As a student, I didn’t realize that “reading” and “writing” were skills that went hand to hand in English teaching. Even though one of them is a receptive skill and the other one a productive skill. Both skills cannot exist without the other. Due to the fact that those skills (reading, writing) have to be taught, marked their similarities in the classroom. Unlike speaking and listening, which are acquired naturally as a result of being exposed to them, whereas the ability to write and read have to be consciously learned.
Here are a few points of view between these skills:
· I feel that both skills based their teaching on grammar. Because when you read, you follow a written structure in the text. Which unconsciously you learned, identifying patrons, and later, when you produce you follow that grammar structure.
· As I mentioned before these skills go hand to hand. Each one works as a springboard to the other. Why? You may have asked. The answer is pretty simple, without a written text. You CANNOT read. And most of the time after reading always comes a writing task.
· Finally, in both skills, it is really important the role of the teacher. Because this one has to encourage the students to produce in writing or to engage them to keep reading.
In conclusion, I think that writing such as reading are skills that improve accuracy in English teaching, and somehow they help you with fluency too. Because they expand your range of vocabulary, that you acquired while reading or writing. These skills might be learned consciously but the knowledge is acquired unconsciously. Making the production of grammar easier for the students.
Por: Patricio Santacruz