The Integration of Reading and Writing

 

こんにちは

Kon'nichiwa my friends. Come and take a look at this week’s blog.

 

Lit102- Although I wasn't feeling 100% on the first day of class this week and the video presentations were a little difficult to hear at first because the course was a little noisy, I quickly got back on track with the use of a colleague’s headphones, learning everything I needed to know about the relationships between reading and writing, and eventually was able to write my own teacher's philosophy, which you will see at the end of this page. 😊 😊😊😊😊 To conclude, LIT102 was easy to understand for my previous knowledge of writing and reading was still very evident in my brain and so it came in as added information for me as I build my knowledge more and more.  

 

According to (Leipzig, 2013), reading is a multifaceted process involving word recognition, comprehension, fluency, and motivation. As students learn to read starting from the learning of their letter sounds, to the blending of these sounds and then being able to recognize words in a short passage or story and then being able to grasp their meaning it equates to an increase in their comprehension skills, this will in the end benefit students who will gain knowledge and experiences of what they may have read.  

According to (Benwell, 2019), writing is the process of using symbols (letters of the alphabet, punctuation, and spaces) to communicate thoughts and ideas in a readable form. Writing begins with scribbling for all students at the pre-level and gradually increases as they grow, to form letters, which then turn into words, sentences, and stories through the writing process; planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. As students write more, their concentration will increase, their vocabulary will grow, their confidence in writing will grow, and they will be able to express themselves freely even outside of the classroom. Students can develop many aspects of their thinking through writing, including their thought processes, which broadens their knowledge significantly.  

In my experience as a teacher, students who read more happen to be good writers. Hence, the impacts of teaching and learning through these two language skills; reading and writing, will greatly benefit students academically. Although some integration of reading and writing can involve children reading a story and putting it into their own words by summarizing what they had read. Where is the fun in that?  In my opinion, the integration of reading and writing should involve fun activities in the classroom, where students aren’t just reading to understand the story but engaging in fun activities such as acting out the stories they have read and having students write about that experience. Having students pick their own books to read and then assigning them the task of writing a story in their own words that are comparable to what they have read but altering the characters, the setting of the story, the plot, and even the climax based on that book can also be a fun way of getting them to integrate their reading and writing skills. In addition, students can be taken on field trips or schoolyard tours to bring out new ideas, experiences, and much more about a book that the class may be reading. For instance, children can improve their learning by viewing plants outside if they have read about them. Observing a plant firsthand and getting to know its flowers, leaves, stems, and roots through touch will improve students' comprehension of the material. Incorporation of the language experience approach which is also a way of getting students to learn in a fun way through six easy steps; Step 1: Provide an experience, Step 2: Talk about the experience, Step 3: Record the dictation, Step 4: Read the text, Step 5: Extend the reading and writing experience, and Step 6: Developing basic skills, where students will learn from experiences of not just only reading a book but other activities through the incorporation of reading and writing. Overall, it goes without saying that reading and writing go hand in hand for students who are able to use knowledge of the writing process when writing about what they may have read, and including that knowledge acquired from reading would be able to physically represent as they write where their punctuation should be, line spacing, sentences they create are properly structured, as well as their grammar and the fluency of their words, which may start off as a learning process, but become one with them (fluent writers).  

 

 

Have a look at some great activities that can be used in your classroom or even with the little ones around you in the integration of reading and writing. This page caters to all stages of writing development. In addition, a short video also gives teaching strategies that integrate reading and writing. But hey, don’t take my word for it. Have a look!!

 

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/25-activities-reading-and-writing-fun

 (152) 8 Integrate Reading & Writing Teaching Using Flipped Classrooms - YouTube

 My Philosophy:

As a mother and a teacher, I think students learn to write based on how they think. Once students are able to brainstorm ideas or recall experiences they can write about them, although the organization of these ideas will have to be taught starting at the lower grades. Students begin writing from pre-school levels where their drawings although hard to comprehend to an adult’s eye, are very much able to explain it. Very vivid memories of my daughter and her friends scribbling and drawing when they were in the pre-school level, and their explanations of what they had written or drawn never cease to amaze me because it clearly demonstrates that these students, despite being at that age and level, can express themselves through their specific writing. Writing is, as we all know, a process. In order for students to eventually become proficient writers, each stage of the writing process must be taught to them, along with ways to help them grow in each stage. But the writing must begin someplace, and in my opinion, that place is at the preschool level, when children progress from scribbling to the formation of their letters, then words, etc. I intend to educate my students on the writing process and ways to help them understand each stage as I guide them through this process using the knowledge, I have gained through DTE. Since they will be given regular writing assignments, students work will always be valued and encouraged. Through these exercises, advice will be given so that students can learn from their errors and improve on them. As I endeavor to ensure that my students are doing their best in their writing, I want to integrate reading and writing in my classroom, allow my students to choose topics, genres, and books that they are interested in, including writing in all subject areas, not remain stagnant in my teaching.  Some specific actions I will take especially when integrating reading and writing in my classroom is to ensure that I get to know my students, in that way I can plan lessons and activities that surround their interests and experiences to keep them engaged as they learn through reading and their writing, especially through the use of the language experience approach I plan on implementing in my classroom. In allowing my students to choose their own topics, genres, or books, they will be more motivated to write for it is about something that they are most familiar with or have experienced. Also, the inclusion of writing in all subject areas will be done so that students get as much practice in writing which will improve their writing greatly, for through practice students will become versed in their writing skills. So as not to become a stagnant teacher where I will ensure my lessons are fun, interesting, and engaging regularly through my planning. 

 

-What about you? Can you see yourself using any of these activities mentioned above in your classroom in teaching your students through the integration of reading and writing?

-What do you like most about my philosophy?

-Do you have any suggestions for goals I can add to my philosophy?