STATE-OF-THE-SCIENCE PRIMARY-GRADES READING-INSTRUCTION OR WHOLE LANGUAGE

Three explicit instructional alternatives to whole-language instructio n are reviewed. Each is targeted at children with high risk for readin g failure, and each enjoys more empirical support than whole language. The case is made that whole language is obsolescent relative to readi ng instruction developed and validated in the 25 years since whole lan guage was conceived. Notably, however, experiencing more explicit inst ruction of reading skills and strategies in no way precludes the authe ntic reading and writing experiences emphasized in whole language. Rat her, explicit instruction enables at-risk students to participate more fully in such literacy experiences.