Quotes are taken from a message written by Ruth to Charles on 08/11/96...
RL>How reputable was this source?
I have no way of knowing.  Here's what the attribution line states: 
"Jill Stewart, a contributing editor for Buzz Magazine, The Los Angeles 
Times Magazine and LA Weekly, wrote this article for LA Weekly."
The article is about 15 pages long, uses interviews with parents, 
teachers, Bill Honig (ex-State School Superintendent in California), and 
makes numerous references to current research.  I have a phone number 
and have called Jill for permission to post the article in this forum, 
but I have not heard back from her yet.
RL>I think that was taken the wrong way. I don't believe that any Whole
RL>Language advocate (and I could be wrong here) believes that reading is
RL>learned in the same way as learning to speak - at least not in the way a
RL>linguist,etc. would.
I responded with that quote because it directly addressed some comments 
Dan Triplett had made.
RL>They were/are also under the misconception that Whole Language means 
RL>you don't teach reading skills.....Wrong!
The issue is debatable, I guess. What do you mean by "reading skills?" 
Most of the articles I found were pretty consistent in defining whole 
language and they virtually all indicated that the reading skills used 
were "guess and retest" sorts of activities, not phonics.
RL>REading Skills such as phonics ARE taught in a Whole Language 
RL>program. They are however, not taught in the same manner or context 
RL>as traditionally taught.
This is not consistent with the reading I have done.  Most of the 
authors would argue that if you are teaching phonics, you are not 
teaching using the whole language philosophy.
RL>Now, isn't that interesting because the studies I've read said there is
RL>no difference - at least in learning to read - between Whole Language or
RL>Traditional (phonics) methods except for children who learn the WL way
RL>are more likely to enjoy the process.  Again I would point to the
RL>misconception and possibly inefficiency in teaching Whole Language
RL>programs in the U.S. (and even probably in Canada).
Dan too has mentioned that whole language is based on research.  No one 
has yet posted any of that research here, but I'd enjoy reading a little 
of it if you can find it.  As quoted in my article, the American 
Federation of Teachers was unable to find well constructed research that 
supports whole language.
Chuck Beams
Fidonet - 1:2608/70
cbeams@future.dreamscape.com
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* UniQWK #5290* A bird in the hand, gets highly agitated
--- Maximus 2.01wb
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