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Humanities LibreTexts

1: Integrated Reading and Writing (IRW)

  • Page ID
    170480

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    Learning Objectives
    • Review the connection between reading and writing
    • Develop critical reading strategies
    Learning Outcomes
    • Practice critical reading strategies such as predicting, highlighting, summarizing etc.
    • Demonstrate the critical connection between reading and writing

    Despite the scholarly research on the integral connections between reading and writing, reading has mostly been regarded as the stepchild, shoved into a separate department, and branded as developmental. The fact that Integrated Reading and Writing (IRW) classes are only recently gaining more traction at college campuses is a testament to the stepchild theory. With the implementation of AB 705 and AB 1705 in California and the push towards acceleration, most developmental courses (including reading) have been decimated. Consequently, it has become even more critical to integrate reading and writing in our composition classes. When we write, we process information from our readings and experiences. When we read, we are process information written by someone else. Our writing is deeply impacted by our readings; consequently, avid readers are generally strong writers.

    As facilitators in our student-centered classrooms, we practice a culturally responsive pedagogy that acknowledges, responds to, and celebrates all cultures and offers equitable access to education to our diverse student population. Since learning is a social construct and does not happen in isolation, we have designed our reading and writing assignments to build on our students’ funds of knowledge and cultural capital within a collaborative environment. This builds confidence and a sense of community within the classroom. To motivate you to read, we will focus on thematic units on relevant and timely topics that impact your lives, such as equity in education, student debt, housing costs, rent control, affordable health care, the impact of climate change etc. that would inspire you to read.

    In the following video, Peter Adams from the Community College of Baltimore County discusses the importance of integrating reading and writing.

    In the next video, Steve Graham from Arizona State University reinforces the close connection between reading and writing which draw upon the same skills and processes.