Incorporating phonics within a New Zealand whole language programme

Literacy teaching in New Zealand generally follows a whole language approach that emphasizes the teaching of letter-sound knowledge within the context of meaningful text related activities. This article discusses how a New Zealand teacher changed her classroom programme to incorporate more explicit instruction on phonics. The classroom programme was organised to provide a combination of whole class and individualized activities that focused on phonic skills and the reading and writing of text. The rapid gains seen in the children‟s reading and spelling skills indicate that there may be benefits in providing a greater focus on phonics in whole language classrooms.