How Writing Instruction Improves Reading Proficiency

Barbara Friedlander

"Reading is like breathing in; writing is like breathing out.”

Pam Allyn, literacy expert and author

Research-based literacy instruction isn't limited to just reading—writing is essential too. While reading often gets the spotlight, writing plays a crucial role in developing strong literacy skills, and both are necessary for participation in modern society.

Take a moment to consider all the things you’ve written today: a quick text to a family member, a few more items on the grocery list, an Internet search, an email to a coworker about an upcoming lesson, a note home to a student’s family celebrating a job well done, a comment on a social media post from your favorite creator. Writing weaves its way throughout our everyday lives, from the things we do for fun to what we do for a living.

A National Association of Colleges and Employers survey in 2019 found that four out of five employers named “written communication skills” as a metric distinguishing quality candidates. Even with advancements in artificial intelligence, writing generated by people won’t be going anywhere due to the higher cognitive skills that writing requires, including creativity, critical thinking, and decision-making.

Let’s explore the impact of writing instruction in the classroom, and how prioritizing this essential skill doesn’t just lead to better writing, but stronger reading and deeper thinking as well.

Writing instruction should be intertwined with the development of reading skills, as both activities revolve around the use and understanding of language. When students engage in writing, they reinforce their grasp of language structures, such as syntax, grammar, and word usage. This active engagement helps learners understand these elements when they encounter them in reading. For example, revising writing assignments to include more complex vocabulary not only improves students’ ability to express themselves but enhances their reading comprehension as they become familiar with a broader range of words.

The process of writing composition helps students learn to structure their thoughts coherently, which in turn helps them recognize how ideas are connected in the texts they read. This skill is particularly valuable when they are asked to identify main ideas and supporting details in texts. Students can write summaries of what they read as a way to practice extracting key information from the text, strengthening their ability to understand and retain what they read.

This connection between writing and reading is also critical in fostering critical thinking and analysis. Writing to persuade or argue a point teaches students to evaluate evidence, make inferences, and consider different perspectives—skills that are crucial when analyzing complex texts.

Writing about reading can also increase student engagement with reading material. When students write about what they read, whether through journals, reflections, or response papers, they not only form personal connections with the content but also create mental representations of their ideas. This makes the content more meaningful and easier to comprehend and remember.

"The relationship between reading and writing is reciprocal. Just as writing can enhance reading skills, reading widely can improve writing by exposing students to various styles, genres, and techniques. This creates a feedback loop in which the more students write, the more attentive they become as readers, and the more they read, the more skilled they become as writers."

In essence, writing instruction not only complements but also enhances reading instruction by reinforcing language skills, promoting critical thinking, and increasing student engagement. The interdependence of these two activities creates a powerful synergy that supports overall literacy development and leads to the mastery of skills essential to success in today’s world.

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References

  1. Fink, Lisa. “NCTE.” NCTE, 17 Dec. 2017, ncte.org/blog/2017/12/relationship-writing-reading/.
  2. Sawchuk, Stephen. “How Does Writing Fit into the ‘Science of Reading’?” Education Week, 17 Jan. 2023, www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/how-does-writing-fit-into-the-science-of-reading/2023/01.
  3. ‌Sedita, Joan. The Writing RopeTM the Strands That Are Woven into Skilled Writing. 2019, keystoliteracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Article-The-Strands-That-Are-Woven-Into-Skilled-Writing.pdf.
  4. Linville, Cynthia. Real World Writing: What Employers Expect. webpages.csus.edu/~sac16141/RealWorldWriting.pdf. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.
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