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Changes of Phonics
Phonics is an significant method for learning how to read. Phonics are words and letters working together to make words and understanding the meaning of words. They are written symbols that represent sounds. However, there are times in United States history when phonics was not considered to be significant. This timeline will explain how changes have been made in education in teaching phonics. -
"The Blue-Backed Speller"
In 1779-1780 Noah Webster worked as a teacher while he waited to attend law school. He made note that the one room schools were deplorable and a very poor system of education. The text books were inadequate and in short supply. Webster was discouraged by the conditions of teaching but he decided to correct the situation, it was his challenge. -
Webster in 1781
Webster believed that everyone should have their own text books and dictionaries. As he continued to study law, Webster passed the bar in 1781 and returned to teaching, he drafted the "Blue-Backed Speller" and completed it in 1783 and promoted the "Speller" after petitioning legislature. -
1783
Ezre Stiles, president of Yale, suggested that Webster call his Speller "A Grammatical Institute of the English Language". He made changes to improve teaching pronunciation, spelling and reading and the "Speller" was used nationwide which helped pronunciation of American's language. The Spellers were text books that taught students how to read, pronounce and spell words. Most teachers felt students didn't need to understand what they were reading so they taught reciting and memorizing. -
Whole-Language/Whole-Word Method
During the mid 1800's there were a lot of changes in the United States as well as abroad. New ideas were presented within society and politically including how to teach reading. Advocates had said that whole-language is not just a method but a philosophy. According to Todays-learners.com (2017), the advocates say "...reading should not be taught, but rather acquired through trial and error." -
Whole-word Method
The whole-word method does not teach students the letter/sound connection, they learn to identify and recognize the complete word or group of words in context with other words or pictures. -
Whole-word
For instance, words in a whole-word reader may have words such as: will, come, bear, you, see, not, etc. For instance, words in a whole-word reader may have words such as: will, come, bear, you, see, not, help, we, etc. Some students have no problem memorizing the words but when they spell them they will think it to be irrational when they see the "E" in the words. This strategy was used until 1876. -
The Leigh Print
The Leigh Print was a self pronounced print that was developed in 1864 by Edwin Leigh, he spent 20 years refining the book before it was released in 1866. It was popular from 1868-1873, it was then removed from schools by advocates of whole-word methods. -
Spelling With Phonics
An educational reformer, Joseph Rice, used surveys of Public Schools within the United States in 1883. He found that phonics showed to be more effective in reading than in word methods. In 1895-1896 he gave spelling tests to 33,000 students in the U.S. and found the phonics method to have the best results on spelling. Rice's evaluations was recognized as the first formal educational program evaluation in America (Stufflebeam, Madaus, & Kellaghan, (2000). -
The 20th Century
In the 1900's to 1930's whole word methods were still used but phonics were also used ensuing outstanding spelling and reading abilities.
In 1930 "Dick and Jane" happens upon the United States and were used in schools until the early 1970's. These readers had a sufficient amount of repetition, students learned to sight read words and it was believed that they would learn the basics of phonics allowing them to articulate new vocabulary on their own. -
"Why Johnny Can't Read"
In 1955 "Why Johnny Can't Read" was written and published by Rudolf Flesch. It was considered to be an attack on reading professionals and experts. This book was a bestseller for over 30 weeks. The parents were frustrated with the reading levels of their children and this book was overwhelmingly supported by them. -
The Reaction
The reaction to Flesch's book, was intensely opposed by reading establishments, they were in disagreement of the return of phonics, the system was based solely on one approach. Teachers of the late 1950's and 1960's thought teaching sounds in isolation was wrong and it became prohibited. The claim was it was boring and the students lost track from the meaning of what was read. -
Jeanne Chall
Jeanne Chall was an admired associate of the reading community and published her book Learning to Read: The Great Debate in 1967. She studied hundreds of methods of reading strategies and found that phonics was more effective than whole word methods. In her book she recommended a change in code-emphasis would generate higher results and systematic phonics was more helpful than analytic phonics In 1983 she republishes her book with new research that reinforced the argument for phonics. -
Whole-Language Emerges
In the early 1980's whole-language emerges. Supporters say it is more than a method it's a philosophy. Students need to learn to read through trial and error and no taught. Some techniques used are: substituting words in place of others as long as it is close to the same meaning, guiding the student to discover how to read until they do, spelling is not important, skipping unknown words is ok, and use pictures to discover the word presented. -
