Opinion
Curriculum Letter to the Editor

What Exactly Does Being ‘Anti-Phonics’ Mean?

July 26, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

In her June 22, 2005 letter to the editor, “Seeing Journalistic Bias in Reading Coverage,” Marsha Kessler accuses Education Week of being “anti-phonics.” It is not clear to me what exactly she means by that.

There are (at least) three positions on phonics: One position is “intensive, systematic phonics,” an extremist view that insists that all the major rules of phonics be explicitly taught in a strict order. This is the position taken by the National Reading Panel.

A second position, zero phonics, forbids the direct teaching of any sound-spelling correspondences. This is also an extremist view. I know of no teacher or scholar who holds this position.

A third position is “basic phonics,” the direct teaching of those straightforward rules that students can learn, remember, and apply while reading to help make texts more comprehensible. Basic phonics claims that our knowledge of the complex rules of phonics is the result of reading.

Basic phonics is the position supported by most whole-language advocates, and is the position presented in the report “Becoming a Nation of Readers”: “… [P]honics instruction should aim to teach only the most important and regular of letter-to-sound relationships. … [O]nce the basic relationships have been taught, the best way to get children to refine and extend their knowledge of letter-sound correspondences is through repeated opportunities to read. If this position is correct, then much phonics instruction is overly subtle and probably unproductive.”

Stephen Krashen

Professor Emeritus

Rossier School of Education

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, Calif.

Events

Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata
Classroom Technology K-12 Essentials Forum Tech Is Everywhere. But Is It Making Schools Better?
Join us for a lively discussion about the ways that technology is being used to improve schools and how it is falling short.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Curriculum Letter to the Editor Curriculum Is More Than Academic Requirements
"The reality our children face requires of them a lot more than a mastery of academics," says this letter writer.
1 min read
Education Week opinion letters submissions
Gwen Keraval for Education Week
Curriculum Roblox Makes Its Move Into STEM Education. What Are the Risks for Schools?
Roblox counts 60 million daily users. Now it's pushing into K-12 schools—with the help of influential nonprofit partners.
3 min read
Pathogen Patrol is PLTW's first learning experience on Roblox, providing educators with innovative tools to help students enhance their critical thinking abilities, learn in unique ways, and work together in teams.
Pathogen Patrol is Project Lead the Way's first K-12 learning experience on Roblox, a virtual environment that is increasingly popular with kids. Nonprofit PLTW integrated it into its K-12 curricula to help students learn how the human body fights off infections.
Business Wire via AP
Curriculum Opinion Making the Case for Restoring Wisdom to America’s Schools
A Johns Hopkins professor discusses how to improve what he sees as a siloed, incoherent education system to best serve students.
7 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Curriculum Swim Lessons Save Lives. Should Schools Provide Them?
A push is on in some states to make swim lessons part of the school curriculum.
5 min read
Close up of African American person's legs in the pool.
E+/Getty