Whole Language Learning Theory

I am teaching  9th to 12th students Mandarin Chinese in a magnet high school.

Before I read Whole Language: Integrating the Language Arts--and Much More, I didn't know the concept of "whole language". I read articles recommended by my instructor and by google research. I agreed with What’s Whole in Whole Language. “Learning language became hard by breaking whole (natural) language up into bite-size”.

I started to learn English when I was in middle school. English is a mandatory subject even today in China. But back in the 1990s, there was seldom any English supplemental materials in urban China that teachers or students could use, not to say online resources. My teachers learned English from their teachers, who all have never had any chance to communicate with a person from English speaking countries. We started with phonogram, words, phrases, sentences and then reading comprehension. Our teachers sometimes played tapes of the textbook to us. Thirty years later, my first-grade son came home with sight words assignment. I then knew what “sight words” means after googling. I still felt ashamed of my accent. I spoke less to avoid being teased. I am still nervous when people asked me to repeat what I said. I read novels, even though not too many, to expand vocabulary. I watched videos like “improve your accent”. I attended the master program to practice writing and reading. Now as a Mandarin Chinese teacher, my experience as an English learner and a second language teacher would definitely help my students avoid detour in learning a second language.

What I am implementing now in my class include:

1. a Chinese style classroom.

I decorated my classroom with lanterns, ornaments, pictures, and a sight words wall.

2. I bought books from China and labeled them from easy reader to intermedium levels.

3. I collected videos from youtube or other websites and shared the link in Edmodo, so my students could practice listening anytime, anywhere.

4. I designed my lesson according to topics. ex. I encouraged students to order food from a Chinese restaurant when they have learned “ordering food”. I inspired by their excitement when they used what they have learned in class to real life.

Reference

Goodman, Ken. What’s Whole in Whole Language. Berkeley CA: RDR Books, 2005. pp.3-7.

Goodman, Ken. What's Whole in Whole Language? A Parent/Teacher Guide to Children's Learning. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, 1986. [ED 300 777]