What reading instruction method was popular at the beginning of the 20th century?

The Look and Say Method gained prominence in the early 20th century as it emphasized recognizing whole words and phrases rather than focusing on phonics and letter-sound relationships. This method aligns with the whole-word recognition approach, allowing learners to develop reading skills based on visual memory and context clues rather than decoding individual sounds.

The Look and Say Method was considered innovative at the time, reflecting the educational beliefs of that era, which held that understanding and meaning were more important than the mechanical aspects of reading. This method positioned reading as a holistic process, promoting comprehension through exposure to entire texts rather than dissecting words into phonetic components.

The other options represent different instructional methods that gained traction at different times. Phonetics Analysis has been an established method in various forms, focusing primarily on the sounds of language. The Whole Language Approach emerged in the late 20th century, promoting the integration of reading with writing and meaningful context. Structured Literacy, which emphasizes systematic and explicit instruction in phonics, is also a modern approach that contrasts with the Look and Say Method's emphasis on whole-word recognition.