The Whole Language Approach

DİLBER DİNÇER
PINAR ÇETİNKAYA
AYSUN YANAR

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Background
Created in the 1980’s
 The approach argues that language should be taught as a
“whole”.
Emphasis on learning to read and write naturally.
Focus on real communication.
Reading and writing for pleasure.
1990s’ – popularity as a motivating and innovative way of
teaching language arts skills.
Relates to natural approaches to language learning
Whole Language – approach, method, philosophy or belief?
Approach: theory of language and of
learning
Views language organization from an interactional
perspective.
Emphasis of Whole Language
Authenticity
Engagement with the authors of written texts
Conversation.
Example: “Apologizing”
Approach: theory of language and of
learning
Psycholinguistically - as a vehicle for:
Internal “interaction”
Egocentric speech
Thinking
The learning Theory
Humanistic Constructivist
Authentic Knowledge is socially
Personalized constructed, rather than
Self-directed received or discovered.
Collaborative Create meaning
Pluralistic Learn by doing
Work collaboratively
The learning Theory
Teachers
Instead of transmitting knowledge, the teacher
works with the student to create knowledge and
understanding.
Does not focus on “covering the curriculum”
Focus on students’:
Needs
Experiences
Interests
Aspirations
 Design: Objectives, syllabus, learning
activities, roles of learners, teachers and
materials
Principles underlying the Design of WL:
Use of authentic literature
Focus on real and natural events
Reading of real texts of high interest
Reading for the sake of comprehension and real
purpose
Writing for a real audience
Writing as a process through which learners
explore and discover meaning
 Design: Objectives, syllabus, learning
activities, roles of learners, teachers and
materials
Principles underlying the Design of WL:
Use of student-produced texts
Integration of reading, writing and other skills
Student centered learning
Reading and writing in partnership
Encouragement of risk taking
 Design: Objectives, syllabus, learning
activities, roles of learners, teachers and
materials
The Teacher The Learner
 Facilitator  Is a collaborator
 Teaches students and not  Evaluator
subject matter.  Self-directed
 Looks for occurrence of
 Selector of materials and
teachable moments activities
 Creates a climate that
supports collaborative
learning.
 Negotiator
 Design: Objectives, syllabus, learning
activities, roles of learners, teachers and
materials
The Material
Real World Vs. Commercial Texts
Newspapers
Signs
Storybooks
Handbills
Workplace handouts
Student produced material
 Design: Objectives, syllabus, learning
activities, roles of learners, teachers and
materials
The Procedure Activities
The use of literature  Individual and small
The use of process group reading and writing
writing  Ungraded dialogue
Encouragement of journals
cooperative learning  Writing portfolios
among students  Writing conferences
Concern for students’
 Student-made books
attitude
 Story writing
Whole Language
Conclusion
It is not a teaching method but an
approach to learning that sees language as
the whole entity.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_language
http://my.execpc.com/~presswis/phonics.html
*Approaches and methods in language teaching
(Jack C. RICHARDS and Theodore S. RODGERS)
*Techniques and principles in language teaching
(Dianne Larsen-Freeman)
http://www.answers.com/topic/whole-languag
e
http://www.avko.org/Essays/whole_language.
htm
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