They also looked for insight and information from teachers, administrators, researchers, teacher educators, and parents. Many teachers support whole language because they say it emphasizes creative writing and immerses children in literature. Critics of that approach say it doesn't give students the tools they need to understand what they read and that only phonics instruction provides these building blocks. Teachers are vital to children's success in learning to read, but little research about teacher education exists. Teachers must understand how children learn to read, why some children have difficulty learning to read, and how to identify and implement the most effective instructional approaches.
Rigorous research is needed to understand the potential of computers in reading instruction.
Asking children to read silently is an accepted practice, but the research demonstrates that it is not as effective as guided oral reading in helping children become fluent readers. This is further evidence that the reading wars are over. Yet the reading dispute is not likely to soon disappear from the the political arena. Campaign ads for Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush cite the use of phonics in Texas as a major educational accomplishment of his tenure as governor. And in Indiana, Republican gubernatorial candidate John Price has promised to require all schools in the state to use phonics when teaching reading to young children.