From reception to production : enhancing year 7 English students’ writing skills through prose reading

Abstract

This project is designed to embrace the reading and writing connection and discusses how it can be implemented within the local context, focussing in particular on how prose reading can then lead to writing at Year 7. First the researcher reviews the literature regarding the skills ‘reading’ and ‘writing’, how they are related to each other and the benefits of incorporating them together. The researcher also reviews literature relating to the local context and the notion of reader response. This was then followed with identifying the learning outcomes and writing tasks in the Year 7 English syllabus to be adopted in creating this project. The project was developed in response to this particular context and consists of material prompted by the English reader, A Little Trouble in the Yorkshire Dales by Richard MacAndrew to guide the students in their own writing. The materials were then critically appraised by teachers who are engaged in the teaching and learning of the reader to determine their suitability within this particular year group and whether the task of encouraging writing through reading was achieved. The project concludes by noting both the achievements and limitations and then provides suggestions for further implementation of the project in order to ensure improved writing in English.