Writing to Reading: Introducing Our New EDVIEW360 Podcast Episode With Dr. Steve Graham
For many years, school district leaders have been learning about (and for some, implementing) the science of reading, yet not nearly as much time has been spent on the science of writing and how writing can improve reading skills.
With this in mind, we wanted to take a deep dive into the research related to writing instruction and share what experts know now. We're thrilled to announce an exciting new episode in our EDVIEW360 Podcast series, featuring the esteemed Dr. Steve Graham. You won't want to miss this insightful discussion, "Writing to Reading: Evidence for How Writing Can Improve Reading."
For decades, researchers have emphasized the strong connection between reading and writing, both in theory and practice. Multiple studies demonstrate that writing improves comprehension, but what has been less clear is what specific writing practices are most effective at enhancing students' reading skills. During this upcoming episode, Dr. Graham, a respected researcher and author, will delve into his groundbreaking research (Graham and Hebert, 2010) that illustrates how writing, and the way it’s taught, can significantly improve students’ reading comprehension.
Graham has spent his career researching writing instruction and how writing can improve reading skills. He authored the Carnegie Corporation report, Writing to Read: Evidence for How Writing Can Improve Reading, which notes several writing activities have been shown to improve reading comprehension: writing summaries, taking notes, and answering questions about read texts (Graham & Hebert, 2010). However, those are not the only reading skills that improve with direct, explicit writing instruction. The evidence is clear that explicitly teaching writing skills has a myriad of benefits.
Just like learning a sport or playing a musical instrument, writing skills take time to hone. Increasing the amount of writing instruction and practice by integrating more writing across the curriculum can help, and having students write about what they are reading in other content areas can increase their comprehension of that material. It is a win-win for all.
Where do we go from here? Educators will need help from their district leaders to make this happen. Just like implementing Structured Literacy and the science of reading, this is no small feat, but the outcomes can be life-altering for our students and communities. Dr. Graham will address these issues.
Key Takeaways
Join us for this lively conversation where you’ll hear:
- How infrequent writing and lack of explicit writing instruction can negatively impact learning to read
- Why teachers of reading need to emphasize writing in the classroom from the earliest grades and across content areas
- Why writing is a critical skill, important, and how consistent writing time and instruction improve reading comprehension
- Why more classroom time is necessary for writing
How to Listen
Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and connect with this respected writing expert! Subscribe to EDVIEW360 here to be notified as soon as the podcast episode is released.