OK, as a non-educator, what is the difference between the two methods, and what would I have learned in first grade in the early 80s?
The difference between the two methods? Like the difference between liberals and conservatives. Phonics requires more work on the part of the teacher, more dedication, and more intellect, if you will.
More than 85% of U.S. schools use the “whole-language” approach even though it costs more money than phonetic programs and has a miserable showing in virtually all research studies.
Whole language starts with memorization of more than 100 sight words, usually with flashcards. Children are encouraged to guess, to interpret the pictures, and to somehow figure out a new word by the context of the other words. Though its proponents say they teach phonics, the phonics it includes is dribbled out over three years (John Dewey said children don’t need to learn to read until third grade) and is poorly organized. By the third grade, 40% of the class have developed very bad guessing habits, reverse a lot of words, and are dependent on adults to read multi-syllabic words. And by the way, even the “good” students are bad spellers.
Phonics programs present all 76 English phonograms in the first year and practice sounding out words intensively. Under a hard-working, dedicated teacher 98% of the class will be reading independently by the end of the year.
Thanks for asking. If you have children in public schools, do some asking around and ask your child to read to you.