Chapter 1: The Reading Writing Connection by Richard Peck " Nobody but a Reader ever become a Writer"

Chapter 1: The Reading Writing Connection by Richard Peck " Nobody but a Reader ever become a Writer"


       Upon completion of reading this article “The Reading Writing Connection” we found that the article was very useful and informative. It inspired  in many ways, as a teacher in pursuit of becoming trained in the profession, It was found that the article highlighted ways that we as educators may aid children in becoming better readers and writers. It is felt that children should possess the knowledge of reading and writing connections in every element of their academics. It is also believed that it is the educator's role to expose students to that connection. The Reading- Writing Connection shows the relationship or the inter-relatedness between reading and writing.
     Teachers or educators should expose children to quality literature for its aesthetic value and its influence on student writing. Students learn about being good writers by learning about good writing techniques, by hearing and loving the work of others before creating their own. According to Lucy Calkins(1994) states that the reading- writing connection begins when teachers and caregivers help children fall in love with a single poem, book or essay." Often children show interest by asking questions related to what was
read, which is why It is believed that a print rich and literature friendly classroom is effective in sustaining interest in reading and writing.
Serafini and Giorgis(2003, p.11) quotes an old saying " be careful what you read for that is how you will write: that saying has been proved true for in many instances, as one member of our group states, she recently started to write books and publish them online and it is only upon being influenced by a certain type of writing or event that her writing was based. The saying is taken and interpreted as saying what you read plays a huge influence in whatever is written.
         Teachers can introduce writing by teaching students about mentor authors, the theory behind the mentor author in my view is that before authors became writers, they modeled  or looked up to and read books of other authors. As a child, Judy Blume loved Betsy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, Cullinan & eiss (1980 states that  Judy  Blume would daydream about each book and make up her own stories about Betsy. This is evidence that children need to be frequent readers, in doing so they adapt perspectives of other writers which they can imitate. In the Reading Writing Connection, it is important to note that books are written for an intended purpose for a particular audience. We agree that one should consider the audience when writing, as it helps the writer to focus on many elements of writing. Teachers should guide reading in such a way that questions about how the writing was
done is revealed.
          The use of notebooks we found are important as these are and can be used in initiating writing and reading. Notebooks are good for recording, ideas, words and feelings, students should feel compelled to write in their notebooks about whatever they are feeling. A notebook guides good writing skills, the more one writes the better a writer and reader that individual becomes, through expression,tone and words.
          Genres are equally important in teaching the Reading Writing Connection, they relate to the different styles of writing, some writers model the styles of writers consciously and unconsciously as they begin writing.
We found that it is fundamentally important to note that literature is essential for the development of new vocabulary, by listening to others read.  As students read a wide variety of literature it becomes evident that they are able to express themselves and their writing relating to these literature, such as folktales, fairy tales, poems, rhymes,realistic fiction and nonfiction. These children and writers are able to develop stories based on these, which helps with knowing how and when to end stories, use of plots, characters and patterns. We also agree that picture books are essential in making reading writing connections, because the writing of the stages of students are so different, the use of picture books is also as effective as novels as students and readers can see the use of illustrations and to view writing styles.
     To this end, this reflection on the Reading- Writing Connection, we adapt the protocol that, suitable reading material when used effectively in the school's curriculum can be effective in helping to show students the connection between reading and writing and thus making reading and writing fulfilling to students.