Theoretical Approaches to Reading Instruction

Theoretical Approaches to Reading InstructionMarilyn Jager-Adams

1three styles of learning: alphabeticwordsmeaningIntroduction

In theoretical approaches to reading instruction, three styles of learning are discussed: alphabetic, words, and meaning. The most basic of the methods is through the Alphabet and teaching the letters that form the basis of words is the initial step in reading literacy. Each language's phonemes are represented by a written alphabet, as the basis of written language (309). I hadn't heard the term phoneme, prior to this reading, and initially confused it with phonetics (just coming into vogue, when I was in early elementary school). A phoneme is the smallest unit of language, a speech sound (University of Oregon), while phonics is a method of teaching phonemic awareness.2Advantages:One alphabetic symbol per phonemeNo language admits more than a few dozen phonemes Prevalent method for nearly 3,000 years Hailed as most important invention in the social history of the world(309)Disadvantages:Difficult to learn Focused on memorization, reading aloudLess concerned with conveying ideas

(310)Alphabetic Approaches

Due to the difficulty in learning the alphabet (our own language has 24 letters, other languages vary) various methods have been used for memorization including the famous "alphabet song" most of us grew up with (309). Despite the difficulties with the alphabetical method, it was the predominant method of learning language for three millennia (309). Around the fifteenth century, the availability of the written word highlighted the problem as now readers were faced with an overwhelming array of the written language (309-310).3Alphabetic Methods:The Alphabet Song

Hornbooks

Blue-Back Speller (1783)

Image courtesy of The Library of Congresswww.loc.govImage courtesy of Folger Shakespeare Library

The alphabetic method was ineffective, partly due to the fact that little connection could be made with the meaning, or ideas, that were to be conveyedbut also due to the tediousness involved. Teaching at that time placed emphasis on elocution. Hornbooks, which gave way to folios, included ever increasing lists and tables of syllable to exercise alphabetical principle (310)4Wordsintroduction of the "whole" methoddebate over the "proper whole":reading should begin with memorization-memorization of whole books/stories (Matthew 1966)sentence-whole thought to be most natural of thought and expression- sentence-whole words sounds letters (Huey 1908/1968)

(310-311)

5over 19th century came increased availability of books/titleschange to aquiring knowledge for its own sake/purposesimproving one's personal capacity for practical & intellectual fulfillmentexpanded areas of scholarship (science, history, art, philosophy, economics, literature)(311)Meaning (cont.)

6shift towards motivation, freedom of thought:

"...everyone selects what suits him from what he reads" (1895, 73; cited in N. Smith 1986, 118)

change from reading aloud to silent reading

words recognized through pictures/contextletter/sound recognition relegated to ancillary use

in use until around the 1940's

(312)Meaning (stimulus-thought)

"Fun with Dick and Jane"1946

7The Contemporary Debate

8The ContemporaryDebate

1950s: phonetics briefly regain core curriculum position1960s: Whole Language MovementMeaning-driven approaches from earlier revamped (313)Attention Theory (meaning and message)Same difficulties faced by other meaning based methods

The 1950's through Present Day:Competing beliefs, such as Phonetics, Whole Language Movement, and continued adherents to the Alphabetic Method

9Research Findings:Reading for meaning includes:Line for line, left to right style (313)Rapid word/letter-wise processing (313)Knowledge of ones language spellings and spelling-speech mappings is crucial (313-314)Where does the impasse lie with the Alphabetic Method?Perceptual/conceptual elusiveness of phonemes (313)Humans are biologically disposed to learn/decode the phonemes of their native language (313)Focus needs to be on the sounds of language vs. meaningsThe Contemporary Debate

Phonemes:

Learning to connect sounds to written language

Works CitedJager Adams, Marilyn. "Theoretical Approaches to Reading Instruction" Cushman, Ellen, et al. Literacy: A Critical Sourcebook. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2001. 309-315. Print.Oxford Education. "Read Write Inc. Phonemes Pronunciation Guide DVD. Online video clip.YouTube. YouTube, 7 February 2011. Web. 15 June 2014.University of Oregon. University of Oregon Center on Teaching and Learning. n.d. webpage. 15 June 2014. .