Phonics-based Reading vs. The Whole Language Approach

Reading is an essential developmental skill. That is a statement that just about every educator can agree upon. However, in terms of reading instruction, that’s about as far as the agreement goes. Over the past three decades a “reading war” has waged on in the field of education, leaving many parents confused as to what theory they should subscribe to for their child’s development. The two most popular terms tossed around in this reading war are phonics-based reading and the whole-language approach. But what do these terms mean and how does it translate to not only the early childhood but to the college classroom as well? What are the long-term effects of both methods and is one better than the other? To get started, let’s examine these two ideas:

Phonics-based Reading

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