A parent or caregiver reading with a child frequently can see if progress is being made.
In our case as soon as the Orton Gillingham (O.G.) method was applied my daughter became able to read. Before that, not so.
I realize that there are different phonics related methods. The Wilson Method is also highly regarded but I cant speak to that because we are only familiar with O.G.
It pains me greatly that a look at teacher boards online which show such a preference by the majority for "The Whole Language" teaching method.
"The Whole Language Method" so clearly inferior for so many people and yet this is what the is being taught to young teachers in colleges all over the country these days. This is what they are buying into also.
It is mostly older teachers (or perhaps unusal teachers) who teach phonics.
In The Good School (a book I have recommended before) the estimate is that possibly even a third of the population does not respond to "Whole Language" teaching instruction.
Can we really afford to have a third of the population reading at an inferior level? I doubt it. Only if as a society we are willing to pay the price which will mean even more religious fanatism, people who learn everything via television and people who themselves are marginalized and raising children who will also be marginalized.
Call me negative but this is where I believe we are headed as a society if we believe that a third of the population is expendable or not important.
