Whole to Part Phonics: How Children Learn to Read and Spell

by Margaret Moustafa

Significant recent research in literacy learning casts serious doubt on the effectiveness of traditional phonics instruction. Researchers have discovered that traditional phonics, with its emphasis on letters, sounds, and words, ignores the complexity of childrens natural learning processes, including childrens inclination to focus first on the text, then on whole words, and then on their constituent parts. Whole to Part Phonics offers a concise, accessible introduction to this research and proven strategies for translating it into effective classroom practice. The contributors to Whole to Part Phonics recognize that children need to understand letter-sound relationships in order to become independent and fluent readers. But, they argue, this knowledge is of little value unless children learn how to use it in context. Accordingly, the authors maintain that childrens encounters with print lay the groundwork for effective phonics learning. By drawing on childrens wider experience of reading and on their preferred modes of learning, whole-to-part phonics offers an exciting alternativestudents focus on the construction of meaning rather than the decoding of text. In Part I, Henrietta Dombey explains how phonics works in English and surveys the research evidence for whole-to-part phonics. Margaret Moustafa then offers advice on using whole-to-part phonics strategies in a rich, literature-based reading program. Olivia OSullivan of the Centre for Language in Primary Education (CLPE) surveys research that investigates the connection between developmental spelling and reading. In Part II, the staff of the CLPE offers a set of detailed, practical suggestions for promoting the knowledge children need to learn letter-sound relationships and use them effectively in both their reading and writing.

44 pages, Paperback

First published November 6, 1998

Reviews

[Michelle Ziegler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's what I liked about the book: It clearly explained the definitions of phonemes, onsets, rimes, graphemes, and the various phases of phonic learning. I loved that there were activities provided at each phase to help teachers know how to provide successful learning experiences for their students. I liked the idea of having students have spelling partners who help each other while proofreading their work. I liked the emphasis that was put on using onsets and rimes to sort the words. This approach reminds me a lot of Words Their Way, which involves having students focus on spelling patterns by engaging them in spelling sorts.