Phonics in "Strategies Used for Phonics Instruction

Phonics In "Strategies used for phonics instruction in early childhood classrooms," Morrow & Tracey (1997) examine patterns of phonics instruction in early education. The authors first provide a history of phonics instruction, noting that phonics instruction stretches back as far as the 18th century. Since then, the debate between phonics vs. whole word reading instruction methods has been ongoing and unresolved. Whole word, or whole language, instruction suggests that phonics should ideally be taught within the context of reading for content and meaning.

In other words, phonics instruction should not be a separate intervention. Educators and parents in favor of phonics believe the opposite: that phonics should be taught in a "direct" and "systematic" way (Morrow & Tracey, 1997, p. 645). Morrow & Tracey (1997) note that there is a third, middle way, called "centering," which blends both of these reading instructional strategies for optimal learning. The purpose of the present study was to observe patterns of instruction in early education classrooms.

The observations are non-judgmental; the authors do not seek to show which method is more effective than the other but only to tabulate patterns of usage. Morrow & Tracey (1997) culled formal observations from 76 different classrooms, 29 preschool, 20 kindergartens, 13 first grade, and 14 second grade. Socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural diversity was deliberately maintained. Observations were conducted over the period of four months. Classrooms were observed all day once every three weeks. A total of 456 visits were recorded for the current study. The results of the observations were coupled with self-reports given by teachers.

The researchers grouped together the first and second grade classroom results. Observers categorized the results as explicit instruction, contextual instruction, and the combined approach. The researchers found there was more contextual phonics instruction used in preschool. Contextual instructional methods decreased steadily as grade level increased. Teachers used explicit methods more in first and second grades, than in preschool or kindergarten. The combined approach was rarely used in any classrooms. In preschool, phonics and other reading instruction was made fun, more hands-on, and more spontaneous vs.

older grades, when formal and commercial reading instruction materials were used. The authors noted that while 82% of preschool teachers used contextual phonics instruction, only 47% reported doing so. Preschool teachers were unaware of the type of reading instructions they actually used. Moreover, teachers of first and second grade students reported using direct phonics instruction mainly because they had to as a part of the reading program or curriculum. No attempt was made to include the input of parents, or the reading instructional methods used at home.

Teacher disposition and actual measures of student learning were also not a part of the current research. The implications of the.