Historically Speaking

Historically, reading instruction followed three main theories on literacy instruction.  There is phonic instruction, Whole-language instruction, and the balanced approach.  It is actually fascinating to go back and read where all these approaches came from, how proponents for each one argue about how they are the best!  For me, I think use them all until you find a good fit for the particular child - because children are different. 

Phonics Instruction:

1. Teaching children alphabetic principle is key.  Learning the alphabet doesn't come by just looking at words.  I know when I learned both Spanish and Portuguese until I learned their alphabet the letters on the books I purchased didn't make sense, not even when I tried.  I mean try saying the word tabom.  You probably pronounced it ta-bomb (unless you speak Portuguese).  It is actually pronounced ta-bong (the g being only slightly said.)   If you look back at earilier colonial america reading instruction started off with hornbooks you will notice the alphabet with a syllabary printed on each of these little paddles.  I found a neat website that not only has pictures of a hornbook - but instructions on how to make one for my kids.  I see a project in my future.  Teaching the alphabetic principle was so important to Noah Webster in the early 1800's that he developed spellers which included alphabetic instruction as well as sentences and literature.  His greatest contribution to the world of literacy is of course the Websters Dictionary (Elias, 2009).
2. Learning to read sight words quickly and accurately is integral to learning how to read
   
3. One thing that I don't agree with phonic instruction is that "context is not the primary factor in beginning word recognition" (Sousa, 2003, p.65).  If children aren't able to put the word into context in their every day life then the word is just foreign.  When I learned Portuguese I learned best when the teacher drew pictures up on the board next to the word.  I had context.  I was able to learn.

Whole-Language

Whole language came about as a backlash to the sight method (basically children learned large amounts of texts through rote memorization).  The only thing good that I see that came of the sight method was the importance of comprehension questions after memorizing text.  Whole language includes the following bits and pieces:

1. Whole language"integrated aspects of the phonics method in basal readers.  Teachers began to use charts to hold words, phrases and sentences so that students had a more hands on experience" (Elias, 2009, pg. 4-5). 
2. Reading material that the student finds interesting is key to motivation and to learning (Monaghan and Barry, 1999).  
3. Children use meaning, the rules of grammar, and phonemes - which are the smallest unit of sound that is sed to create meaningful words to learn to read.
4. As they begin to decode words and find meaning through context clues they begin the road to fluency. 
5. Phonics instruction is important but should be put on the back-burner of learning how to read.  

Balanced Approach

In the late 90's early 2000 several reports came out from the National Research Council (Snow et al., 1998) and the National Reading Panel (NPR, 2000).  I will have to devote an entire post to these great studies at another time.  What they basically came up with is that no two children learn the same and that you should take the good aspects of both phonics and whole-language instruction!  Imagine that.  David A. Sousa (2003) does a great job of describing the balanced approach

1. Don't stick with one reading program because children are not cookie cutter gingerbread kids.  They have different needs, different ways of learning.  Mix it up.
2. Phonemic awareness is CRUCIAL!!!!!
3. Children need to learn the alphabetic principle - learn the alphabet and the sounds, and the relationship between letters and phonemes (the smallest unit of sound that is used to create meaningful words).
4. Learn strategies for decoding words (phonics)
5. Read for meaning
6. Read good, good, very good literature - not just the regular stuff - "enriched literature"

Resources

Elias, G.E. (2009).  Reading Instruction Timeline. 

Managhan, E.J., & Barry, A.L. (1999). Writing the Past: Teaching Reading in Colonial America

and the United States 1640-1940. San Diego: International Reading Association. 

Sousa, D. A. (2005). How the brain learns to read. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.