Education researcher Dr. Yusuf argues that students taught reading through a phonics-based approach develop stronger word-decoding skills than students taught through a whole-language approach, even when initial reading abilities are similar.
Which finding, if true, would most strongly support Dr. Yusuf's argument?
- A
Whole-language instruction has been used in some schools for decades.
- B
Many parents read to their children at home.
- Ccheck_circle
First graders randomly assigned to phonics instruction outperformed peers assigned to whole-language instruction on word-decoding tests at the end of the year, with both groups starting at the same baseline.
- D
Some students enjoy reading more than others.
Explanation
A uses random assignment with matched baselines, providing controlled evidence that phonics produces stronger decoding skills. B, C, and D are tangential.