Week 2

1. The Great Debate
Definition: Research has led to the formation of two distinct approaches, which combine theory and practice. Whole language and traditional phonics have become the base for which early literacy instruction is formulated. Conflicting beliefs regarding each approach has created a divide among literacy pioneers as to which approach is the most comprehensive and effective for students. The following paper explores the whole language and traditional phonics approach as it relates to the delivery of early literacy instruction. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/43145026_The_Great_Debate_The_Traditional_Phonics_Approach_versus_the_Whole_Language_Approach_in_an_Early_Reading_Classroom

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Importance: This word has a great significance in Education and the overall Phonics Instruction. "The Great Debate" is the term that defines what phonics has come to in education. It allows teachers to weigh the pros and cons of both Phonics Instructions and Whole Language, in which they can determine the way they believe is correct to best teach their students. 

2. Whole Language
Definition: In the simplest terms, the whole-language approach strives to teach children to read words as whole pieces of language. This form of instruction is taught using a holistic approach, meaning that children do not learn to break down sounds individually but to take words at face value and associate them with prior knowledge. https://www.ectutoring.com/phonics-based-reading-whole-language-approach

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Importance: I believe that the concept of Whole Language is important to our education system and the process of phonics overall because it represents a second approach to teaching children the way of reading and writing. This approach allows teachers to recognize that in order to teach phonics correctly you must use a mix of both approaches. 

3. Systematic Intensive Phonics Instruction
Definition: The primary focus of phonics instruction is to help beginning readers understand how letters are linked to sounds (phonemes) to form letter-sound correspondences and spelling patterns and to help them learn how to apply this knowledge in their reading. http://www.readingrockets.org/article/phonics-instruction

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Importance: Phonics Instruction is very similarly important to the previous Whole Language approach. Intensive Phonics Instruction is the basis of our education and is the most common way in which children in the past and present are learning to read and write. It is important to continue to teach children the ways of phonics but with a more open approach.

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