The whole language approach to reading instruction emphasizes a literature-based program rather than the traditional skills-related approach. The principles and practices of whole language have engendered both educational and political debate for the following reasons: whole language challenges the traditional educational power arrangement, giving more control to students than to teachers; it attacks the basal reader technology, allowing teachers to dominate the curriculum; and it questions a testing hierarchy believed to be modeled after a social/cultural hierarchy. Two assumptions of whole language--that spoken language is directly comparable to written language and that skilled readers rely on contextual information more than on the printed word--are under debate. There is also concern that whole language may not serve adult learners with varying learning styles and that multiple instructional styles must be incorporated into the approach. Several approaches to integrating the skills-related and whole language approaches have been proposed, and increasing numbers of whole language advocates are calling for reconciling the two approaches. Assessment in whole language classrooms has been also sparked debate. It has been proposed that evaluation in whole language classrooms be longitudinal, contextual, and collaborative. (Contains 63 references.) (MN)