The Great Debate

1967

Jeanne Chall published Learning to Read: The Great Debate. This book sought to determine which method was more effective in teaching students how to read, whole word, or phonics. For three years, Dr. Chall examined previous studies, visited classrooms, and interviewed teachers and textbook publishers. Her findings, which were published  in Learning to Read: The Great Debate, showed that reading is a developmental process and that students can learn from both phonics and whole word approach. Both approaches have strengths in teaching children how to read; therefore, Chall believed that students should be taught using a combination of the two methods. The debate still continues today, although methods that encourage a combination of both phonics and whole word are becoming increasingly popular.