The whole language lesson

Whole language means different things to different people, so there are many different ways a whole language lesson can be structured. This module shows one way.

Lessons which follow a whole language philosophy are structured to provide opportunities for learners to engage in meaningful reading, writing and language events that will assist them in their next steps in learning. All reading, writing and language acquisition activities are integrated and relevant. The lessons are a part of a whole language instructional program.

Here are the parts of a typical whole language lesson:

• Singing using song charts or hymn books (optional)
• Shared reading experience
• Instruction at the level of learner or class readiness, arising from some feature in the text.
• Opportunities for learners to read or look at familiar texts in small groups or individually or both depending on what's culturally appropriate
• Teaching formation of letters. (Sometimes spelling and sound-symbol correspondences are in focus in these lessons also.)
• Model writing of texts with the class several times a week. Class texts or story books are created at these times.

• Once students are comfortable with the basic mechanics of writing they are encouraged to begin writing their own texts independently and are given opportunities to do so several times a week.

  See:	What is guided writing?

Here are some examples drawn from whole language lessons:

• Click on "Sample of direct instruction from the text" in the Whole language lesson demonstration
• For a primer lesson developed from a children's text, click on "Sample of whole language syllable primer" or "Sample of whole language phonic primer" in the Whole language lesson demonstration

• The whole language instructional program

• Structure module: whole language lesson, by Glenys Waters
• In overview module: Current instructional programs, by Leah B. Walter, Glenys Waters, and Trudy K. Stewart (editor)
• In overview module: Instructional programs, by Kenneth A. Boothe (contributor), Leah B. Walter (contributor), and Glenys Waters (contributor)
• In modular book: Implement a literacy program, by Carole P. Spaeth (compiler) and Leah B. Walter (compiler)
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 18 May 1999

© 1999 SIL International