Reading and writing are the foundational learning blocks every child learns from the beginning of their school-going age. While this dynamic duo might appear basic, their role is far-fetched in the learning process. Reading and writing are intricately linked to one another and help students shape how they perceive things. It also empowers students to process and internalize information. This is one of the reasons why we at Excelsior American School, a well-known top 5 cbse schools in gurgaon, always recommend our teachers, as well as the parent fraternity, to delve into the scientific connection of reading and writing with learning. We firmly believe that understanding this connection can help them better realize the importance of both and thereby help the kids aptly.
To help our pupils unlock deeper comprehension, tap into their cognitive growth, and maximize retention, we have analyzed the scientific connection between reading, writing, and learning to present the information in a simplified way. Read the full blog post if you’re ready to unravel the scientific underpinnings of reading and writing with learning.
Brain’s Intricate Processes
Whatever activity we perform, its effects are reflected in our brain. So, when kids begin reading, their brain engages in visual perception, visualizing every letter, word, or sentence. All these received inputs trigger the brain’s learning centers, and they collectively decode the visual symbols into meaningful language. As the brain continues comprehending the read text, the memory and executive functional areas begin their function. They enable kids to link this newly read information with existing knowledge, helping them learn effectively.
When it comes to writing, our brain follows a somewhat identical neurological pathway. During writing, kids bring their motor and visual skills to use, making it easier to form letters or words. The brain also retrieves our past linguistic knowledge to form coherent sentences. The entire process involves seamless coordination of different brain regions to facilitate writing. For example, the brain’s motor cortex helps by controlling hand movements, while the prefrontal cortex helps by planning and organizing thoughts.
Together, all these processes help kids learn faster, better, and more effectively. Even if your kids don’t actively pursue writing and reading, giving attention to one can automatically improve the other. A research meta-analysis proves that when individuals were taught writing strategies, it also positively impacted their reading comprehension, leading to better learning outcomes.
Learning as a Cognitive Integration
We at Excelsior American School would like to advise you to view learning as a cognitive integration because it helps view the apparent connection between reading and writing with learning. To make the scientific connection easier to understand, let’s view reading text as a primary input – an input that lays the foundational ground for writing. You can read from any source to gather the desired information. Next, when you write, your brain isn’t merely transcribing any information. It uses past memory to synthesize and analyze it before converting it into words or ideas.
This entire process of information encoding improves one’s understanding and retention level. It is popularly known as the ‘generational effect’ where active information production through handwriting strengthens memory and understanding. In a nutshell, both reading and writing work together and complement each other to improve one’s learning experience.
Language Development & Cognitive Growth
We, at our school, have always placed equal emphasis on both reading and writing because their benefits extend beyond the general learning landscape. The dynamic duo is crucial for a student’s language development and overall cognitive growth. The more children read different textbooks of various genres or explore different concepts in various subjects, the more they are exposed to diverse vocabulary, writing conventions, and sentence structures. This exposure directly influences kid’s language development and comprehension abilities.
We’ve also noticed that students who gradually progress from reading to writing exude better cognitive abilities. Writing is a valuable process that makes individuals think critically. Since the process requires proper thought organization and clear expression, an individual’s cognitive processes begin improving. It eventually leads to better problem-solving skills and heightened creativity. This is why we firmly believe that children should be encouraged to focus on both reading and writing. The process will make learning easy, helping you nurture well-rounded learners.
Conclusion
If you go down the rabbit hole exploring the interconnected relationship between reading and writing with learning, you will notice a profound relationship extending beyond knowledge acquiring. When someone actively reads and writes, their brain begins intricate neurological processes. Reading any form of text from any source boosts student’s comprehension skills, memory level, and cognitive growth. On the other hand, writing fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and better expression. Together, these abilities improve the learning process.
We at Excelsior American School, an top 5 cbse schools in gurgaon, understand this connection and thus consistently look for newer ways to harness the benefits of this connection. We believe that when children are encouraged to read and write more, a growth-centric learning environment begins taking shape. Thus, learners of all ages, and not just kids, should begin reading and writing as a daily practice. After all, these two activities hold the potential to aid various learning experiences of an individual, which go way beyond academic learning.
