Children who are phonologically aware can discriminate between and manipulate sounds in words and syllables in speech. They know when words rhyme or do not rhyme. Most important, these children can shift their attention away from the content of speech to focus on the form of speech before they return to its meaning. The debates about phonics and phonemic awareness have less to do with their value than with the amount and type of instruction they require. The controversy generally pits systematic, intensive instruction against holistically oriented approaches.
Children begin by learning about the parts of words and build toward whole words.
The approach stresses correct identification and automaticity of response. Holistically oriented approaches include philosophies and practices frequently associated with terms such as whole language, integrated language arts , and literature-based curriculum . Although virtually all holistically oriented teaching includes to some extent such elements as greater emphasis on writing and its relationship to reading, greater use of trade books, increased attention to the integration of the language arts, and greater reliance on informal classroom assessment, teachers vary in their implementation of and adherence to various philosophies. My experience suggests that these differences are much less apparent in the classroom than they are in the debate. Although the matter of emphasis is important, it is unlikely that you will find classrooms that reflect polar ends of an instructional continuum.