The whole language approach involves the simultaneous teaching of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills through exposure to meaningful content. It was developed by Noam Chomsky and Kenneth Goodman in the 1960s. Key principles include teaching English as spoken by native speakers with no separate phonics instruction, and emphasizing experience and exposure over parts of individual skills. The method uses big books with predictable text and rhyme/repetition to aid word recognition, allowing students to fill in missing words and complete rhymes.

2. Definition
The simultaneous, integrated
teaching of listening,
speaking, reading, and writing
within a meaningful context

3. Inventors
 Noam Chomsky and Goodman

4. Principles

5.  Teach English as spoken by native speakers
 No phonics!
 “The whole is greater than the sum of
its parts”
 Emphasis on experience and exposure to
meaningful content

6.  Lessons should be learner centered
 The teacher leads and guides
 No dyslexic students everyone
remembers

7. Method
Big books
The use of predictable
text

10. -BIG BOOKS
 Enlarged text
 Students begin to make the association between
oral and written language

 Rhythm, rhyme and repetition combine to aid word
recognition and identification
 Many key words repeat themselves

11. Activities with big books
 Pause before a familiar word so students can
fill in the missing words
 Let students complete the rhymes
 Students make their own book
 Weak learners Strong learners
Adjust text or copy Change/improvise text

12. NEEDED SKILLS
 READING
 LISTENING
 SPEAKING
 WRITING

13. Advantages
 Sight-reading
 Students learn structure instead of parts of
speech
 Students notice commonly used structures

14. Disadvantages
 The method is good, but not as a primary one!!
 Not recommended for students who can’t spell or
read; these students need phonics
 Because students are used to sight- reading, they
are unable to read unfamiliar words

16. Thanks for
!listening