As students undertake the new road in their education journey as college students, they encounter many challenges that they haven’t experienced in their high school classes. One of which is college writing classes. As the rules and expectations change, most struggle to adjust to meet their instructor’s expectations. In American higher education institutes, English writing classes are prerequisites, and students must pass to continue their education. Educators and scholars are continuously working to help students better manage the translation into college writing. The debate as to what is a good idea when it comes to writing is constantly changing. In the book “Bad Ideas About Writing,” Ellen C. Carillo discusses what she considers a bad idea. As mentioned above, as many colleges require students to take writing classes, supportive reading classes are not provided. In her essay “Reading and Writing Are Not Connected,” Carillo explains that reading and writing are connected practices and why it is a bad idea to privilege one over the other.
“I <3 2 read” by katerha is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The best way to educate college students on good writing skills is constantly debatable, but an essential part of this debate is consistently left out. Carillo explains, “what is often neglected in these public debates about the best way to teach literacy at the college level is that reading and writing are connected practices and as such, the best way to teach them is together. It is a bad idea to continue privilege writing at the expense of reading.” (Carillo 38). Many other scholars agree with her assessment of the higher education system as it privileges writing over reading. In his article “The Transition to College Reading,” Robert Scholes tackles the same issue he observed in college students reading ability or the luck they’re off. Both Carillo and Scholes agree that reading and writing are connected practices. Students must be active readers and thinkers and have a complex understanding of a given text. For this reason, it is a better idea for higher education institutes to teach students reading and writing Simultaneously and not privilege one over the other.
In her essay, Carillo explains that higher education institutes should see their curriculum differently. she proposes, “we must not assume that simply exposing students to a text of all kinds and across all media will automatically result in comprehension instructors must deliberately teach students how to actively read the words images and by extension, the world around them.” (Carillo, 41). In other words, educators should take the time to teach complex texts and challenge their students to be active readers. When students start reading actively instead of skimming and summarizing texts, they develop complex and interactive communication skills. Carillo explains that college instructors should teach students strategies to read complex texts to understand and analyze what they are reading. She further points out that “Teaching reading and writing together will help students became more proficient in both” (Carillo, 41).
“A guide to good writing” by Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
In the article, Scholes has a similar argument with Carillo that most first-year college students’ struggle comes from their inability to read and understand a given subject. Scholes argues that universities and colleges should challenge their students with hard-to-read materials rather than easy and familiar topics. He argues exposing students to complex texts helps students see the otherness of the author instead of just seeking familiarity in their reading. When students read actively, they understand the writer’s intention rather than reflect on familiar ideas. In turn, it challenges them to have an opinion, whether it is opposed to or in agreement with the author’s message. He points out how “we need to change our definition as well as our curriculum. First, we need to include more overly persuasive or argumentative texts in our curricula.” (Scholes, 170). Both Carillo and Scholes agree that the curricula that are applied currently are not working towards producing sophisticated literary students and should have a more hands-on approach in teaching students reading as much as writing.
In conclusion, both authors agree that it will not be possible to teach good writers without developing students reading skills. Carillo and Scholes provided a better idea of writing by presenting the importance of teaching reading incoherence with writing. Though both writers focus on the bigger picture by appealing to higher education institutes and college instructors to change the curriculum, these two articles could also apply to college students. For students to be good writers, it is essential to understand the relationship between reading and writing. Therefore, while higher education institutes should adjust the curriculum to help students become better writers, students should also continuously practice active reading on their own.
work cited
Carillo, C. Ellen, “Reading And Writing Aare Not Connected.” Bad Ideas About Writing, Virginia university libraries, 2017, pp. 38- 43.
Scholes, Robert. “The Transition to College Reading.” Pedagogy, vol. 2, no. 2, 2002, pp. 165–172.