A Balanced Approach to Teaching Reading to Dyslexic Students
In a recent LinkedIn post, reading consultant Brian Vieira argued strongly against sight word or whole word instruction, calling it the “worst way” to teach reading. He emphasized the superiority of phonics-based methods, pointing to the vast number of English words, the finite set of speech sounds, and scientific evidence favoring sound processing over memorization.
While I respect the passion for structured literacy, I fundamentally disagree with this rigid stance. As someone who has successfully taught over 80 dyslexic students since 2004, I’ve seen firsthand that an all-or-nothing approach to phonics overlooks how real learning happens. Reading isn’t a one-size-fits-all skill, and dismissing other tools ignores the millions of children who learned to read during the Whole Language era without ever attempting to memorize a million words.
Brian’s post raises valid points about the building blocks of language, but it oversimplifies the process and misrepresents alternative methods. Let’s break it down point by point, drawing on both research and lived classroom experience.
Addressing the Claims Against Sight Word Instruction
“English has too many words to memorize.”
No serious educator suggests memorizing every word in the English language—that’s a caricature of sight word approaches. In reality, readers don’t store words as isolated pictures; they use orthographic mapping, a process where sounds, spellings, and meanings are linked in memory for automatic recognition.
This isn’t about cramming a dictionary—it’s about building a sight vocabulary through repeated exposure and decoding. During the Whole Language period, millions of children became fluent readers without phonics exclusivity, relying on context, patterns, and high-frequency words. They succeeded because reading is dynamic, not a memory game.
“Memorising one word doesn’t help decode another.”
This assumes sight word teaching is purely visual and isolated, which it isn’t. When combined with phonics, memorizing high-frequency words (like Dolch lists) frees up cognitive resources for decoding unfamiliar ones.
For example, once students have mapped simple words like cat, hat, mat, and sat, introducing batch becomes natural. They instinctively draw the analogy to the familiar -atch rime pattern, enabling them to decode catch, match, patch, and hatch with minimal instruction. This onset–rime analogy approach leverages orthographic mapping, turning unfamiliar words into familiar ones and building confidence rapidly.
Research confirms that struggling readers, including those with dyslexia, benefit from these analogies. In my 30-lesson program, we explicitly build word families early on, combining systematic phonics with targeted analogy practice. Students don’t just decode mechanically—they recognize patterns intuitively, accelerating fluency and reducing frustration.
“Words consist of only 44 speech sounds, making phonics more efficient.”
Yes, the 44 phonemes are foundational, and phonics is a key tool I use daily. But efficiency doesn’t mean exclusivity. High-frequency words, often irregular (the, with, there, said), benefit from targeted memorization to build fluency quickly.
David Kilpatrick, a leading expert, clarifies that sight words are any words recognized instantly, achieved through orthographic mapping—not visual memorization alone. Phonemic awareness is crucial, but so is integrating it with other strategies.
“Science shows sounds are processed faster than whole words.”
Science does support phonological processing, but it also endorses orthographic mapping as the mechanism for turning decoded words into instant sight words. Fluent readers rely on automatic recognition, which blends sound mapping with meaning and context—not phonics in isolation.
“Brains learn by turning symbols into speech sounds.”
True—but that’s the starting point, not the endgame. Once mapped, words become sight words for effortless retrieval, regardless of regularity. Kilpatrick emphasizes that phonemic proficiency enables this mapping, allowing readers to handle both regular and irregular words without constant decoding.
“Reading should be taught step by step, from parts to whole.”
Agreed. But why limit to one method? Brian advocates oral, analytical spelling, which is valuable, but I expand it:
Teach letters as sounds.
Match them to phonemes.
Practice syllables and oral spelling.
Add rote Dolch memorisation for high-frequency words.
Use context clues for comprehension.
Build word families for analogy-based recognition.
This eclectic toolkit has turned “shut-down” kids into confident readers in just 30 lessons.
What Parents and Teachers Should Do Instead
Don’t throw out sight words or whole language elements—they’re not the enemy. Instead, adopt a balanced, multisensory approach tailored to the child, especially for those with dyslexia. In my practice, this means:
Start with phonics: Build awareness of letter sounds and their representations.
Incorporate rote memorization: Focus on Dolch words (220 high-frequency terms) to boost instant recognition.
Use context and analogies: Help students infer meanings and patterns in real reading scenarios.
Leverage orthographic mapping: Encourage linking sounds to spellings through repeated, meaningful exposure.
This isn’t theory—it’s proven. From 2004 to 2019, I worked with over 80 students using this integrated approach. Pure phonics alone can feel rigid and overwhelming for some dyslexic learners, but when analogies and context are layered in, the process becomes dynamic and empowering.
For a step-by-step guide, see my book Teach Your Child to Read, which outlines 30 lessons blending these methods to help dyslexic kids succeed. LINK
Embrace All Tools for True Reading Success
Brian’s post highlights phonics’ strengths, but labeling other methods as “the worst” does a disservice to diverse learners. Reading science, including Kilpatrick’s work on orthographic mapping, shows that fluency comes from integration, not isolation.
By using all available tools—phonics, sight words, context, analogies, and more—we empower every child, dyslexic or not, to read with ease and joy.
If you’re a parent or teacher facing reading challenges, remember: flexibility is the key to unlocking potential.
Parents of dyslexic kids are welcome to contact me for free of charge advice.My email address is : luqmanmichel@gmail.com
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