The Reading and Writing Connection

What is Reading?
Reading is a complex process, and reading skills are considered to develop in a hierarchy according to Jeanne Chall’s Stages of Reading Development. In order to support the development of reading skills, it is essential that educators understand how reading develops.

What is the Writing Connection?
Reading and writing largely depend upon the same skills. According to Timothy Shanahan, “about 70% of the variation in reading and writing abilities are shared” (2017). Spelling and single-word reading rely on the same underlying knowledge, and instruction and practice in one should aid the development of the other. For instance, the ability to link sounds together to construct words is reinforced when students read and write the same words. Furthermore, writing instruction improves reading comprehension and the teaching of writing skills, such as grammar and spelling lessons reinforce reading skills. Therefore, research suggests that reading and writing need to be taught simultaneously.

How Does This Connect to Landmark’s Teaching Principles™?
If educators teach and practice reading and writing skills in conjunction with one another, they provide students with increased meaningful exposures to language and literacy. This double instruction ensures automatization of targeted skills through practice and review, which is Landmark’s fourth Teaching Principle. For the full text of the Landmark Teaching Principles™, including “Ensure Automatization Through Practice and Review,” click here.

Strategies to Download

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