Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-2-phonics-vs-whole-word [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [A Level](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level.md) › [English Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa.md) › Phonics vs Whole Word # Phonics vs Whole Word English Language: AQA A Level, topic 2.3.2 ## Phonics Linguists (and educators) debate over how we should teach children to read and the biggest rivals are the phonic and the whole word approaches. ### The phonics approach ![The phonics approach](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/biology/4.2.1-%20Respiration/dog%20panting.jpg) - The phonics approach is all about learning what combinations of graphemes (letters) correspond to sounds. - For example, they would learn that the orthographic aligns with /d/, with /ɒ/ and with /g/ to pronounce as /dɒg/. ### Popularity ![Popularity](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/8c7fa4fa-1f36-493f-be3b-ebca9e3d6a23/blocks-abc-child-development-.jpg) - This approach is incredibly prominent in schools currently. - As a result, you may hear younger children pronounce their alphabet as /æ b k/ rather than the traditional pronunciation, as this gets children learning the most common pronunciation of letters. ### Issues ![Issues](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/f2e551e6-93a7-4bbd-80bb-ba0f2b25e96b/child-1073638_1920.jpg) - The issues with this approach are that: - It does not teach meaning. - It doesn’t prepare children for words that have no phoneme-grapheme correspondence. ### Phoneme-grapheme correspondence ![Phoneme-grapheme correspondence](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/63c8014d-c776-4e3d-abea-25ecd3210077/cat-1508613_1920.jpg) - Phoneme-grapheme correspondence (also known as PGC and grapheme-phoneme correspondence) is the link between the sound and the letters of a word. - For example, the word ‘cat’ has phoneme-grapheme correspondence, as it is pronounced as it is written. ### Partial/no phoneme-grapheme correspondence ![Partial/no phoneme-grapheme correspondence](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/212594b0-e765-44a3-9a37-f493c70376b0/shutterstock_623344097.jpg) - A word like ‘coat’ isn’t fully pronounced as it is written, as it would be pronounced (using phonetics) as ‘co – at’. - Therefore it only has partial phoneme-grapheme correspondence. - A word like ‘hour’ has no phoneme-grapheme correspondence. ## Whole Word Approach Linguists (and educators) debate over how we should teach children to read and the biggest rivals are the phonic and the whole word approaches. ### Whole word approach ![Whole word approach](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/46f35257-bbd2-4ca0-8087-372ac5cebf8c/child-homework-thinking-memory.jpg) - Opposed to the phonics approach is the whole word approach. - The idea of this is for the child to learn (memorise) how each word is pronounced. ### Importance of meaning ![Importance of meaning](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/c1308ded-4473-48b5-91c1-a8860b96f190/reading-1156865_1920.jpg) - In this approach, meaning is at the heart and focuses also on getting children to understand what each word means (starts with common words and works its way up). - In this sense, it is sometimes nicknamed the ‘look and say’ approach. ### Issues ![Issues](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-12/ba3eab6c-29f7-4238-b256-729e14fee915/girl-book-school-.jpg) - The issues with this approach are that: - It doesn’t prepare children to pronounce words that they haven’t learned. - It assumes that a child will be able to memorise great numbers of words. ## The Psycholinguistic Model An approach which challenges the phonics and whole word approach is the psycholinguistic model. ### Environmental cues ![Environmental cues](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/a32998d5-01db-4295-87e0-84b54d355cd9/child-baby-father-dad.jpg) - In this approach, the child learns based on the environment from which they live and their interactions with caregivers. - This works by the child having to think about what a word might mean through the use of clues like other words they have encountered before, pictures and other contextual knowledge. ### Decoding meaning ![Decoding meaning](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/0aaa2cd3-053f-4e62-be41-779a3f3dd215/grandad-child-gardening.jpg) - In this sense, the approach focuses on decoding (when a child phonetically breaks down a word) meaning rather than the symbols. ### Issues ![Issues](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/72f480e5-8d03-4086-ba91-db077ca7f1ca/baby-17316_1920.jpg) - However, the method does not always cover all bases and has the potential of the child not guessing or guessing wrong – it is up to luck as to whether a child learns certain words. ### Support ![Support](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/c93b84e7-95d9-40bc-acf6-a44979b8c28f/man-thinking-memory-thought.jpg) - This model has been supported, however, by the ‘Gray Oral Reading Tests’ (GORTs) which proved that the bottom 5% of adults can understand shapes of graphemes, but generally do not decode them or find meaning. ### Real use ![Real use](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/30ae3d5f-4663-4aad-b2b4-fd0304257dca/shutterstock_345680855.jpg) - It is worthy of note that often these approaches do not exist in isolation of each other – many caregivers will uses a mixture and combination of all of these models to effectively learn to read – you should state this in your answer to let your examiner know you know about the ‘real’ use of these models. - In reality, most caregivers use multiple methods. ## Test yourself on Phonics vs Whole Word - What is phoneme-grapheme correspondence? - What is the nickname of the whole word approach? