How should children learn to read? In Canada, two schools of thought struggle for supremacy

Ever wonder how children should learn to read? In Canada, two schools of thought struggle for supremacy.

On one side is a phonics-based program. Students are explicitly taught the sounds and letters of the alphabet, and carefully decode each letter as they form a word. Proponents say it frees up brain space because children are not memorizing words but rather sounding them out – cracking the code – so they can then analyze and critique the text.

Whole-language champions, however, liken learning to read to how children learn oral language. They believe it’s a natural process that happens in an atmosphere rich with text. Proponents say that by immersing children in spoken and written language, through classroom read-alouds and small guided reading groups, they will discover how to read and the words on the page will become more meaningful.

In Canada, provinces have tried to strike a compromise with a “balanced literacy” program, which theoretically pulls the best from both approaches. It is supposed to weave phonics, decoding and spelling into classroom lessons, but doesn’t emphasize them systematically. Instead, students are encouraged to predict or guess at words on a page using context, pictures and cues, which is referred to as the three-cueing system.

Ontario students are currently being assessed in reading, writing and math. Those results, expected in the fall, will paint a picture of how far behind their youngest pupils are.

Visit https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-learn-to-read-phonics-vs-whole-language/ to learn more.