A Decrease of Phonics
Also in the early 1980's phonics and skill instruction decreased during this time whole-language was being highly supported. Basal readers had more literature based stories which reinforced the focus of making meaning while reading. -
Interactive Modeling and Reading Recovery
Interactive writing and modeling were used to show students the conventions of writing, for example; phonics, spelling and formation of letters. Reading Recovery became popular by using drawings to show phonemic combinations and phonemic division. -
Hooked on Phonics
In 1987 a father was determined to help his son as he struggled in reading. He developed a program to be used at home and that same year the Hooked on Phonics program is released through Educational Products Ltd. -
MRI's
In the 1990's brain research has indicated the brain reads sound by sound using MRI's, Sousa (2011). -
Dispute and Change
M.J. Adams emphasized the significance of phonemic awareness and phonics education. Her book was used to start a dispute between phonics and whole-language. Professionals of reading instruction began to suggest numerous ways of teaching phonics. Spelling based techniques, writing, and decoding processes were a few ideas. By the end of the 1990's the stress turned to struggling readers. -
No Child Left Behind
In 2001 legislation passed No Child Left Behind (NCLB). It was mandated that phonics instruction be included in the Reading First portion. Grants became available for research based reading instruction. Sounding out words letter by letter was now being implemented in teaching students to read in K-3. Writing and alphabetic principle are turn out to be more significant and teachers are able to differentiate instruction. -
The 21st Century
In September 2016 the Arizona State Board of Education has drafted new standards for students to be taught phonics and word recognition for K-3. The new standard reads: "Know and apply grade level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words." -
Phonics
Instead of recognizing whole words children are using phonics to decode words by sounds. Teaching synthetic phonics or blended phonics is a strategy of reading that teaches the letter sounds and then being able to blend the sounds together to reach complete pronunciation, (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic phonics) -
Is It The Best Way To Teach?
The government has had a lot to say about it and there is much controversy on the phonics only approach. Many educational leaders, teachers, and advocates of education would like to have a more balanced approach by integrating different reading strategies. The one size fits all is not necessarily true in learning how to read. -
Other Methods
Sight Words - Repetition, usually used by K-1 teachers
Whole Word - Memorizing words rapidly but longer to teach sounds and blending
"Look and Say" - Pictures with words
Alphabetic Method - Recognizing and naming letters of the alphabet in order -
Quote
"My father told me once that words and letters hold the secrets of the universe. That in their shapes and sounds I could find everything, could see beyond myself to something special... perfect. My father told me once that I could reach the ear of God." Eliza, in the movie Bee Season (2005) -
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References
Adams, M. J. (1990). Beginning to read: Thinking and learning about print. Center for the Study of Reading The Reading Research and Education Center University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Retrieved from: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED315740.pdf Arizona Daily Independent, (2016). Retrieved from
https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2015/03/20/az-senate-education-passed-kill-bill-for-common-core/ -
References Continued
Hogan, R.L. (2007) The historical development of program evaluation: Exploring the past and present. Online Journal of Workforce Education and Development, 2(4).
Hooked on Phonics, (2005-2017). Retrieved from
https://www.hookedonphonics.com/about-us/our-history/ Meyer, F. (1987). Noah Webster's Story. Retrieved from
https://www.noahwebsterhouse.org/discover/noah-webster-biography.htm The Phonics Page (2016). Retrieved from http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/leighprint.html -
References
Todays-Learners - Learning in Todays World. History of Teaching Reading, (2016). Retrieved from http://www.todays-learners.com/history-of-teaching-reading/ Hogan, R.L. (2007) The historical development of program evaluation: Exploring the past and present. Online Journal of Workforce Education and Development, 2(4). -
References
Monaghan, E. J. (1997). Phonics and whole word/whole language controversies: 1948-1998. An Introductory History. Retrieved from http://www.americanreadingforum.org/yearbook/yearbooks/98_yearbook/pdf/01_monaghan_98.pdf Rodgers, G. "The History of Beginning Reading," 2001, p. 653, 745 Sousa, D. A. (2011). How the brain learns (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. ISBN-13: 9781412997973 -
References
Stufflebeam, D.L., Madaus, G.F., & Kellaghan, T. (2000). Evaluation models: Viewpoints on educational and human services evaluation. (2nd eds.). Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
