The teaching of reading should encompass a balance of teaching strategies including a systematic approach to phonics and other word reading strategies, and a significant emphasis on children experiencing a wide range of texts, including moving image and digital - all available to read from the very beginning.

BBC: Viewpoints: Teaching children to read

After all, it was California that 11 years ago threw out the tried-and-true reading method known as phonics for a new, faddish method called whole language.

FORBES: Fact and Comment

There are certainly people who fall into different camps on certain issues, for example people who want to use pay for performance based on test scores, school-choice advocates, people who think reading should be taught by using phonics, people who think there should be no homework, and on and on and on.

FORBES: Rachel Levy on Framing the Education Reform Debate