Whole Language: Comparative Effects on First-Grade Reading Achievement

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

The Journal of Educational Research

Volume

83

Publication Date

1990

First Page

252

Last Page

257

Abstract

Whole language is an approach to reading and language instruction that is gaining increasing popularity nationwide. This acceptance is occurring without evidence that the use of a whole language approach will lead to comparable reading achievement when contrasted with traditional basal reader approaches. In this article, we report the findings of a study comparing two whole language classrooms and two basal classrooms on a standardized reading achievement measure at the conclusion of first grade. The results indicated a significant difference between whole language and basal reader approaches. The size of the effects favoring whole language over basal reader approaches was a moderate .6 standard deviation from the basal group mean performance. Results of this study supported the belief that whole language strategies and routines used in first-grade classrooms will yield scores on traditional reading standardized achievement tests that are comparable or superior to those resulting from the use of basal reader programs.

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