Article Synthesis: The Reading-Writing Connection



Article Synthesis: The Reading-Writing ConnectionDarryl LoringUniversity of New EnglandEDU 743February 5, 2012As research has indicated there is a strong co-relation between successful readers and successful writers. Richard Peck is quoted saying, “Nobody but a reader ever became a writer”(Olness, 2005). With this in mind, teachers must understand the impact that quality literature has on writing instruction. By using quality literature to work towards improving on writing skills, there can be positive impacts on a student’s overall writing performance. Successful writing achievement can be attained through the use of author mentor texts, understanding a writer’s intended audience and students being able to learn the skills necessary to improve their writing. These two articles address the reading-writing connection and the positive impact that exposure to good literature can have on writing. In the first article, Using Literature to Enhance Writing Instruction: Chapter One The Reading-Writing Connection (2005), Olness addresses the need to use “suitable” reading material to enhance the writing curriculum (p.9). Olness gives suggestions on different teaching strategies and materials that could be used to assist students in transferring experiences that they read about into writing experiences of their own. In the second article, Developing Reading-Writing Connections: The Impact of Explicit Instruction of Literary Devices on the Quality of Children’s Narrative Writing (2007), Corden reviews a study that suggests “that reading, discussing and evaluating mentor texts can have a positive impact on the quality of children’s independent writing” (p.269). According to this article and the data collected through the survey, this can be achieved through the use of explicit instruction, modeling, and demonstration using mentor texts, and through the use of writing workshops. Both of these articles highlight the importance of the reading-writing connection and the role that each piece plays in the successful development of writing skills, in particular. Olness references several teachers and researchers in the first chapter of the book, Using Literature to Enhance Writing Instruction (2005) that supports the connection between the values of quality literature, as it pertains to the reading-writing connection. “Books teachers read aloud provide powerful models for the types of writing students do” (Olness, 2005, p.1). Students who are exposed to good text, rich vocabulary, and have an understanding of different genres of text are better equipped and are more likely to use them as models for their own writing. Olness discusses the importance of using authors as mentors to help student exposure to a variety of different writing styles and formats. This includes having students recognize how their favorite authors write. Teachers who make it a point to teach students to be more aware of their audience, and to keep them in mind when writing is a way to help students become better writers. According to Olness (2005), “the writer’s concept of audience can have a strong influence on the style, mood, and format of the piece” (p.4). Picture books can be a valuable resource for this effort. It provides teachers and students with a more efficient way to look at a variety of writing techniques and styles in an engaging manner. Students should be “immersed” in literature of a particular genre, as models before they are expected to independently write in that genre (Olness, p.6). Reading provides models for student’s writing. Students should have an easily accessible place to write down ideas, reflections, reactions, and thoughts as a way to be encouraged to take more risks when writing, as well as have ideas to write about (Olness, 2005, p.5).In the article, Developing Reading-Writing Connections: The Impact of Explicit Instruction of Literary Devices on the Quality of Children’s Narrative Writing, Corden (2007) reports on a study conducted in the United Kingdom. The research group’s purpose was to investigate the impact that explicit instruction and the use of mentor texts can have on students writing and if these skills are then carried over into their writing workshops. The study looked at the teaching practices in several countries and specifically looked at process writing and collaborative literacy between peers. Through collaborative discussions with their peers, teachers felt as though students could read like a writer, write like a reader and develop a sense of audience (Corden, 2007, p.271). As a result of the teacher’s beliefs about best practices and the research that had been done prior to this study to support their work, the teachers in the research group combined their approach. It focused on helping students transfer ideas that they got from mentor text through discussions during literacy classes, as well as teacher support. This included teachers having focused group discussion that analyzed how the mentor text was constructed, and also provided models and demonstrated the specific features mentioned. Through these discussions and presentation of examples students were able to use this same language and ideas not only when independently writing, but when discussing other author’s work. Students were given the opportunity to compose written work during time designated for writing workshops. It was during this time that students were given constructive feedback during the drafting and revision process, from both teachers and peers. The purpose of the study was to focus on narrative writing, therefore specific and appropriate mentor texts were chosen as examples, depending on the narrative feature that was to be highlighted. Both of the aforementioned articles focused on the importance of exposing students to a variety of quality literature, for students to have models of writing. Olness (2005) quotes Serafini and Giorgis stating, “Be careful what you read, for that is how you will write” (p. 1). Olness and Corden both used author mentor texts for examples of good writing and stressed the importance of students understanding and recognizing their audience. Again, the use of these mentor texts was stressed as a way to understand audience and elements of writing were brought to students’ attention as they read. Another similarity between the articles, was that they both saw vocabulary development and acquisition as a positive gain by students as a result of connecting reading and writing effectively. Although the reading-writing connection was the overall theme in both articles, there were some differences between the two. In Corden’s journal article, Developing Reading-Writing Connections: The Impact of Explicit Instruction of Literary Devices on the Quality of Children’s Narrative Writing (2007), the findings are based on research by teachers involved in the study that uses explicit instruction and writer’s workshop, specifically to help lay the framework for effective writing instruction. This includes the opportunity to use explicit instruction to introduce or reinforce certain literary elements. Although, the basis is still embedded in the importance of the reading-writing connection (which is similar to the Olness’ article), Corden presents the idea that there are other teaching strategies involved to help develop the writing process. In the article, Using Literature to Enhance Writing Instruction: Chapter One The Reading-Writing Connection (2005), Olness discusses the use of many genres as ways to model different types of writing. This is not the case in Corden’s article; the focus of this study narrative writing, therefore the author mentor texts and examples given, were focused around this one genre. Olness discusses the use of writer’s notebooks, or specific spots where students are able to write down thoughts, reactions, words and ideas. This is done in hopes that it will give students possible topics to write about and even promote some risk-taking when writing (Olness, 2005, p.5). This idea was not touched upon in Corden’s research study.Researchers have found, and teachers can support the idea that reading and writing are intertwined. They work together, “practice with one contributes to success of the other” (Olness, 2005). The overall theme both articles is that students need models when learning to write and/or improving on their writing. Supplying students with quality literature and mentor texts is a way to help with this process. Students, who are exposed to a variety of literature, are able to use them as models when they are writing, and therefore their writing improves. There may be many avenues and strategies to help support writing in the classroom; however the overall focus should be that students need the reading-writing connection to have success in literacy.ResourcesCorden, R. (2007). Developing reading-writing connections: the impact of explicit instruction of literary devices on the quality of children’s narrative writing. Journal of Research in Childhood, 269-289.Olness, R. (2005). Chapter one: the reading-writing connection. In R. Olness, Using Literature to Enhance Writing Instruction (pp.1-9). Newark, DE: International Reading Association. ................
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