**I think the best practices in teaching reading are to do with phonics and not the whole language.**

Teaching reading takes time and effort and the best practices are usually what the students like to do. If you are teaching reading at home you have more freedom and can use whatever best practices you like. But if you are in school you have to follow the politically motivated school rules

and they are not always in the best interest of the child.

So sometimes you just can’t use the best practices in teaching reading.

Teaching reading using phonics has been around for over a 100 years because it is possible one of the most effective best practices in teaching reading. But it is sometimes not in vogue and then teachers have to put up with whatever best practices are currently circulating around the school boards. To me the best practice in teaching reading is the Montessori practice of teaching reading. If you have problem readers or student who are getting left behind then bring in the Montessori sandpaper letters and watch the students transform.

The only problem is it is not really designed for the classroom.

But if you can arrange the classroom in groups with a good reading student in charge of the groups you can use it. The best students will learn to read no matter what best practice is in use. So we have to concentrate on the students who are having trouble learning to read. And that is where Montessori comes in or you could try a internet based phonics program as they are also very effective.

For more information about phonics courses I recommend including a Montessori course see our Teach Reading page.