Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
Dolly, I have to say that we have been very fortunate in our school library. New Mexico voters voted for funding for libraries in the state that included school libraries. Plus our local district has given us chunks of money. We have a really great librarian who asks for teacher input as to what books we want in our library. Our school does use the AR program, so of course she orders the AR quizzes as well (from a different fund), but we now have a huge selection of fiction as well as nonfiction material for our students. It always amazes me that most of my students would rather pick a nonfiction book than a story. We've also been given money in the past by our parent group, but not much in recent years (new group of leaders). ** Get a sneak peak of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
Renee, I agree, if you are talking about your average students. But my experience comes out closer to Kim's. What I have observed, is some kids (especialy those who learn differently) don't understand that they can do things to help themselves, like reading the questions first so they know the purpose of the reading. (Am I looking for specific details about the character, or do I need to infer about the effect of the character's actions? Do I need to figure out the author's purpose, or do I need to figure out the genre?) Much of this can be done without test prep workbooks, etc. Joy/NC/4 [EMAIL PROTECTED] How children learn is as important as what they learn: process and content go hand in hand. http://www.responsiveclassroom.org - Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool. ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
Hi Joy, I'm not sure what I said that you are referring to. Renee On Jul 6, 2007, at 7:23 AM, Joy wrote: Renee, I agree, if you are talking about your average students. But my experience comes out closer to Kim's. What I have observed, is some kids (especialy those who learn differently) don't understand that they can do things to help themselves, like reading the questions first so they know the purpose of the reading. (Am I looking for specific details about the character, or do I need to infer about the effect of the character's actions? Do I need to figure out the author's purpose, or do I need to figure out the genre?) Much of this can be done without test prep workbooks, etc. Joy/NC/4 [EMAIL PROTECTED] How children learn is as important as what they learn: process and content go hand in hand. http://www.responsiveclassroom.org - Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool. ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. What was once educationally significant, but difficult to measure, has been replaced by what is insignificant and easy to measure. So now we test how well we have taught what we do not value. — Art Costa, emeritus professor, California State University ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
In Appendix A of the second edition of MOT, there are connections listed among the strategies and reading, writing and math. Nancy Creech ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
In a message dated 7/3/2007 8:00:58 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: among the strategies and reading, writing and math Oh and researchers, I forgot researchers! Nancy Creech ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
Welcome Beverlee. Sounds like you are a great kidwatcher. I like the weaving metaphor, rich with possibilities, something definitely non linear. I do know that there sometimes seems to be a fairly rigid belief that the receptive (listening/reading) always leads the productive (speaking/writing). And I think sometimes that keeps us from believing that it all can interweave from the beginning! One really powerful example I remember, a speech and language teacher who worked mainly with autistic children, took my grad course in teaching writing. Her classmates were quite curious and many of us I think assumed that naturally she would need to work with a particular child re speaking first. This child could not speak at all. Well it turned out that this child took to writing first and writing was the tool that led her into reading. And she was never speaking to my knowledge. Her first sentence was I be Gerry! so moving. So I would just say that we weave like mad and not assume anything!! Find strengths wherever they are. Notice everything. Use everything. Assume children are brilliant and want to make sense of their worlds. sally On 7/2/07 10:52 PM, Beverlee Paul [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Thank you!! Now we have--not a mosaic graphic for strategies--but a carefully woven-by-hand graphic for reading/writing. Maybe not new, but I love to think of it. And we could go a little further, maybe. For instance, what happens when the processes fall out of balance, for an individual? for a class? for a profession? Well, what happens when you weave one of the factors a little too taut? Or what if you slack off on something altogether? What if you start skipping some of the warp or the woof? (as if I knew what a woof was???!!) And what happens if a kid brings his lovely tapestry in it and it gets damaged and starts to unravel? H. I've taught kindergarten five years, second grade eight years, and first grade twenty-three years, so I was interested in Sally's comments about reading leading writing and writing leading reading. It seems to me that the writing leaders would probably average out about 5% in my experience. Maybe 10-15% would be dramatic reading leaders and the rest would jump back and forth between the extremes on almost a day to day basis. I, too, have seen over and over how children write as the authors they hear. One example is definitely the Munsch-kins, but some of the most delightful are all the wee Junie B. Jones-es! I haven't ever contributed anything to this or any other conversation, so if I'm breaching protocol, please tell me!! ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
ONE THING I'VE LEARNED IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE RECURSIVE SO IT IS NOT LINEAR BUT AN ONGOING INTERWEAVING. IS THIS A HELPFUL WELL TO THINK ABOUT IT ALL? Hey, Sally! Good to hear from you again. I agree with what Beverlee said about reading being expressive too. she and I got into a long dialogue off list and I think what we settled on is it comes down to (thanks to Beverlee's insights) whether reading is viewed as receptive or a combination of receptive and expressive depends on whether we use behaviorist versus a constructivist view of reading. If it's behaviorist, then the reader is the receptacle, the receiver. If it's a constructivist view, then the reading is also expressive because the reader doesn't just receive information but interacts with the text. We also pretty much decided that the lower two levels of comprehension on Bloom's taxonomy are pretty much just receptive. Just gathering and regurgitating facts is not expressive unless you're being forced to take some end of the chapter or other type of reading test and you're thinking This is really boring and stupid-- I guess in that sense then, even low level reading could be expressive too. In other words, reading from a constructivist perspective is interactive. I owe Beverlee Paul for that insight so don't credit me for it. I'D LOVE TO SEE SOME OF YOUR EXAMPLES. HAVE YOU WRITTEN THEM UP? As for my writing examples, I have them at the office but I don't have a scanner so there's no way I can send them. I have a couple in my second book (but it's not worth buying it for just those writing samples). Send me your address and I'll copy and send them to you. I'm trying to avoid the office because it's a tar pit. I can never just sneak in and get something and leave and it's going to be 105 here in Fresno today. I'm going to check to see if my article with Maria Ceprano is online. It was really pretty cool tracing back the style of the first grader to the style of writing of the university student. Sally if you send me your address, I'll send you the article if it's not online and I kind of think it isn't. I posted the citation for it so it is available in the library but who wants to go trudging out just for that. It is a really fascinating article. It also shows how using invented spelling helped kids write with more voice but we also traced the number of correctly spelled words from the pre to the post data analyses. Maria and I constructed rubrics for assessing voice and other aspects of writing too. I have an amazing article by Ann Dyson that is on line and I have on file. It traces the thinking of 2 little boys who alter and extend their thinking through art and conversation. She does such a clear job of documenting the process. I'll send you that whether you want it or not. Beverlee and I were also debating whether writing is both receptive and expressive. I thought of how it's recursive, but I think that refers to the act of rereading and revising. What I'm working through in my head but haven't settled on yet is that maybe the act of writing is receptive also (or maybe a better word is interactive) because-- and this to me is the big point-- the act of writing extends thinking as does speech. So we are not just constructing language, we are receiving or re-receiving those thoughts at some level and reordering and extending them. I haven't quite worked that out yet and I'm not ready to say ta-dah now I know.. but I'm easing toward that notion. CONNIE WEAVER SUGGESTS THAT THE DEVELOPMENT IN READING AND WRITING ARE OFTEN QUITE PARALLEL (WE PROBABLY KNOW THAT) BUT THAT SOMETIMES THE READING LEADS THE DEVELOPMENT AND WRITING FOLLOWS. AT OTHER TIMES THE WRITING LEADS AND READING FOLLOWS. I WENT TO A PRESENTATION AT THE CLAREMONT READING CONFERNENCE WHERE(I'LL THINK OF HER NAME LATE THIS EVENING I'M SURE - WHOOPS I THINK IT'S SHARON ZINK - HOPEFULLY) DEMONSTRATED THIS WAS TRUE WITH CONCRETE EXAMPLES FROM HER STUDENTS. SEEMS LIKE THIS WOULD B E IMPORTANT FOR US ALL TO CONSIDER. Oh, yes-- I agree-- that sometimes reading and writing are parallel and sometimes reading leads writing and vice versa-- but I do think that usually reading comes in advance of writing maybe because of the way it's traditionally taught. My little 5 year old grandaughter can write better than she can read. Maybe this is because she uses invented spelling and so can approximate while with reading she is more word bound-- or she should be-- except she memorizes text quickly and way too often looks at me instead of the words (and yes yes-- I have a Ph.D in reading and I know, I know- what to do about that but I live 6 hours from her. I didn't want to clutter up the list with a lot of theoretical ramblings but since a couple of people have responded it appears that there is some interest in thinking through these issues. Maybe Beverlee will post her views on this which are
