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How a High School Writing Workshop Improves Reading Skills

By APlus on 3 January 20 Blog

high school writing workshop

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The subject of how writing skills connect to reading skills has been heavily researched, especially in recent years. The connection between reading and writing is intuitive and logical, but one that isn’t widely understood. In the published literature, teachers and education experts have found evidence to show the ways that reading and writing are highly related skills.

For example, in Steve Graham and Michael Herbert’s book Writing to Read (2010), they found that when students engaged with an assigned text by writing about it they experienced more benefits than just reading, rereading and studying the text. To learn more about how a high school writing workshop will do more than improve writing skills, keep reading.

A High School Writing Workshop Will Improve Confidence

Facing a new text to read can be as difficult as facing the blank page for many learners. When given the opportunity to do a high school writing workshop students get to work through challenges in a supportive and rigorous environment. They will have more confidence after they are guided through the steps to writing an essay, story, or other types of text.

High school writing workshops also provide an opportunity for students to help one another

High school writing workshops also provide an opportunity for students to help one another

This confidence is transferable. When students understand the elements of writing, from vocabulary to grammar to organizational structure, they will be able to apply their confident composition skills to analytical reading and develop a deeper understanding of their reading assignments.

Writing Techniques Are Reading Techniques Too

The same techniques and terminology used to teach writing can be applied to reading skills improvement. For example, here are some topics that might be covered in a writing assignment in which students write an essay in response to a short story:

  • Word choice
  • Sentence structure
  • Rhetorical structure

Students must craft the right vocabulary to describe the action or theme of a story. They must write different kinds of sentences to express their thoughts. If they wish to present an argument, rhetorical structure will be important. When students are taught to consider these things for their own compositions they will be more equipped to comprehend another author’s choices.

Writing Skills for the Future

If you are looking for college admissions assistance then writing workshops will help. From standard examinations to admission essays to college classes, a writing workshop will prepare students for their futures. In fact, when students are taught how to improve their writing skills, then their reading skills also tend to improve.

Writing workshops will help high school students get ready for the transition to college

Writing workshops will help high school students get ready for the transition to college

The implication of this fact is that students who learn how to write will be better at language arts, English literature classes and more. They will become better readers in general, which means they are also more likely to excel in other subjects. Overall, you can be sure the benefits of writing workshops will extend beyond student essay improvement to reading skills and beyond.

Want to know more about writing classes for high school students?

Check out ASC A+ today.