Whole Language in Theory and Practice

Abstract

The increasing attention to the whole language movement in speech-language pathology is a natural result of the evolution of our field toward more interactive and naturalistic intervention practices. This paper presents the historical influence of many disciplines that have led to the whole language movement and some of the theoretical principles underlying this philosophy. The differences between assumptions underlying traditional intervention practices are contrasted with those of whole language. Specific suggestions for implementing whole language intervention with language-disordered children is presented, including using theme building to achieve long- and short-term objectives, accomplishing multiple goals through collaborative activities, and facilitating the language learning process using scaffolding strategies and developmentally appropriate interactions.