Writing about what they’ve read can increase a student’s reading comprehension because it makes them re-engage with the text, even re-reading it, to support their ideas. Often this means defending their point of view with direct evidence, a valuable skill in many subject areas – and many parts of life.
Writing also improves students’ reading fluency, because stopping and thinking about constructing new sentence patterns allows students to engage with text on a new level. It’s one thing to read something, it’s another to use what you’ve gained from reading to create something new.
Repeatedly practising their own writing construction can only serve to make interacting with those of others both a less daunting task and one that’s more illuminating for everyone. Writing in a style or genre gives students a framework for reading that style or genre better later – so students will benefit from writing as much and in as many varied forms as possible.
Writing responses to text passages is a key aspect of both the STARS module of CARS & STARS Online, the revolutionary strategy-based digital reading comprehension program, and its companion program, FOCUS Reading, which solidifies comprehension with review and practice focused on specific strategies. Writing responses is the highest level of comprehension because students can communicate their learning and viewpoints, demonstrating the extent of their knowledge about a text and articulating their own learning. This is a valuable insight for teachers and a pivotal part of these online programs with their goal of making all students better readers.
If you are interested in learning more about the CARS & STARS Online subscriptions and how they can help children to achieve better results, then sign up for a free trial to be an integral part of your child’s reading success.
