Pearson Webinar

Integrating Reading and Writing:

Closing the Circle

Kim Flachmann
California State University, Bakersfield

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 Your Thoughts

 How do you learn?

 How are learning and teaching related?

 How can we all keep improving our teaching?

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 Reading and Writing

Reading and writing are companion activities

that engage students in the creation of
thought and meaning—
either as READERS interpreting a text
or as WRITERS constructing one.

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 Using Reading to Teach Writing
and Writing to Teach Reading

 Students learn how to write by reading:

 If students DISCOVER for themselves how a reading

selection works, they will be more likely to use those

discoveries in their own writing.

 Students learn how to read by writing:

 If they learn how to look at their writing as READING,

they will bring their discovery process full circle.

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 Making Reading and Writing
Interactive

The key to this process is

DISCOVERY rather than PRESCRIPTION.

Helping students discover how to read and write allows

them to own their new skills and continue to be good
readers and writers long after your course ends.

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The Secret Formula

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 The Reading Process

 Prereading

 Reading

 Postreading

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 The Reading/Writing Process

 Prewriting
 Prereading
 Writing
 Reading
 Revising
 Postreading
 Editing

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 Reading
Key to College Success

The ACT isolated reading complexity as a critical

factor by analyzing the results of the 1.2 million
high school seniors in 2005 who took the well-
known ACT college entrance test. Based on that
test, only 51 percent of students showed they
were ready to handle the reading requirements of
a typical first-year college course.

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 Ten Strategies that will
Change Your Teaching
 Personal Annotations
 Think Aloud
 Chunking
 Graphic Organizers
 Peer Teaching
 Summarizing
 Critical Annotations
 Lists
 Highlighting
 Reading with the Author/Against the Author
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 Personal Annotations

 To perform this strategy, make notes in the

margin that relate some of your specific
memories to the details in your reading. Be
prepared to explain the connection between your
notes and the facts in the reading.

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 Think Aloud

 To do this strategy, stop and “think aloud” about what

is on your mind throughout the text. Point out places
that are confusing to you, connections that you make,
specific questions you have, related information you
know, and personal experiences you associate with the
text. In this way, you are able to hear what your mind
does (both focused and random) as you read.

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 Chunking

 To understand how an essay works, circle the main

idea or thesis. Then draw horizontal lines throughout
the essay to separate the various topics that support the
thesis. These lines may or may not coincide with
paragraph breaks. Finally, label each “chunk” in the
right margin. Be prepared to explain the divisions you
made.

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 Graphic Organizers

 Your job is to show the relationship of the ideas

to one another in a graphic form that makes
sense to you. Be prepared to explain your
drawing.

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 Peer Teaching

 To practice this technique, the class must first divide a

reading selection into parts. The class members should
then get into groups (one for each part of the essay)
and choose one of the essay’s sections to prepare for
the rest of the class. After discovering the main ideas,
the details, and their relationship to one another, each
group should teach its section to the rest of the class.

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 Summarizing

 First, identify the main ideas in your reading;

then fold them into a paragraph with logical
transitions so your sentences flow from one to
another. After you write your summary, draft
three questions for discussion.

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 Critical Annotations

 First, draw a vertical line down the center of a sheet of

paper. Then, as you read, write the author’s main ideas
on the left and your reactions to those ideas on the
right side of the page. Be prepared to explain the
connection between your notes and the material in the
reading.

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 Lists

 After a first reading, divide a sheet of paper into two

parts with a vertical line. Then as you read the essay
for a second time, record one set of ideas in the left
column and related ideas from the essay on the right.
Draw lines from one detail to another (if applicable).
Be prepared to explain the connection between your
lists and the details in the essay.

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 Highlighting

 To do this strategy, highlight facts in one

color and the author’s opinions in another
color. This activity works very well with
the next strategy.

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 Reading with the Author/
Against the Author

 From the previous highlighting exercise, put an

X by any facts or opinions that you do not agree
with or want to question in some way. Then
record your own thoughts and opinions on a
separate sheet of paper. Be prepared to explain
any marks you made on the reading.

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 Completing the Circle

READING

WRITING
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 The Reading/Writing Process

READING WRITING

 Writing Prompt
 Reading Strategy
 Writing
 Reading
 Revising/Editing

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 Application

Jot down some notes about a lesson that

uses a reading strategy to teach both reading

and writing. Wrap your instruction around

something you are going to teach.

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 Integration

What professional development plans would

you like to help you refresh and invigorate

your teaching?

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 Express Yourself
Go to Aimee’s Web site and express your
opinions about staying current in your field.
 What workshops would help you?
 What venue would you prefer?
 How often would you participate in
professional development?
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 Let’s Continue Our
Conversation

I would love to continue our conversation

and learn more of your thoughts
about reading/writing, about teaching,
and about your students.
Let me hear from you:
kflachmann@csub.edu.

Thank you for your time today.

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