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
I tried something new last year. I took samples of the writing and word work we did in class, blew them up and titled it Here's how we learned it...and made a huge floor to ceiling chart. Next to that I blew up released test questions in writing strategies and vocabulary and mounted it next to that. I labeled it Here's What it Looks Like on the Test It amazed me how many kids were able to connect the way we learn with the phrasing on the test. I guess I think about this way: I have never met a person, adult or child, who could read and write well, that couldn't pass just about any reading test handed to them. Good teaching and A LITTLE constructive test strategy is enough. But the good teaching is the key. Kim On 7/3/07, Bill Roberts [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: - Original Message - From: Beverlee Paul [EMAIL PROTECTED] And we could go a little further, maybe. For instance, what happens when the processes fall out of balance, for an individual? for a class? for a profession? You mean like the state writing tests? I have had major disagreements with some of the teachers at my school about this. Some believe that you should teach the structure and have the kids basically fill in the blanks. If you ever look at some of the actual test examples you will see that GOOD writing is NOT a key to a good score, but if you follow the format, you can get a good score. I disagree with the process and say you can teach the format, but you should also teach how to be personally expressive and write, not just for a 20 minute test, but for a lifetime. If that isn't out of balance, I don't know what is.. Unless it's the teachers who teach how to READ for the state test and show how to find answers, but NOT how to fully comprehend. There are a few teachers on staff who believe that bilge Bill ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. -- Kim --- Kimberlee Hannan Department Chair Sequoia Middle School resno, California 93702 Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, let go of what you can't change, kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything, have no regrets.. Life's too short to be anything but happy. [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
On Jul 3, 2007, at 8:22 AM, kimberlee hannan wrote: I tried something new last year. I took samples of the writing and word work we did in class, blew them up and titled it Here's how we learned it... snip Good teaching and A LITTLE constructive test strategy is enough. But the good teaching is the key. My master's thesis advisor and mentor used to say that if you did good teaching, the test scores would follow. The challenge these days is to stick with the good teaching when all around we are being bombarded with test prep, test score data analysis, math computation at all costs, elimination of the arts and recesses, and other trends that go against what many people understand as good teaching of the whole child. When schools spend money on test prep workbooks but can't find money for math manipulatives and books to read, the road is very bumpy. Renee The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of crisis, remain neutral. ~ Edmund Burke ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
Actually, until we caught on how to teach taking-the-state-writing-assessment, our kids did horrifically! And the better writers they were, it seemed, the worse they did . . . because of the timed element. Our kids had rarely written to prompts, but they NEVER had experienced the paltry time limits. We have 2 consecutive days of 40-minute periods for our fourth graders, and all drafts must be done by then. We had kids who wrote a beautiful first half of something, then the time was up, and of course, they couldn't score well. The games we play. . . . And we could go a little further, maybe. For instance, what happens when the processes fall out of balance, for an individual? for a class? for a profession? You mean like the state writing tests? I have had major disagreements with some of the teachers at my school about this. Some believe that you should teach the structure and have the kids basically fill in the blanks. If you ever look at some of the actual test examples you will see that GOOD writing is NOT a key to a good score, but if you follow the format, you can get a good score. I disagree with the process and say you can teach the format, but you should also teach how to be personally expressive and write, not just for a 20 minute test, but for a lifetime. If that isn't out of balance, I don't know what is.. Unless it's the teachers who teach how to READ for the state test and show how to find answers, but NOT how to fully comprehend. There are a few teachers on staff who believe that bilge Bill ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. -- Kim --- Kimberlee Hannan Department Chair Sequoia Middle School resno, California 93702 Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, let go of what you can't change, kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything, have no regrets.. Life's too short to be anything but happy. [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. _ http://liveearth.msn.com ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
