whole language vs phonics

[PrincessFiona]

Oh yeah? Then I'll add the bit about the parent who said "I get how to teach addition, you add 2 + 2 (holding up 2 fingers on each hand) and that equals 4. But how do you teach subtraction?" After waiting for the teacher to stifle a laugh and give an answer, I turned around and said "Jellybeans".

I guess I shouldn't be hoping to make some new friends here. I'm really a b****!

You are my new hero!


I agree with kevin, btw about the spelling. My older children have atrocious spelling and I've often had to say "geeesh, sound it out" for a word that was spelled phonetically.

[houseelf]

Since I'm inherently lazy and don't want to take the effort to support my views , I vote for a mixture of the "fonics" and the "hole" language approach, focusing more on the phonics end of the continuum.

One without the other doesn't make sense to me. You have to understand phonics to read new words and yet some words you just have to know cold.

But in the spirit of good will, I could be wrong about all of this.

Kelly