Reciprocating Reading and Writing

Reading this week's article(s) reminded me about how Wondrous Words talked a lot about reading like writers. This is the common ground where teachers can target all learners and be mentally activated in their learning. In order to move altogether and get into the rhythm of learning, intertwining reading and writing makes all the difference. I constantly ask myself, if had known this or have been taught this as a child, could my life have been different? Yes, it could have. The second question that would come up, could I apply this to my life right now through teaching and learning from the kids whether the method works or not? Possibly. 

Reading and writing could be learned at the same time when someone reads to you every day or every night "in order to have book authors serve as mentors for students' writing" (Manak, 309).  My dad immigrated '87 and my mom '89, so with their poor English they read to me until I entered first grade. Since the first grade, I started listening to cassette tapes and read along with a book at hand. They didn't want me to emulate them, so they had bought cassette tapes and sent me to Sunday school. So if a teacher had a student like me, as a first grader, how would the teacher reach out to me. Even though I was practically born in the States, but had parents who barely spoke English (at that time) would it make a difference to have the teacher read to in class three times a day?

 In Jennifer Manak's research, I really admire how dedicated the third grade teacher is with her students. I've never heard of any third grade teacher willing to read three times a day with their students. Again, as I look back at my childhood and wondered, if my teacher had done this in our class-- could I have been a better reader and writer, if I had book authors serve as mentors? Which follows up with my next question, what kind of procedure could produce a good reader and writer? In Anderson and Briggs' article, they lay out a good strategic process where students learn how to observe reading closely: searching, monitoring, and self-correcting. In my opinion, this method targets students who already have independent thinking or is undertaking independent thinking. I made this conclusion because the article explains each role "Searching is the mental action of seeking out information in print. Monitoring is checking on oneself throughout the process of reading and writing. Self-correcting means independently fixing one's errors" (Anderson and Briggs, 546). Students are able to critically think for themselves and convince themselves whether the information is important or not, arriving at a logical conclusion. As for the non-independent thinking, it is important to model these three things, so everyone can be on the same page.

Random: I like how Anderson and Briggs' article lays out an organized chart as to what they are talking about in the article. It provides a better sense as to what could be done in the classroom.


References

Anderson, Nancy L., and Connie Briggs. "Reciprocity Between Reading and Writing: Strategic Processing as Common Ground." The 64.7 (2011): 546-49. Web.

Manak, Jennifer. "The Social Construction of Intertextuality and Literacy Understanding: The Impact of Interactive Read-Alouds on the Writing of Third Graders During Writing Workshop." Reading Research Quarterly 46.4 (2011): 309-11.

The Missing Link

I've always had a difficult time distinguishing language arts and reading. My parents always wondered why these two areas were separate from each other, especially in Elementary school--- the question was always "why can't it be called ENGLISH?"

Of course, I then learned that we would have to teach these two separately at first and by the end of first grade we should progressively link the two subjects together. The reason for this is that both touches the basic needs of understanding of a written text. McLaughlin points out that, "Learning takes place when new information is integrated with what is already known." How do you bring that prior information in? Where do the kids gain information? Reading is the basis of communication. In the younger grades, students learn phonics, phonological awareness, and sounding out words. Whereas, the older grades it's learning to understand and express that they understand the text through book reports, learn how stories are put together, etc. Language arts encompasses grammar, semantics, spelling and vocabulary. To link them together creates an understanding of the main idea, inference, and getting the details and the conclusion. 

Even when there's a fine line between the two areas, how is that there are some kids out there not understand or get that connection? I'm working with a student who can easily retell a story with guided questions but when told to write down what he just told me, he struggles and barely writes two sentences. What am I missing here? Even though he seems to be doing well with whole class discussions and other group activities, however, even when I or the teacher models the activity for him, he struggles during  individual work and constantly asks if he is correct or not. It could be a confidence issue or he hasn't develop independent thinking yet... To be become that influential teacher is difficult when facing situations like this.