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/1e248169-fb0c-4ca7-9692-7c46f316728b/section/36518efc-2553-4087-bd4f-cf3b9f13b2b1/session) - Previous topic: [2.3.1 Introduction](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-1-introduction.md) - Next topic: [2.3.3 Debates in Reading](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-3-debates-in-reading.md) ## English Language: AQA A Level contents ### 1 Language Levels - 1.1 Assessment Objectives - [1.1.1 Assessment Objectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-1-1-assessment-objectives.md) - 1.2 Lexis - [1.2.1 Introduction](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-1-introduction.md) - [1.2.2 Common, Proper, Abstract & Concrete Nouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-2-common-proper-abstract-and-concrete-nouns.md) - [1.2.3 Collective Nouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-3-collective-nouns.md) - [1.2.4 Adjectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-4-adjectives.md) - [1.2.5 Main, Auxiliary & Copular Verbs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-5-main-auxiliary-and-copular-verbs.md) - [1.2.6 Dynamic & Stative Verbs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-6-dynamic-and-stative-verbs.md) - [1.2.7 Transitive, Intransitive, Active & Passive Verbs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-7-transitive-intransitive-active-and-passive-verbs.md) - [1.2.8 Mood of Verbs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-8-mood-of-verbs.md) - [1.2.9 Adverbs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-9-adverbs.md) - [1.2.10 Personal, Possessive & Reflexive Pronouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-10-personal-possessive-and-reflexive-pronouns.md) - [1.2.11 Relative & Demonstrative Pronouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-11-relative-and-demonstrative-pronouns.md) - [1.2.12 Determiners](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-12-determiners.md) - [1.2.13 Conjunctions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-13-conjunctions.md) - [1.2.14 Synonyms, Antonyms & Phonological Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-14-synonyms-antonyms-and-phonological-features.md) - [1.2.15 End of Topic Test - Lexis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-15-end-of-topic-test-lexis.md) - 1.3 Grammar - [1.3.1 Morphology](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-1-morphology.md) - [1.3.2 Clauses](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-2-clauses.md) - [1.3.3 Phrases](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-3-phrases.md) - [1.3.4 Present Tense](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-4-present-tense.md) - [1.3.5 Past Tense](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-5-past-tense.md) - [1.3.6 Future Tense](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-6-future-tense.md) - [1.3.7 End of Topic Test - Grammar](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-7-end-of-topic-test-grammar.md) - 1.4 Semantics & Pragmatics - [1.4.1 Semantics](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-4-1-semantics.md) - [1.4.2 Pragmatics](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-4-2-pragmatics.md) - 1.5 Discourse Structure, Graphology & Orthography - [1.5.1 Discourse Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-5-1-discourse-structure.md) - [1.5.2 Graphology & Orthography](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-5-2-graphology-and-orthography.md) - [1.5.3 End of Topic Test - Semantics, Graphology etc.](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-5-3-end-of-topic-test-semantics-graphology-etc.md) ### 2 Language, The Individual & Society - 2.1 Children’s Language Development - [2.1.1 The Exam](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-1-the-exam.md) - [2.1.2 Phonemes, Vocal Tract & Articulation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-2-phonemes-vocal-tract-and-articulation.md) - [2.1.3 Writing About Phonemes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-3-writing-about-phonemes.md) - [2.1.4 Phonological Simplification](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-4-phonological-simplification.md) - [2.1.5 A Child's First Year & Consonant Acquisition](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-5-a-childs-first-year-and-consonant-acquisition.md) - [2.1.6 Beginning Stages of Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-6-beginning-stages-of-language.md) - [2.1.7 Lexical Development](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-7-lexical-development.md) - [2.1.8 Stages of Development](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-8-stages-of-development.md) - [2.1.9 End of Topic Test - Child Language Development](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-9-end-of-topic-test-child-language-development.md) - 2.2 Children's Language Development - Theories - [2.2.1 Behaviourism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-1-behaviourism.md) - [2.2.2 Interactionism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-2-interactionism.md) - [2.2.3 Challenging Interactionism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-3-challenging-interactionism.md) - [2.2.4 Nativism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-4-nativism.md) - [2.2.5 Nativism - Exam Answer](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-5-nativism-exam-answer.md) - [2.2.6 Cognitivism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-6-cognitivism.md) - [2.2.7 Social Constructionism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-7-social-constructionism.md) - [2.2.8 Writing About Spoken Acquisition](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-8-writing-about-spoken-acquisition.md) - [2.2.9 End of Topic Test - Development Theories](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-9-end-of-topic-test-development-theories.md) - 2.3 Literacy Development: Reading - [2.3.1 Introduction](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-1-introduction.md) - [2.3.2 Phonics vs Whole Word](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-2-phonics-vs-whole-word.md) - [2.3.3 Debates in Reading](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-3-debates-in-reading.md) - [2.3.4 Modelling Reading Acquisition](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-4-modelling-reading-acquisition.md) - [2.3.5 Other Reading Theories](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-5-other-reading-theories.md) - [2.3.6 End