S7 E8: Writing your way to better reading with Steve Graham

Jul 26, 2023

Steve Graham, Regents and Warner Professor at Arizona State University and an expert in writing instruction, delves into the critical link between writing and reading. He emphasizes that developing handwriting and spelling skills enhances overall writing fluency, arguing for their early instruction. Graham highlights the challenges of writing in education and outlines four key catalysts for writing growth. He also shares insights on integrating reading and writing to boost comprehension and provides practical strategies for fostering a supportive writing community in classrooms.

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ANECDOTE

A Dissertation Comment Redirected His Career

Steve Graham shifted from reading research to writing after a dissertation comment spurred him to focus on writing.
Personal struggles with writing and observing students guided his 40-year research path.

INSIGHT

Writing Is Exceptionally Complex

Writing is a highly complex task requiring knowledge, language skills, strategy, and self-management.
Young children simplify writing tasks, but development expands capabilities and complexity over time.

ANECDOTE

Personal Example Of Handwriting Avoidance

Graham recounts his daughter's early school avoidance of writing due to handwriting and spelling struggles.
That family experience motivated research into teaching transcription skills to young children.

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When it comes to literacy education and cross-domain learning, it’s critical to understand the relationship between reading and writing. In this episode, Susan talks to Steve Graham all about writing—and how it can be used to strengthen literacy. Graham served as chair of the What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guides on elementary and secondary writing, and is the current Regents and Warner Professor at Arizona State University. Together, he and Susan discuss ways to support student writing, hindrances to writing development, the importance of teaching handwriting skills, and why writing is essential to any literacy program.

Show Notes:

What Works Clearinghouse: “Teaching Elementary School Students To Be Effective Writers”
Meta-analysis: “The Effects of Writing on Learning in Science, Social Studies, and Mathematics: A Meta-Analysis”
Book: Handbook of Writing Research
Arizona State University: Profile

Quotes:
“Our development as writers might be something that you can think of as open-ended…it can expand ever outward.” —Steve Graham

“Handwriting gets better, spelling gets better…students become better at constructing sentences in their writing. They tend to generate more content, and the quality of their writing may improve as well.” —Steve Graham

“Any kid who has trouble with handwriting [or] spelling usually dislikes writing much more than their peers that do not have those difficulties, and they typically don't produce as much. And what they produce usually is just not as coherent or well connected.” —Steve Graham

“What we see with exceptional teachers is they have their kids write. And at least through grades one to six, when students write, the quality of their writing gets better and their reading comprehension gets better.” —Steve Graham

“Kids need to write, they need to write for a variety of purposes. And they also need to write for real reasons, for real audiences.” —Steve Graham

“We want to create a community in which kids can thrive as writers and take risks.” —Steve Graham

“We want to make sure that we're using reading and writing for the functional purposes of learning, because they make a huge difference. They're really the basic building blocks around which we acquire and understand information.” —Steve Graham