A COMPARISON OF INNER-CITY CHILDRENS INTERPRETATIONS OF READING AND WRITING INSTRUCTION IN THE EARLY GRADES IN SKILLS-BASED AND WHOLE LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS

THIS CROSS-CURRICULAR comparison focused on learner interpretations of beginning reading and writing instruction in skills-based and whole language innercity classrooms across kindergarten and first grade. Low-SES focal learners in each curriculum were observed during literacy instruction twice weekly for 2 years. Data included field notes, transcripts of reading and writing episodes, student papers, and pre/post written language measures. Qualitative findings indicated similarity in learner concern about accuracy. Cross-curricular differences centered on applications of phonics knowledge, responses to literature, coping strategies of learners experiencing difficulty, and learner perceptions of themselves as readers and writers. Quantitative findings indicated a significant difference on written narrative register favoring whole language learners.