Linking the Past to the Present: Using Literacy Narratives to Raise ESL Students' Awareness about Reading and Writing Relationships

• Published in: Teaching English in the two-year college 2017-03, Vol.44 (3), p.276
• Main Author: Finn, Heather B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Basic Writing; Beliefs; Classrooms; College students; Community colleges; Community Relations; Educational Experience; English (Second Language); English as a second language instruction; English as a second language tests; Language; Language Usage; Learning; Literacy; Literacy Education; Narratives; Native Language; Reading; Reading Instruction; Reading Research; Reading-writing relationship; Remedial Instruction; Second language teachers; Second language writing; Second language writing instruction; Second Languages; Student teacher relationship; Student writing; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Test Preparation; Two Year Colleges; Writing (Composition); Writing instruction; Writing Skills; Writing Teachers; Writing tests
• ISSN: 0098-6291; 1943-2356

The notion is that if the two are taught effectively, students will be successful at both reading and writing not only in their ESL writing course but also in subsequent courses at the college. Since the research so clearly illustrates the importance of teaching both reading and writing together, and because this class, Intensive ESL Writing, is often viewed by students as a writing test preparation class-in order to pass the class, students must pass a college-wide writing exam-I was interested in two areas as I embarked upon this project. [...]in order to improve developmental writing instruction for ESL students, particularly when reading and writing are taught as separate skills, instructors must first understand the various literacy experiences that students have faced before entering the classroom.