- Original Message - From: Beverlee Paul [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection Actually, until we caught on how to teach taking-the-state-writing-assessment, our kids did horrifically! And the better writers they were, it seemed, the worse they did . . . because of the timed element. Our kids had rarely written to prompts, but they NEVER had experienced the paltry time limits. We have 2 consecutive days of 40-minute periods for our fourth graders, and all drafts must be done by then. We had kids who wrote a beautiful first half of something, then the time was up, and of course, they couldn't score well. The games we play. . . . One year I had a bunch of bright 8th graders. About a half dozen read on college level and their writing reflected it. They all made 3's out of 5's on the state test. I'm sure the essays were wonderful college level essays, but the rubric is so simple, they only made averageLOTS of games Bill ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
I would agree that writing is expressive. I am not so sure reading is receptive. Of course, it starts out as receptive as the reader receives the input (the author's text). BUT then I tend to believe it becomes expressive. What happens in the reader's mind following, and during, the reading is a construction, albeit re-construction, of the author's message. I really do think it's worth considering that a child must read receptively, then expressively, and that's what comprehension is. A thought Totally different skills are involved in reading and writing, although they are related. Is this true? Research shows that eading and writing are very closely connected. One is receptive (reading) and the other is expressive (writing). However, there can be no reading without the expression of someone's writing and most writing is read. But beyond that, writing reinforces all the skills needed in reading. It requires students to use phonemic awareness, phonics and come to a recognition of standard written conventions. There is a lot of research that shows that reading and writing reinforce and extend each other including the work of Tim Shanahan and Susan Neuman to name but a few. Here's one quick example. If a teacher is doing a unit on or kids are reading a particular author, they internalize the style of that author and it's reflected in their writing. Kids who have been taught to read using basals will often expressive themselves in basalese i.e. I see the dog. I see the cat. The dog can run. The cat can run. I have a lot of examples gathered over the years that show this relationship. In fact, by looking at a kid's writing, you can often tell what they've been reading. On the other hand, kids who have read or who have had stories read to them will put on the style of that author. I can remember laughing at the writing of kids after a Robert Munsch unit in Ardie Cole's classroom. Her first graders wrote like little Munsches. This happens to adults too. I often find my thinking (my internal dialogue) shifting to the style of an author I've just read-- so there's a kind of oral language connection too! There's a lot more to it than that, but reading and writing skills so dovetail with each other that more closely reading and writing are integrated, the stronger the literacy development in the student. Maria Ceprano and I did a really interesting research project using our university students and first graders with whom they were penpals. We analyzed the writing and we found we could document and trace back the style of the university students' letters to the style of letters the kids wrote. If a university student wrote a series of short sentences and questions, in their letters, that's what their penpal did. If, on the other hand the university student chatted about her life and asked open ended questions. the first grader responded in kind. In other words, they internalized the style of writing they were reading and then translated that reading skill into their writing. We made several tables that showed the connections as well as the growth in conventional spelling over time. Steve Krashen maintains that best way to help kids in spelling and grammar skills is not by direct instruction, but through lots of reading because they internalize the patterns and the conventions of language. I myself, have a pretty good grasp of grammar and correct written conventions but often I don't really know why something is wrong. I just know that it is. There's a built in internal compass that got there through lots of reading. Usually, reading is slightly in advance of writing just as understanding of spoken language usually develops in advance of the ability to construct spoken language. This is true of second language learners too. The receptive is easier to master than the expressive but both are necessary and should be integrated rather than compartmentalized. There is a ton of research that supports that symbiotic relationship between reading and writing. On Saturday, June 30, 2007, at 02:48 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Nancy Creech ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. _ http://liveearth.msn.com ___ Mosaic mailing list
