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Whole-Language Approach

Different from the phonetic approach that focuses only on fragmented language, such as phonemic awareness and phonics drills, the main characteristic of the whole-language approach is that language teaching should not be separated into component skills, but rather experienced as an integrated system of communication (listening, speaking, reading, and writing).

Rather than focusing on language as a mechanical skill, it is taught as a connection to students' existing language and life experience. Language used in class must be meaningful and carry out authentic functions. Teachers who use the whole-language approach teach students to use phonics (sound-based), semantic (meaning-based), and syntactic (structural and context) cues when reading to help the students make meanings from the texts they read.

In short, the whole-language approach addresses the importance of meaning and meaning making in English teaching and learning. In addition, the whole-language approach to some extent draws on an interactional perspective of language learning and advocates cooperative learning and participatory learning by using authentic language.

  Source: SAGE REFERENCE ONLINE