When I taught at the primary level I emphasized to my students that it was important to learn how to read and write well. Reading and writing is how we communicate with each other. If you want to learn about what others are thinking you must learn how to read well. If you want others to understand what you are thinking, you must learn to write well. But I must confess, the emphasis was not so much on communicating well as it was on having neat handwriting. (there, I said it) As an instructor of pre-service teachers, I still emphasized reading and writing as a form of communication. Reading was the receptive and writing was expressive form of communicating. Which made the "Issues of control" section on page 90 so fascinating to me. Was I perpetuating the idea that children should be seen (reading) and not heard (writing)? Was it more important to me for students to learn what I said they should learn?! Giving students a voice was important to me; however I wish I'd emphasized it more.
Another piece of this article that spoke to me was the discussion on progressive education on page 97. To think that the sight word approach had been used as far back as 1870! Who knew?!Also interesting to me was the idea that "around the turn of the century" a principal in Chicago believed that reading should reflect student interests. "Reading Leaflets" that were designed by children and were used in place of reading textbooks for instruction. Unbelievable! All this was set aside as the scientific method and the use of sequential skills became predominately used with (choke) basal readers. Fascinating also as to how professional organizations have exerted their influence and maintained a political leverage that influences how both reading and writing are valued in the classroom.
Since this article was published in 1987, I found the prediction at the end quite telling. The authors hoped that the influence of the computer would help to reinstate writing as an essential part of literacy. As I type on my laptop keyboard and recall the texting discussion we've had in class and through email...I can't help but appreciate the irony.
Interesting look back in time at the way reading and writing instruction has evolved in this country over the last several hundred years. This article made me examine my own ideas regarding the value of reading and writing in the classroom; both yesterday and today.
This article made me think hard too, Liz, especially about the ways I 'taught' writing to students. I wish I could have communicated the idea of how valuable writing can be for the thinking process. I tended to view writing as a practice isolated from cognition, but I think it can be very connected. I also enjoyed reading the predictions at the end of the article. So interesting... As I read the article, and especially the conclusion, I couldn't help but wonder what the author would say about NCLB and the "OGT Blitz" taking place at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this article yet, but this notion of reading and writing being two sides of the same coin resonated with me. I haven't come from a literacy teaching background, but even in the last semester alone, I seemed to forget about writing. One of the articles I read today said that the written word was used so that the "dull minded" could remember things. I don't agree with this exactly, but I do think that writing is an active process that can assist with reading. I agree when you talk about needing to read in order to learn, and needing to write in order to understand yourself, and of course disseminate your own ideas - reading and writing complement each each other; one cannot exist without the other, and I wonder if schools today remember this.
ReplyDeleteYour final comment about the authors' prediction that "the influence of the computer would help to reinstate writing as an essential part of literacy" spoke to me because I just read an article about a college composition teacher using blogs with her class. For the author, and for me, this seemed like such a logical step forward for writing classes - the use of a medium (most) students are confident with, that supports immediate feedback from the audience, and offers multiple revision opportunities for the writer, but I wonder if this is yet the norm. in writing classes.
I found the article by Monaghan and Saul to be a delightful read as well. It was fascinating to see how the authors put reading and writing into dialogue with each other across the centuries. I, like Rachel, lack a strong literacy background and it was great to read a condensed version of literacy’s history in the US.
ReplyDeleteYour 2nd paragraph really got me thinking about how much emphasis is placed on reading and writing as modes of communication both in the past and presently. While they certainly have tremendous value, I'm often frustrated by how much these forms of communication are dominant and valued over others (i.e. spoken word, visual communication, musical communication, etc.), especially in our western societies. When I recall my earlier years in the education machine, I had a number of rather awful experiences in reading and writing that caused me to shutdown. Writing and reading were anxiety laden activities that I couldn't do "right" and would do anything to avoid. Maybe I'm rambling now but...I just worry about the other modes of communication that get left behind in (out of) schooling and how that shapes students' perceptions of themselves, others, and learning.
I found the article thought-provoking and informative. The author presented historical background information that answered many questions, and provided an explanation why battles exist between reading and writing subjects. When I think about where I teach, the focus is more on reading. Personally, I would like my students to experience both of them in the classroom. This will help them to understand that reading and writing are important and valued not only in education, but the corporate world as well.
ReplyDeleteIt was refreshing for me to read that many of us have struggled with similar conflicts about reading and writing...both as teachers and as students. It's a journey!
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