Opinion
Reading & Literacy Letter to the Editor

We Must Integrate Reading and Writing

March 07, 2023 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

Kudos to Education Week for rolling out a collection of articles on elementary writing instruction, a vital area of literacy development that fails to get the attention it deserves. As EdWeek’s reporters noted in the Jan. 17 special report, “The Science of Reading … And Writing,” all students need high-quality classroom resources that integrate reading and writing, build content knowledge, and provide explicit writing instruction.

I taught for 27 years and I spent way too many of them asking kids to write about topics that were disconnected from what we were reading or learning about in school. A typical writing prompt I used back then might have been, “Write about a time you were surprised.” For some students, the prompt drew blank stares and even tears as they struggled to think of what to write. Later, I stepped away from personal-experience prompts and strategically integrated my reading and writing instruction. A more equitable and creative energy took over. When my 4th graders read knowledge-building books about the anatomical heart and Sharon Creech’s Love That Dog, I could ask them to write about the literal and figurative meaning of the term “great heart.” The work required deep reading comprehension and explicit writing instruction, but it also inspired ideas and upped the writing quality.

It was terrific to see Sumner County schools in Tennessee and Kegonsa Elementary School in Wisconsin spotlighted for their efforts to improve writing instruction using Wit & Wisdom, a literacy curriculum my colleagues and I developed to build student knowledge on important topics and develop strong reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

How to develop a nation of great writers is worthy of further discussion. I hope to see more such coverage from EdWeek and others going forward.

Lorraine Griffith
Chief Knowledge Officer, Humanities
Great Minds
Leicester, N.C.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the March 08, 2023 edition of Education Week as We Must Integrate Reading and Writing

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Webinar
Reimagining Grading in K-12 Schools: A Conversation on the Value of Standards-Based Grading
Hear from K-12 educational leaders and explore standards-based grading benefits and implementation strategies and challenges
Content provided by Otus
Reading & Literacy Webinar How Background Knowledge Fits Into the ‘Science of Reading’ 
Join our webinar to learn research-backed strategies for enhancing reading comprehension and building cultural responsiveness in the classroom.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Innovative Strategies for Data & Assessments
Join our webinar to learn strategies for actionable instruction using assessment & analysis.
Content provided by Edulastic

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Reading & Literacy Why Some Teachers' Unions Oppose 'Science of Reading' Legislation
Several state unions say the mandates could limit teachers’ professional autonomy in the classroom.
11 min read
Addison Fleshman reads "Green Eggs and Ham" as students celebrate Dr. Seuss Week in Teresa Francis' kindergarten class Monday, Feb. 27, 2017, at Westview Elementary School in Jonesboro, Ind.
Addison Fleshman reads "Green Eggs and Ham" as students celebrate Dr. Seuss Week in Teresa Francis' kindergarten class on Feb. 27, 2017, at Westview Elementary School in Jonesboro, Ind.
Jeff Morehead/The Chronicle-Tribune via AP
Reading & Literacy Q&A A Reading Teacher Makes a Case for Early Dyslexia Screening
As states debate whether to mandate dyslexia screening in schools, a California teacher explains how the process works.
4 min read
Doug Rich
California reading interventionist Doug Rich persuaded his own school to begin screening students early for signs of dyslexia—Photo courtesy of Doug Rich
Reading & Literacy Opinion How to Make the Science of Reading Work for Teachers
One state took a different path with good initial results, writes a state chief academic officer.
Lisa Coons
5 min read
Searching knowledge concept. Men and women stand next to book and find necessary information. Independent training and education.
Rudzhan Nagiev/iStock
Reading & Literacy Most States Screen All Kids for Dyslexia. Why Not California?
The state teachers' union has historically been among those opposing a bill to screen students for signs of the disorder.
5 min read
Dyslexia word formed with wooden blocks.
iStock/Getty Images