Writing and Reading Connections: A before, during, and after Experience for Critical Thinkers

Abstract This article underscores the intimate connection between reading and writing as communication skills that share a common linguistic and orthographic foundation, and which combine in complex ways to support practical literacy tasks. Developing higher order literacy skills requires teachers to develop metacognitive skills and self‐regulation, both of which are fostered by writing‐for‐reading and reading‐for‐writing tasks. Writing for reading includes prereading tasks, such as analyzing form, topic, audience, and purpose; writing during reading includes tasks such as notetaking; and writing after reading includes tasks such as writing summaries. Reading for writing includes prewriting tasks, such as analysis of task requirements; reading during writing includes tasks such as correcting errors, monitoring for content quality, and searching source texts for needed information; and reading after writing includes tasks such as self‐evaluation and peer review. To illustrate these concepts in a pedagogical context, this article provides practical strategies for integrating reading and writing tasks in the classroom.