the interruption and reads each word waiting to be interrupted.  Without realizing it, teachers are developing word-by-word readers instead of fluent readers. Studies show that engaging students in repeated reading of text with limited, if any, interruptions is particularly effective in encouraging more fluent reading with struggling readers.₃

 

Reading with Expression

In repeated reading, reading with expression provides students with a model of good reading.  Expression is the ability to communicate thoughts, feelings, and so forth. Prosodic cues include delivery, diction, intonation, inflection, and pauses.  Prosody is the melody of speech and the melody carries important information. Make reading together fun and exciting. Read the books with funny voices. Take the voices of different characters, and so forth.

 

Timed Reading

If children read too slowly, their comprehension will be compromised.

Timed Reading is reading a passage for one or two minutes and recording the number of words read per minute. For some children, this activity is helpful.

Using Songs and music to strengthen phonics and whole language.
 

It is said that music is the language of the soul, but the connection doesn’t stop there.  Music is a vital part of the learning process.  In different forms, it helps to improve one’s learning abilities. It not only provides a fun way to learn, it can sharpen literacy skills in children with learning difficulties and can help children with speech and language difficulties.  Music has links to language development because sounds play a vital role in both.

While the reason why reading scores are so low is that we are missing a fundamental step in the teaching of reading, and it is not phonics. Children, especially children from challenged environments, have been found to have underdeveloped or delayed language development and poor auditory discrimination for sounds. Distinguishing sounds is fundamental to learning to read.

The rhythm in songs is slower than speech and there is more separation of sounds which improves auditory discrimination and helps children develop the sounds for letters and words. The melody of songs can help with developing prosody and fluent reading skills. The words in songs help language development.

Listening to, playing, reading, and creating music involves almost every part of the brain. If one pathway is weak, music can help open others. With practice, songs build stronger connections between the right and left sides of the brain and can bring many to reading. Learning to read requires attention, engagement, and repetition, all a part of singing.

Most children’s songs benefit improvement in auditory discrimination of skills. One difficulty with songs for reading is that children often memorize the songs, and the words are in sequential memory. The author uses a finger-point reading activity with each song that has students identify words quickly putting the words into long-term memory and available for reading. A difficulty with songs on a computer screen is that many children cannot follow the bouncing ball. Children need to point to each word.

The author developed a phonics program entitled Phonics Songs plus with music and songs that include major phonics kills for grades one and two.  The songs were written by the author using high frequency reading words for each grade level and specific phonics skills are embedded in each song. The songs are sung and recorded by Donny and Marie Osmond.
 

Phonics Songs plus is available at the authors website and on Amazon.
PHONICS SONGS plus is for all students, including students with reading difficulty and English as a Second Language and for those of us who go back a few years, Donny and Marie bring fond memories.

 Resources

LaBerge, D. & Samuels, S. J. (1974). “Toward a Theory of Automatic Information Processing in Reading.” Cognitive Psychology, 6, 293-323.

Rasinski, T.V. (2003). The fluent reader. P. 21, New York, New York: Scholastic.

Wolfe, P. & Nevills, P. (2004). Building the Reading Brain. P. 139, Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Allington, R.L. (2001). What Really Matters for Struggling. Readers.P. 73 New York, NY: Longman.

Rasinski, T.V. (2003). The fluent reader. P. 330, New York,  NewYork: Scholastic.