Literacy is one of the most important life skills that involves proficiency in reading and writing. Research states that children who start reading extensively in their founding years become better writers. In addition, reading boosts creativity and provides children with all the knowledge they need to tell interesting stories. In this article, we share all about the reading-writing connection, but first, let us discuss the importance of reading.
Reading stands at the heart of the writing process. No matter what kind of sources and methods you use, you are always reading and interpreting the text. When we hear the word ‘reading’ we relate it to secondary sources, such as books, magazines, journals, websites, and more. But even when you are using other research methods and sources, such as interviewing or surveying a group of people, you are reading. You are reading the subjects’ ideas and views on the topics being discussed. Even when you study photographs, cultural artifacts, and other non-verbal research sources, you are reading them by trying to understand the cultural and social contexts and to understand their multiple meanings.
The Connection Between Reading and Writing
Reading and writing are two tightly connected parts of the same whole. And, the whole is the process of learning and creating new meaning. According to a popular view, when we read, we "consume” text and make new meanings. When we write, we "produce” text. So, good writing is usually based upon or at least influenced by ideas, stories, and theories that come from reading. It does originate in a vacuum. So if, while growing up you were told to read, it is because writers who do not read and do not actively engage themselves in reading, have very little to say to others.
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As a rhetorical process, reading and writing cannot exist without each other. The goal of a good writer is to engage the readers in a dialog that is presented in the writing. Similarly, the goal of a critical and active reader is to participate in the dialog; to have something to say back to the writers and to others. We write because we have something to say, and we read because we are interested in what other people have to say. Hence, writing leads to reading, and vice versa.
Reading provides us with ideas and helps us to transition from simply having opinions about something. Opinions are often fixed. And, the people having them are not willing to adjust or change. On the other hand, ideas are ever-evolving, flexible, and fluid. They are informed and shaped by our interactions with others, both in-person and in written texts. So in a world where thoughts and actions are supreme, it is not enough to simply "agree to disagree.” Reading and writing, used together, allow us to persuade and be persuaded. Moreover, we can discuss complex and difficult issues with others, and most importantly - act.
Simply knowing that reading and writing are intimately connected ain’t enough. Parents and teachers need to use a few strategies to reinforce the development of literacy skills in their children. These include harnessing the power of the reading and writing connection. This can be done via:
One of the most effective ways to use the relationship between reading and writing is to foster literacy development by immersing children in a specific genre. Teachers and parents need to identify a genre that is essential to a grade level’s curriculum. The genre should then be studied with the children from the reading and writing perspectives.
Once children have studied the genre and have identified its essential elements, opportunities to write in the genre should be given. Further, the process should be recursive to allow children to repeatedly move between reading and writing. This will not only lead them to have a rich knowledge of the genre but will also have strengthened their general reading and writing skills.
Phonics and phonemic awareness are the two pillars of reading. A person cannot read without understanding the connection between sounds and letters. That said, the connection between reading and writing can help solidify these skills in young children. So when a child comes to a word in their reading that is unfamiliar to them, the adults or a reading tutor working with them can sound out the word using the knowledge of phonemes (sound chunks).
Similarly, if children want to write new words, they can use the same technique to help them choose the letters to write. If a child is younger, correct spelling would not be as important as an understanding of the connection between particular sounds and letters.
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Another effective method for using the relationship between reading and writing is to foster literacy development by simply giving children the choice. If children are always told exactly what to read and what to write, they will eventually come to see reading and writing as impersonal events. Hence, for children to have ownership of their reading and writing, they should be given choices to read and write what is interesting and important to them.
The relationship between reading and writing can be said to be a bit like a chicken and an egg. Which came first is not as important as the fact that both are highly interconnected. So, if you want your children to be successful, you will need to encourage them to be voracious readers and writers. Hence, if you are looking for a reading tutor to improve your child’s reading and writing skills, get in touch with us at Read With Us.
