Phonics vs. Balanced Literacy: A Classroom Comparison
Reading & Literacy Interactive

Phonics vs. Balanced Literacy: A Classroom Comparison

By Liana Loewus — October 02, 2019 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Copy URL

Want to know if a K-2 classroom is using explicit, systematic phonics or balanced literacy? This visual illustrates some of the main instructional differences between the two approaches to early reading.

Liana Loewus
Assistant Managing Editor
Liana Loewus was an assistant managing editor for Education Week who oversaw news coverage of teaching and learning.
Related Tags:
Early Literacy Instruction

Visualization: Vanessa Solis

Events

Thu., April 09, 2026, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET
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
Artificial Intelligence Webinar Managing AI in Schools: Practical Strategies for Districts
How should districts govern AI in schools? Learn practical strategies for policies, safety, transparency, and responsible adoption.
Content provided by Lightspeed Systems
Register
Wed., March 25, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
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
Reading & Literacy Webinar Two Jobs, One Classroom: Strengthening Decoding While Teaching Grade-Level Text
Discover practical, research-informed practices that drive real reading growth without sacrificing grade-level learning.
Content provided by EPS Learning
Register
Thu., March 26, 2026, 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. ET
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
Register
See More Events

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
Create Your Own Job Search

Read Next

Reading & Literacy Reports Struggling Readers in Secondary Schools: Results of a National Survey
Based on a 2025 survey, this report examines key questions about educator perspectives on reading challenges and solutions for secondary students.
Reading & Literacy Letter to the Editor Reading Instruction Must Use Whole Books
Reading passages serve a purpose but don't compare to reading the whole book, says this letter.
1 min read
Education Week opinion letters submissions
Gwen Keraval for Education Week
Reading & Literacy Video Why One School Is Leading the Return to Cursive
Georgia has joined 20-plus states returning cursive handwriting to elementary school classrooms.
Kaylee Domzalski & Elizabeth Heubeck
•
1 min read
Reading & Literacy Few Books Are Tailored for Older Struggling Readers: 'It's an Absolute Wasteland'
Teachers and researchers identify three barriers to finding reading materials that meet these students' needs—and how to overcome them.
Sarah Schwartz
•
6 min read
Students attend Bow Memorial School in Bow, N.H. on Oct. 29, 2025. Bow Memorial School is a middle school that has developed a systematic approach to addressing foundational reading gaps in middle school students.
Bow Memorial School in Bow, N.H., pictured here on Oct. 29, 2025, has developed a systematic approach to addressing foundational reading gaps in middle school students. Teachers who work with older readers say they often have a hard time finding texts that support these students' needs at grade level without feeling babyish or patronizing.
Sophie Park for Education Week
Load More ▼