Nowadays, reading and writing play an essential role in communication and educational success. People often believe the idea that reading and writing are not connected, but the question is if that opinion is correct or not? In the “Reading and Writing Are not connected” essay from “Bad Ideas About Writing” book, Ellen C. Carillo takes the time to address why this is a bad idea and what she believes is a more appropriate idea for students to gain in-depth and comprehensive literacy skills. She works to prove that the connection between reading and writing is inarguable by explaining how good the result of teaching writing and reading simultaneously, compared to the old problematic separation’ cause.

Books are infinity sources of humanity knowledge

It’s hard to realize that the way we read and write is not the same but they improve each other through this difference. That’s the reason why educators and instructors need appropriate strategies in teaching writing and reading. In Carillo’s chapter of “Bad Ideas About Writing”, she explicates her perspective about the importance of teaching writing and reading alongside each other in many ways. One of the most notable is when she emphasizes the idea that reading and writing are not two separate skills: “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 privileging writing at the expense of reading” (Carillo 38). Carillo further explains that: “… research has shown that students learn to read and write better when they are instructed in both simultaneously. This is reinforced when children practice both reading and writing the same words” (Carillo 38-39). This one more time affirms Carillo’s idea that reading and writing are connected through the learning process and they have a close relationship.

Although this problematic separation is eliminated, the journey to earn that achievement is not easy. It took educators and curricula developers decades to figure out that children can learn how to read and write alongside each other in their early school years. Students are usually taught to read articles, books or essays then write feedback about feeling or understanding content and theme of reading materials. In this way, students can be flexible in thinking and expressing ideas not only in academics but also in social situations. Carillo explains that:” When one writes, one is creating meaning by putting words and ideas together. When one reads, the same thing happening” (Carillo 40). What she’s identifying is the supports for the idea that writing and reading have a close relationship, they support each other when teaching them alongside together. Besides, both reading and writing sharpen students’ mental ability while putting words and ideas together which helps them become better thinkers. Especially in college-level classrooms, reading and writing should be taught alongside each other than any elsewhere. College students can be fully aware of genres or types of books then read them collectively. They connect their own life experiences with the content of the sources they read to create their unique outcome, which can be considered valuable material to be a good writer. Carillo states in her essay:” Few people might read the same novel but each takes something different from it. That personal transaction with the text has affected how each reader creates meaning.” (Carillo 40). In other words, reading helps students to have their perspective about something that makes them different from others and day by day widen their writing sources.

“Writer” by Nattakorn Maneerat. Unsplash

Along with Carillo, many scholars support the idea of teaching reading and writing simultaneously. Author of “Reading, Writing, and Learning in Classroom”, David Bloome states that “Reading is typically viewed as used for gaining information. One reads a book to gain information to do so” (Bloom 23). Indeed, reading is always the most effective way to collect information. There are so many sources that we can not count, and every source has its value to contribute to human knowledge’s “warehouse”. As a certain thing, a good writer is always one who read a lot of information before they sit down and start writing.

Michael Bunn an author of “Motivation and Connection: Teaching Reading (and Writing) in the composition classroom” uses his writing to look at the close relationship of reading and writing and how important they are to student’s success. He states in his article:” Teaching reading in terms of its connections to writing can motivate students to read and increase the likelihood that they find success in both activities. It can lead students to value reading as an integral aspect of learning to write. It can help students develop their understanding of writerly strategies and techniques. Most of us firmly believe that reading improves writing.” (Bunn 512) This is one of the conclusions Bunn has after finishing his survey about the connection between reading and writing. He explains that if students know what the purpose of their reading is about, they will be motivated and take the reading process effective as a joyful activity hence improving writing’s outcome. Most important, he asserts the value of teaching writing and reading alongside together, which can improve each other day by day.

In short, all three authors have come together to a common idea about the essence of teaching reading and writing at the same time. Nowadays, strong communication skills are a priority in many corporate recruitments, in this case, communication is identified by reading and writing skills. Therefore, students should practice both reading and writing regularly and simultaneously, to enhance communication skills as well as critical thinking.

Work Cited

Ellen C. Carillo. “Reading and Writing Are Not Connected.”  | in Cheryl E. Ball and Drew M. Loewe. Bad Ideas About Writing. West Virginia University Library, Digital publishing Institute, Morgan Town, WV.PDF. https://textbooks.lib.wvu.edu/badideas/badideasaboutwriting-book.pdf

Bunn, M. (2013). Motivation and Connection: Teaching Reading (and Writing) in the Composition Classroom. College Composition and Communication, 64(3), 496–516. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43490768

Bloome, D., & Theodorou, E. (1985). Reading, Writing, and Learning in the Classroom. Peabody Journal of Education, 62(3), 20–43. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1492584