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
I can't shorten this but find myself wanting to dialogue with the text so here goes. On 7/2/07 7:33 PM, Beverlee Paul [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I would agree that writing is expressive. I am not so sure reading is receptive. Of course, it starts out as receptive as the reader receives the input (the author's text). BUT then I tend to believe it becomes expressive. What happens in the reader's mind following, and during, the reading is a construction, albeit re-construction, of the author's message. I really do think it's worth considering that a child must read receptively, then expressively, and that's what comprehension is. A thought ONE THING I'VE LEARNED IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE RECURSIVE SO IT IS NOT LINEAR BUT AN ONGOING INTERWEAVING. IS THIS A HELPFUL WELL TO THINK ABOUT IT ALL? Totally different skills are involved in reading and writing, although they are related. Is this true? Research shows that eading and writing are very closely connected. One is receptive (reading) and the other is expressive (writing). However, there can be no reading without the expression of someone's writing and most writing is read. But beyond that, writing reinforces all the skills needed in reading. It requires students to use phonemic awareness, phonics and come to a recognition of standard written conventions. There is a lot of research that shows that reading and writing reinforce and extend each other including the work of Tim Shanahan and Susan Neuman to name but a few. YOU MAY WANT TO READ BAKHTIN HERE...THIS TAKES ALL OF THIS EVEN DEEPER. Here's one quick example. If a teacher is doing a unit on or kids are reading a particular author, they internalize the style of that author and it's reflected in their writing. Kids who have been taught to read using basals will often expressive themselves in basalese i.e. I see the dog. I see the cat. The dog can run. The cat can run. I have a lot of examples gathered over the years that show this relationship. In fact, by looking at a kid's writing, you can often tell what they've been reading. I'D LOVE TO SEE SOME OF YOUR EXAMPLES. HAVE YOU WRITTEN THEM UP? On the other hand, kids who have read or who have had stories read to them will put on the style of that author. I can remember laughing at the writing of kids after a Robert Munsch unit in Ardie Cole's classroom. Her first graders wrote like little Munsches. This happens to adults too. I often find my thinking (my internal dialogue) shifting to the style of an author I've just read-- so there's a kind of oral language connection too! There's a lot more to it than that, but reading and writing skills so dovetail with each other that more closely reading and writing are integrated, the stronger the literacy development in the student. Maria Ceprano and I did a really interesting research project using our university students and first graders with whom they were penpals. We analyzed the writing and we found we could document and trace back the style of the university students' letters to the style of letters the kids wrote. If a university student wrote a series of short sentences and questions, in their letters, that's what their penpal did. If, on the other hand the university student chatted about her life and asked open ended questions. the first grader responded in kind. In other words, they internalized the style of writing they were reading and then translated that reading skill into their writing. We made several tables that showed the connections as well as the growth in conventional spelling over time. WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS TOO? ANY CHANCE? Steve Krashen maintains that best way to help kids in spelling and grammar skills is not by direct instruction, but through lots of reading because they internalize the patterns and the conventions of language. I myself, have a pretty good grasp of grammar and correct written conventions but often I don't really know why something is wrong. I just know that it is. There's a built in internal compass that got there through lots of reading. Usually, reading is slightly in advance of writing just as understanding of spoken language usually develops in advance of the ability to construct spoken language. This is true of second language learners too. The receptive is easier to master than the expressive but both are necessary and should be integrated rather than compartmentalized. There is a ton of research that supports that symbiotic relationship between reading and writing. CONNIE WEAVER SUGGESTS THAT THE DEVELOPMENT IN READING AND WRITING ARE OFTEN QUITE PARALLEL (WE PROBABLY KNOW THAT) BUT THAT SOMETIMES THE READING LEADS THE DEVELOPMENT AND WRITING FOLLOWS. AT OTHER TIMES THE WRITING LEADS AND READING FOLLOWS. I WENT TO A PRESENTATION AT THE CLAREMONT READING CONFERNENCE WHERE(I'LL THINK OF HER NAME LATE THIS EVENING I'M SURE - WHOOPS I THINK IT'S SHARON
Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection
Thank you!! Now we have--not a mosaic graphic for strategies--but a carefully woven-by-hand graphic for reading/writing. Maybe not new, but I love to think of it. And we could go a little further, maybe. For instance, what happens when the processes fall out of balance, for an individual? for a class? for a profession? Well, what happens when you weave one of the factors a little too taut? Or what if you slack off on something altogether? What if you start skipping some of the warp or the woof? (as if I knew what a woof was???!!) And what happens if a kid brings his lovely tapestry in it and it gets damaged and starts to unravel? H. I've taught kindergarten five years, second grade eight years, and first grade twenty-three years, so I was interested in Sally's comments about reading leading writing and writing leading reading. It seems to me that the writing leaders would probably average out about 5% in my experience. Maybe 10-15% would be dramatic reading leaders and the rest would jump back and forth between the extremes on almost a day to day basis. I, too, have seen over and over how children write as the authors they hear. One example is definitely the Munsch-kins, but some of the most delightful are all the wee Junie B. Jones-es! I haven't ever contributed anything to this or any other conversation, so if I'm breaching protocol, please tell me!! Original Message Follows From: thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Groupmosaic@literacyworkshop.org To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Groupmosaic@literacyworkshop.org Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Another mosaic: The reading-writing connection Date: Mon, 02 Jul 2007 22:50:05 -0700 I can't shorten this but find myself wanting to dialogue with the text so here goes. On 7/2/07 7:33 PM, Beverlee Paul [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I would agree that writing is expressive. I am not so sure reading is receptive. Of course, it starts out as receptive as the reader receives the input (the author's text). BUT then I tend to believe it becomes expressive. What happens in the reader's mind following, and during, the reading is a construction, albeit re-construction, of the author's message. I really do think it's worth considering that a child must read receptively, then expressively, and that's what comprehension is. A thought ONE THING I'VE LEARNED IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE RECURSIVE SO IT IS NOT LINEAR BUT AN ONGOING INTERWEAVING. IS THIS A HELPFUL WELL TO THINK ABOUT IT ALL? Totally different skills are involved in reading and writing, although they are related. Is this true? Research shows that eading and writing are very closely connected. One is receptive (reading) and the other is expressive (writing). However, there can be no reading without the expression of someone's writing and most writing is read. But beyond that, writing reinforces all the skills needed in reading. It requires students to use phonemic awareness, phonics and come to a recognition of standard written conventions. There is a lot of research that shows that reading and writing reinforce and extend each other including the work of Tim Shanahan and Susan Neuman to name but a few. YOU MAY WANT TO READ BAKHTIN HERE...THIS TAKES ALL OF THIS EVEN DEEPER. Here's one quick example. If a teacher is doing a unit on or kids are reading a particular author, they internalize the style of that author and it's reflected in their writing. Kids who have been taught to read using basals will often expressive themselves in basalese i.e. I see the dog. I see the cat. The dog can run. The cat can run. I have a lot of examples gathered over the years that show this relationship. In fact, by looking at a kid's writing, you can often tell what they've been reading. I'D LOVE TO SEE SOME OF YOUR EXAMPLES. HAVE YOU WRITTEN THEM UP? On the other hand, kids who have read or who have had stories read to them will put on the style of that author. I can remember laughing at the writing of kids after a Robert Munsch unit in Ardie Cole's classroom. Her first graders wrote like little Munsches. This happens to adults too. I often find my thinking (my internal dialogue) shifting to the style of an author I've just read-- so there's a kind of oral language connection too! There's a lot more to it than that, but reading and writing skills so dovetail with each other that more closely reading and writing are integrated, the stronger the literacy development in the student. Maria Ceprano and I did a really interesting research project using our university students and first graders with whom they were penpals. We analyzed the writing and we found we could document and trace back the style of the university students' letters to the style of letters the kids wrote. If a university student wrote a series of short sentences and questions
