The so-called “reading wars” are the gift that keeps giving. For much of the 20th century and all - so far - of the 21st, educators, parents, politicians and pundits have incessantly bickered. Is a phonics first approach mandatory based on what is claimed to be irrefutable “scientific”evidence? Or is whole language best, as eloquently espoused by such luminaries as psychologist Frank Smith, literacy scholars Ken and Yetta Goodman, and linguist Noam Chomsky?
i taught children's literature to nonreaders in community college. Each and every one fell in love with reading for the first time, as adults, through the beautiful books we looked at. None of them had experienced this in their k12 education. I agree with you on everything and am shocked/not shocked that NY Times readers are taken in by the fake science of phonics.
i taught children's literature to nonreaders in community college. Each and every one fell in love with reading for the first time, as adults, through the beautiful books we looked at. None of them had experienced this in their k12 education. I agree with you on everything and am shocked/not shocked that NY Times readers are taken in by the fake science of phonics.