Is it Important to Connect Reading and Writing?

[Admin]

Connecting Reading and Writing has become a common trend not only in Language Arts instruction but also Content Area literacy classrooms. Reading and writing are two important process skills that have often been thought of as "inseparable". Educators continue to urge teachers to connect reading and writing in content area classroom for several reasons.

An important reason for making this reading writing connection is that it promotes the use of meta-cognitive skills by students. In other words, students are better able to monitor their reading comprehension by asking questions such as " what does the author mean by this expression?' What is the purpose of this text? and refine their written ideas by asking questions like "Have I used the most appropriate vocabulary to communicate the intended message to my target audience?

Can you state other reasons for linking reading to writing?

Share your ideas. Thanks

[mjoseph]

Teachers should make a reading and writing connection in content area classroom because this interconnection between reading and writing boost students' literacy development because reading affects writing and writing affects reading. When students read, they are learning the texts structures, language which helps them build on their existing knowledge. This knowledge is then transfered to their own writing which further builds on their understanding of content. Also, students use writing to share their knowledge through text but inorder to be able to share this information and to ensure that it is factual, they use reading for clarification before they can write. I believe that teachers should be interwined reading and writing instruction together in content area classroom to build a greater awareness of their importance to students. As reasearch states, students who read become better writers.

[Admin]

Excellent point, Joseph.

Where is everyone else?

[ndubois]

As stated reading and writing are definitely inseparable. As a business teacher I have realized that those two skills are very important to the business student. When students read in business they are also required to use that information gained theoretically and practically. The business teacher must use the two skills in together i.e. as students read to gather and learn information they must be given the opportunity to write what they think, what they have learnt and also what they think the writers are saying. This buildings their understanding of a concept and also their critical thinking skills. As the students read they learn new words, sentence structure and also new ways of expressing information through writing and speaking which is anther key skill in business studies. Linking reading and writing allow the students to become more aware of ways to comprehend information and also become more literate which is very essential to an individual in their everyday life.

[mmathurin]

it is very important to connect reading and writing because they are interelated. One cannot do without the other.

Reading should be connected to writing because reading and writing are communicative. Through reading students will be able to gain an insight as to how authors communicate their ideas, how they use mathematical terminology in different contexts and how they visually represent information. With this modelling, students will then be able to clearly commuincate their ideas in writing in a manner that will be understood by their readers. Also with this exposure, students will be able to represent information in various modes: graphically, symbollically and in writing.

another reason is that

[law]

Reading and writing go hand in hand. One is not independent of the other. Thus, one's skill in reading is directly proportional to their skill in reading. Consequently it is paramount that adequate reading strategies be taught to and practiced by students. In so doing, their exposure to various text structures will create more avenues for students to write using different text structures.

Also, given the vocabulary used in various text structures, the implication is that students will have a more profound vocabulary in their writing. For this reason, students should be encouraged to use writing strategies (such as RAFT, Summary writing) to compliment their reading. Also, students should be implored to write paragraphs using the text structures.

[tedward]

Rosenblatt (1998) states that"The teaching of reading and writing at any level should become, first of all-the creation of environments and activities in which students are motivated and encouraged to draw on their own resources to make "live" meanings. I strongly agree with the above statement and i also believe that teachers should teach and also make students aware that reading and writing should be dependent on each other. The relationship between reading and writing is like that of an engine and gas, which comes first is not important but it must be realized that one cannot function without other.
One advantage of the reading writing connection is that it enhances the students competences and allows them to become better readers since they are being exposed to a variety of genres of texts, text structures and languages which can assist students when they transfer this into their writing.
Additionally, when individuals read they acquire information and we use writing to transfer that knowledge learned so before they can share the information they must have the information first so this is an advantage of the reading writing connection.

[jchicotlouisy]

Reading and writing are interdependent processes that are essential to each other and mutually beneficial.


REASONS FOR LINKING READING TO WRITING

•Children appear to be more likely to derive learning benefits across reading and writing when they understand that a connection exists.

•Reading is the receptive side of knowledge, while writing is the productive side. Thus, reading and writing are reciprocal processes.

•Both skills enhance engagement and reasoning

•Through writing, students visualize their learning, by creating a picture or plan from their reading.

•Writing is closely related to reading, and the two can reinforce each other, with writing both enhancing and demonstrating reading comprehension in all content areas.

[kamarlaambrose]

It is important to connect Reading and Writing in the classroom because it shows students that they are interdependent and essential for further learning and development.

IMPORTANCE TO CONNECT READING AND WRITING:

1. It helps students develop and learn and practice writing skills.

2. it develops students social and cooperation skills.

3. It helps students better understand ideas through reading and also express themselves and what they have learnt through writing.

4. It allow students to be actively engage in the reading materials

5. It makes students become better writers

Through reading students acquire information and its through writing that they express what they have learnt and understood. Teachers and other educators need to provide opportunities in the classroom for students to connect reading and writing.

[canthony]

Students will not retain everything that they read at once, for that reason they should make notes while they read in order for them to remember and understand the information. Reading allows students to gain new information and in order to identify if students have understood what they have read is to allow them to write or summarize these idea. Students will write how they best understood what is read, therefore it is important to implement reading and writing strategies n the classroom to allow students to use what they are most comfortable with.

[lgidharry]

I am obliged to agree with the statement that reading and writing has become an important trend not only in the language arts classroom, but in other content areas and that it should be connected. As a modern language teacher, it is my goal to develop competency in communicative skills. However, I am of the opinion that the communicative skills cannot fully be developed if students are unable to read or write. In order to communicate students not only need to develop fluency in the language, but they also need to be able to express themselves. Such skills are not acquired overnight, but rather are acquired through the new vocabulary learnt from, the ability to interpret texts, the ability to write responses to texts etc. Reading and writing enhances the students ability to reason and therefore should both be taught and the connection should be made. Furthermore, they are both related, as reading is the receptive side of knowledge, whereas writing is the productive side.

[juecher]

The reading-writing connection is important. The message communicated by the writer must be thought about by the reader to truly engage with the text and in writing the writer must be convinced that his or her message can be clearly understood by the reader before publishing or sharing. Hence, reading and writing are mutually dependent language processes.

[juecher]

Re: canthony

Since students are exposed to expository texts at the secondary level and need to break down text structures for better understanding of text there is need to write during reading: graphic organizers, Cornell Notes, paraphrasing. Writing in this way aids in long-term memory retention; it reinforces concepts learnt.

[juecher]

Re: Tedward

Good reference Rosenblatt for the importance of the reading-writing connection. A good reader can write well. A good writer can read well. People who read have divergent perspectives on issues and this is reflected in their writing. Readers are socially aware, develop ideologies, personal opinions and can use the depth of their reading to enlighten others through their writing and can also use writing as a platform for posing questions about the text for others to respond to. Writing is an outlet for release of emotions, thoughts, feelings.

[qvidal]

Reading and writing connection allows students to comprehend what is read and express their ideas clearly of their understanding of what was read. When a lot of reading is used in the classroom, the students are able to become more familiar with text structures, vocabulary and ideas which facilitate better writing skills.