| The present dissertation is a synthesis of whole language education guided by an action research perspective with the main purpose of developing a series of articles to introduce whole language to Chinese teachers. It falls into two parts: the first part provides the background information about language and education in Taiwan, and the second part is a whole language program for Chinese teachers. Part I discusses the purpose and research questions of this dissertation with an emphasis on current issues of educational reform in Taiwan. Part II is designed to be a resource book of whole language education. It consists of four sections of two to three chapters each. Each chapter stands by itself and all together offer a whole language framework. Section one, Roots of Whole Language, focuses on general and specific philosophical elements of whole language. Section two, Connection to Related Theories, highlights the relationship between the theory of whole language and the practice of literacy education in Taiwan. Section three, Research Applying Whole Language to Chinese Literacy and Education, consists of three qualitative research studies. Section four, A Whole Language Classroom, discusses how a teacher translates her educational beliefs into classroom practices. The arguments are illustrated with examples from the Experimental Textbooks and instructional methodologies in Taiwan with the purpose of making connections between theoretical frameworks related to whole language and educational research in Taiwan. In summary, this dissertation explores whole language from interrelated perspectives. It offers a personal interpretation of whole language that builds up connections between the whole language movement as has been developed in the United States and Chinese literacy education as it is practiced in Taiwan. The major concern of this work is to share information about whole language with Taiwanese teachers and invite them to adapt whole language in their local contexts. |
