The whole language approach to reading an Empiricist Critique

Abstract

When Australian state education departments, and major teacher associations take the unusual step of endorsing a particular model of teaching, such as whole language, one would anticipate that the decision would have been made with due gravity, including careful consideration of evidence supporting the model as worthy of such acclamation. Not only should such a model be well‐credentialled, theoretically and empirically, but it should be sufficiently flexible to accommodate the diverse range of learners dependent on classroom experiences for the majority of their language opportunities. This paper examines the philosophy and practice of whole language, highlighting the flaws which make it an inappropriate model for such endorsement, and argues that its impact on ‘at‐risk’ students is deleterious rather than supportive.