Writing First Article

I couldn't agree more that reading and writing are two things that should be happening simultaneously in the classroom throughout the day. When I think of a typical day in my second grade classroom writing is never happening without reading and vice versa. I'm not even sure how one would separate these two important acts, they naturally occur at the same time. Although, I often feel, and can agree with the article, that there is a bigger push for focus on reading instruction.

For me, the question of what should be taught first is difficult. I just see the two happening together, but the article brings up some great points about writing first that really have me thinking. When I picture my own classroom I don't see one before the other because my students are already reading and writing, allowing these to coincide with one another. But, when I look at it through a different perspective, with really young children it seems to make sense for the writing to come first. "First graders are not well positioned for reading: They can read only the words they have learned to read or sound out-a fairly small lexicon. But they are beautifully positioned for writing: They can write all the words they can say." This is a very strong argument because it allows children to express themselves using writing even it isn't legible to us. My five year old nephew showed me his kindergarten writing journal over the weekend. He read me every "word" on his pages and talked about the illustrations, and felt so proud of what he produced. He wouldn't necessarily been able to read a book that had all of those words, but it was his writing and he knew what he was trying to say. It wouldn't make sense to me to take the opportunity and experience of writing away from him until he learned how to read first. This would only be limiting a child. So I can agree, writing should be taught before reading.

I strongly believe that students need to have a purpose for reading and writing and that it needs to be motivating for them. They need to be able to take ownership of their learning. I really liked the idea of having students writing before reading, whether a prediction or just free writing about their own experiences, or questions they have. The article states, "Students will put more care and attention into reading when they have had more of a chance to write what's on their minds and when they have been given more opportunities to assume the role of the writer. Students are more attentive to what the author wrote-sometimes out of mere curiousity to see how well their ideas match the material." This proves to be another great example of writing taking place before reading. Here students are giving themselves a reason to read and express their own views about an author or a text.

I'm sure there is some great evidence that defends writing then reading, as well as, reading then writing, and this still remains a difficult question for me to provide an absolute answer. It sure leaves me with something to think about.