Using the
Whole-Word Approach
versus the
Phonetic Approach to Teach Reading

There are many different beliefs of what the 'best' way of teach a child to read is, and on-going debates persist as to whether the use of the whole-word approach or phonetics is more effective.

eReadingPro utilizes the whole-word approach, as research has shown that over 80% of the population identify themselves as visual learners. Small children are also predominantly visual learners and can therefore learn to read more effectively using the whole-word approach. Scientific studies have also shown that children with learning difficulties such as Dyslexia, Autism or Down syndrome are also visual learners, and therefore also read words as pictures. In learning to read via the whole-word approach, readers begin to understand that a word represents a 'thing'.

Our system of teaching reading using the whole-word approach ensures that each word is shown first as a single word, then it comes back and is shown as a couplet (when paired with another single word), again within a 3-word phrase, and finally within a sentence. By the time the child sees the words within the sentences, they have seen each single word over 100 times!

Comprehension is ensured by using words that represent 'people or things'. For example: names, food, actions, colors, etc.