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Teachers serve as models of writing in their classrooms. Teachers should take time to write with their students, in addition to teaching the writing process (Poch, et. al., 2020).

In "A Path to Better Writing," Graham and Harris describe how teachers can create a "pleasant and motivating writing environment" (2016). Some of their suggestions for creating a positive writing environment include:

Construct a positive classroom atmosphere

Display students' writing either on classroom walls or publications

Create a stimulating mood

Develop classroom routines

Set high but realistic expectations

Adapt writing assignments and instruction

Keep students engaged by involving them

Encourage students to act in a self-regulated fashion

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Three theoretical perspectives inform how writing positively impacts reading (Graham & Hebert, 2011):

1. Functional Perspective

Writing about reading also increases reading comprehension because students actively engage in, "recording, connecting, analyzing, personalizing, and manipulating key ideas in a text."

2. Shared Knowledge Perspective

Reading and writing instruction rely on similar processes and common knowledge. While they are not the same, there are strong commonalities. Therefore, improved writing yields improved reading, and vice versa.

Additional findings in this study support this theoretical perspective. "Multicomponent writing instruction (e.g. process writing, skills-based programs) resulted in improved reading comprehension...Teaching spelling and sentence construction skills improved reading fluency" (p. 735).

Additional support for the importance of teaching spelling and fundamental writing skills is provided in this report on page 7.

3. Rhetorical Relations Perspective
Writing and organizing unique text helps students comprehend other text structures. As students learn how to write logically and explicitly, they will learn to see these features in texts they read.

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The Writing-Reading Connection, Reading Rockets with Steve Graham

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Reading and writing rely on similar processes and sources of knowledge. Ample research concludes that reading abilities affect writing, and writing abilities affect reading.

Researchers Goen & Gillotte-Tropp summarize decades of reading and writing research that support the integration, rather than the segregation, of each.

Better writers tend to be better readers...better writers tend to read more than poorer writers...better readers tend to produce more syntactically mature writing than poorer readers (Goen & Gillotte-Tropp, 2003).

Writing can only have a positive impact on reading if students are given enough time to write and are given sufficient writing instruction. Increased writing instruction increases reading outcomes, communication, self-expression, exploration, and employment opportunities. Still, students are receiving less time to write and writing instruction is de-emphasized after primary grades (Graham & Hebert, 2011).

READ MORE

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"Guiding students through the process of becoming a successful literacy student is an...ever-evolving event" (Vetter, 2010).

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Teachers and schools have the power to shift students' understanding of themselves from being "illiterate" or "struggling" by examining their own assumptions about students' capabilities. "Shifts in identity produce shifts in agency and power (Moje & Luke, 2009)" (MacArthur, et. al., 2017, p. 260). Teachers can help students adopt identities as writers and readers.

Using a combination of explicit instruction and process approaches to teaching writing may or may not increase student motivation toward writing, but generally result in improved writing quality (Poch, et. al., 2020).

Part of seeing struggling students as writers and readers requires looking through a New Literacies lens (also see Digital Literacies). While these students may not perform well according to traditional academic standards, they show "tremendous skill with reading and writing "non-linear, multilayered, intertextual texts, as well as reading [and writing] images and other semiotic sign systems (MacArthur, et. al., 2017, pp. 45, 434).

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"One of the ways the boys demonstrated the importance of competence was through their admiration for the literate work of others." (Smith & Wilhelm, 2002)

"Mentor texts that reflect the breadth and depth of student experiences not only get students enthusiastic about writing but also help build a sense of belonging at school. The more students see themselves in what they're trying to emulate, the more engaged they will be as aspiring writers" (Edutopia).

The linked Edutopia article helps teachers understand what qualifies as a mentor text. Mentor texts do not necessarily originate from the literary canon. Importantly, mentor texts generate critical thinking, demonstrate a type of writing style, and develop reading comprehension. Students use mentor texts to take inspiration from the author's writing style. It is important to find mentor texts that resonate with your specific students.

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Reader Response Journals work for almost all students because there is no right or wrong answer, summaries, or evidence required. Students simply write about what they thought about the text, how it made them feel, how they connected to the text, etc. (Woodruff & Griffin, 2017).

Students could even turn their journals into a blog or vlog, which some students might be especially interested in. Medium is a user-friendly blog site students could try.

Students should write consistently and frequently about their reading.

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Low-Stakes Writing: Writing to Learn, Not Learning to Write

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Reciprocal Teaching is a cognitive strategy that can be used effectively to help struggling middle and high school writers and readers. Students are actively engaged and use questioning, clarifying, summarizing, and predicting with Reciprocal Teaching. (Slater & Horstman, 2002).

Teachers can use Reciprocal Teaching to teach writing by requiring students to write out their responses to the four supporting strategies. Greater detail about this process can be found on page 165 of Slater & Horstman's research article. Teachers, make sure you provide plenty of immediate feedback to support your struggling writers and readers.

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Reciprocal Teaching: Why, How, & Examples

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Research Advisory: Teaching Writing to Improve Reading Skills. International Literacy Association, 2020

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The research report linked above is packed full of evidence-based practices to support teaching writing to improve reading.

Research continually proves that writing-more than any other post-reading activity (such as discussion or re-reading)-  increases learning. Argumentative and summative writing, note taking, metacognitive journal writing, and multimedia composition are all post-reading writing activities that increase learning. (MacArthur, 2016, pp. 245, 249)

Graham & Hebert's (2011) research found four types of writing activities to be most effective in increasing reading comprehension across grades, content, and expository or narrative texts:

1. Extended writing

2. Summary writing

3. Note-taking

4. Answering/generating questions

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The Tea Party Protocol is a pre-reading strategy that involves writing, talking, and moving to prepare students for a text. This strategy involves the whole class and guides students in making logical predictions. (Beers, 2003)

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Research Advisory: Teaching Writing to Improve Reading Skills. International Literacy Association, 2020

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Strategies to Improve Secondary Students’ Writing Skills: Lessons from a WWC Practice Guide

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Eight Tips for Teaching With Mentor Texts