| Is there anything a parent wants more than | | | | its core, it focuses on meaning: making meaning |
| happiness and success for their child? | | | | when reading; expressing meaning when writing. It |
| In the modern world a key ingredient to a child's | | | | advocates a love of books, uses 'guided reading' |
| happiness is his or her success at school. Nothing | | | | and encourages group 'read alouds'. |
| contributes more to that success than reading | | | | Fortunately the debate is less heated than it once |
| and writing skills. Here are three question many | | | | was and there are few who sit squarely in one |
| parents have regarding teaching their child to read: | | | | camp or the other. The most thoughtful |
| - Should parents give their child a head start in | | | | compromise is a certain blending of the two |
| learning to read? A child's chance at succeeding at | | | | methods: 'Phonics within Whole Language'. |
| school is low if his or her reading skills are poorly | | | | Long before any Phonics - Whole Language |
| developed. Difficulties would accompany any | | | | debate, parents and teachers used a gentle, |
| reading deficiencies that your child might have. | | | | simple technique for teaching children to read. It is |
| - Is it enough to just hope for the best, i.e. is it | | | | still valid and even elegantly combines Phonics and |
| risky to take a wait and see approach? Wouldn't | | | | Whole Language. That technique is simply to read |
| it make sense to take steps to ensure that your | | | | aloud to your child while pointing at each word. |
| child can read at a level that allows him or her to | | | | Wonderful. But, it has two downsides: |
| concentrate on the many other demands of | | | | - a significant time cost, an issue for busy parents |
| schooling? | | | | - it doesn't fully utilize your child's natural curiosity, |
| - What is the best way of teaching children to | | | | energy and burning desire to learn |
| read? | | | | The Internet to the rescue. Now, there are |
| This article addresses the last question. | | | | web-based systems that help even very young |
| Interestingly and unexpectedly, there is a | | | | children learn to read on their own. Of necessity, |
| sometimes-rowdy debate over which of two | | | | any computer-based system must focus on |
| approaches to teaching a child to read is superior: | | | | Phonics-based teaching because Whole Language |
| Phonics verses Whole Language. | | | | instruction requires a patient and caring person to |
| Phonics proponents believe that the best way of | | | | impart meaning and convey the joy of reading. |
| teaching children to read is to give them the skill | | | | So, whether or not you choose computerized, |
| to 'sound out' a written word and thereby | | | | web-based assistance to help your child learn to |
| recognize it. They see the three letters in the | | | | read, there is still room, even in the modern |
| word, cat, they know the sound each letter | | | | world, for you, as a parent, to contribute, the |
| makes and so can discover, by stringing the | | | | old-fashioned way: reading while pointing at words |
| sounds together that it is a word they know. | | | | and sharing meaning and joy, to this exciting and |
| Whole Language is more difficult to describe. At | | | | crucial part of your child's development. |