of Topic Test - Reading](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-6-end-of-topic-test-reading.md) - 2.4 Literacy Development: Writing - [2.4.1 Orthography](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-1-orthography.md) - [2.4.2 Kroll's Theory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-2-krolls-theory.md) - [2.4.3 Barclay's Theory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-3-barclays-theory.md) - [2.4.4 Creativity vs Accuracy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-4-creativity-vs-accuracy.md) - [2.4.5 Other Writing Theories](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-5-other-writing-theories.md) - [2.4.6 The Exam](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-6-the-exam.md) - [2.4.7 End of Topic Test - Writing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-7-end-of-topic-test-writing.md) ### 3 Language Diversity & Change - 3.1 The Importance of Gendered Language - [3.1.1 Writing About Gender](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-1-writing-about-gender.md) - [3.1.2 Dominance Theory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-2-dominance-theory.md) - [3.1.3 Interruptions - Zimmerman & West](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-3-interruptions-zimmerman-and-west.md) - [3.1.4 Deficit Theory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-4-deficit-theory.md) - [3.1.5 Difference Model](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-5-difference-model.md) - [3.1.6 Difference Model - Men](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-6-difference-model-men.md) - [3.1.7 Diversity Model](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-7-diversity-model.md) - [3.1.8 End of Topic Test - Gendered Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-8-end-of-topic-test-gendered-language.md) - 3.2 Social Groups - [3.2.1 Writing About Social Groups](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-1-writing-about-social-groups.md) - [3.2.2 Social Class](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-2-social-class.md) - [3.2.3 Social Class 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-3-social-class-2.md) - [3.2.4 Age](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-4-age.md) - [3.2.5 Age - Teen Speak](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-5-age-teen-speak.md) - [3.2.6 Milroy’s Belfast Study](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-6-milroys-belfast-study.md) - [3.2.7 Labov’s Martha’s Vineyard Study](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-7-labovs-marthas-vineyard-study.md) - [3.2.8 End of Topic Test - Social Groups](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-8-end-of-topic-test-social-groups.md) - 3.3 Occupational Groups - [3.3.1 Writing About Occupational Groups](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-3-1-writing-about-occupational-groups.md) - [3.3.2 Jargon](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-3-2-jargon.md) - [3.3.3 Conversations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-3-3-conversations.md) - [3.3.4 Hierarchy & Power](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-3-4-hierarchy-and-power.md) - [3.3.5 End of Topic Test - Occupational Groups](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-3-5-end-of-topic-test-occupational-groups.md) - 3.4 Accents & Dialects - [3.4.1 Writing About Accent & Dialect](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-1-writing-about-accent-and-dialect.md) - [3.4.2 Introduction to Accents & Dialects](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-2-introduction-to-accents-and-dialects.md) - [3.4.3 Accents - Matched Guide Experiment](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-3-accents-matched-guide-experiment.md) - [3.4.4 Accents - Received Pronunciation & Brummie](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-4-accents-received-pronunciation-and-brummie.md) - [3.4.5 Dialects - Dialectal Variations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-5-dialects-dialectal-variations.md) - [3.4.6 Accent & Dialect Case Study - London](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-6-accent-and-dialect-case-study-london.md) - [3.4.7 End of Topic Test - Accents & Dialects](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-7-end-of-topic-test-accents-and-dialects.md) - 3.5 Language Change - [3.5.1 Writing About Language Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-5-1-writing-about-language-change.md) - [3.5.2 Modelling Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-5-2-modelling-change.md) - [3.5.3 Modelling Change 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-5-3-modelling-change-2.md) - [3.5.4 Lexical Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-5-4-lexical-change.md) - [3.5.5 Semantic Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-5-5-semantic-change.md) - [3.5.6 End of Topic Test - Language Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-5-6-end-of-topic-test-language-change.md) - 3.6 History of English - [3.6.1 Old English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-1-old-english.md) - [3.6.2 Old English 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-2-old-english-2.md) - [3.6.3 Middle English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-3-middle-english.md) - [3.6.4 Middle English 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-4-middle-english-2.md) - [3.6.5 Early Modern English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-5-early-modern-english.md) - [3.6.6 Late Modern English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-6-late-modern-english.md) - [3.6.7 Present Day English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-7-present-day-english.md) - [3.6.8 Global English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-8-global-english.md) - [3.6.9 American English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-9-american-english.md) - [3.6.10 Modelling Global English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-10-modelling-global-english.md) - [3.6.11 End of Topic Test - History of English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-11-end-of-topic-test-history-of-english.md)