Pedagogia

The Whole Language Approach and competency-based language teaching

My opinion about this method focused on my theoretical-practical, and based on this article is that we have the opportunity to teach according to our group abilities and needs, because has a teacher of a second language my priority must be the students’ expectative and then I might use the better methodology, on the otherhand depends on their ages, will it be possible to use the whole language approach if my group has a bilingual school or a bilingual family environment why? Well because students need to practice what they learn in class otherwise they will prefer to use first language. I tried to use as much English as possible during class but is not enough students must practice after school and to improvetheir writing and reading we use a web page, where we can share interesting pages, or continue practicing the class’ topics. For example the 4u page is useful to practice the verbs in different tenses etc., is also very important to create a real plan that will help to be focused on the group goals and individual learning, the competency method is also necessary because provide us the direction andwhere students and teacher can measure the results and to practice real situations according to students needs.
My opinion was based on the next information:
The Whole Language Approach
Guest Author - Paula Laurita

What is whole language? Why is there such conflict?
Few educational trends have been as controversial as the whole language approach to learning. Recently in Australia, theconflict between Whole Language advocates and Phonics advocates has reheated. Part of the problem is that experts do not agree on the way to use whole language, or even on the benefits of using it. One fact is that it will remain in many school systems.
Appearing in the 1960s and 1970s, as a veering away from basal readers, the movement gathered steam in the 1980s. During the 1990s, and today, theissue has been politicized. Parents, teachers, administrators, politicians line up on various sides of the issue.
Whole language is not a systemized approach, but rather a philosophy that assumes that reading and general language competencies are acquired through integrated use instead of through learning separate, finite skills, such as word attack, comprehension, and vocabulary. It relies heavilyon the use of literature and trade books, rather than basal readers, and usually involves integrated thematic studies and the extended use of writing.
Proponents argue that a child's learning to read should happen naturally, much as children learned to speak, and that the mere decoding of words, such as is done in phonics programs, does nothing to teach children the meaning of words, or exposethem to the varied use of words.
Opponents argue that structure is necessary, and that a child's learning to read is too valuable to leave to chance and accidental discovery. All children do not learn in the same way, therefore adhering to one method only is dangerous and may leave some children behind.
Many teachers today use a blended approach. They use some traditional methods, but also weave inthe use of literature, writing, and thematic studies into their plans. They view teaching to read as a good coach teaches baseball. A team needs to spend time practicing skills (phonics). But, if the team never gets to play an actual game (whole language), the players loose the joy of the sport (reading).
Our next article will address: What role does the school library media specialist have inthe whole language approach?
COMPETENCY-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING REPORT
COMPETENCY-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING

Competency-Based Education (CBE) is an educational movement which emerged in the United States in the 1970s. This movement presents a pattern that is focused on the outputs to learning. It defines the goals and objectives to be reached in such a way, that students´ knowledge, skills and...