In their article, Rickards and Hawes (2006) argue that teachers should make explicit connections between reading and writing regarding author's craft. The authors write that "the same strategy or concept is reinforced in the reading, writing, and letter word parts of the lesson" which reminds me of thematic units (p. 370). In other words, Rickards and Hawes (2006) believe that when educators are teaching an element of author's craft, let's say word choice, that element should be integrated in activities conducted across ALL areas of balanced literacy. With this model, strong mentor texts are a must.
I agree with Rickards and Hawes (2006) in the sense that connecting topics or themes across multiple areas allows students to build background knowledge and dive deeper into a topic. This past summer, I taught an enrichment group that studied endangered animals. During our read aloud time, I read a Magic Treehouse fiction text about endangered animals as well as the complimentary nonfiction text on the same topic. During shared reading, we read songs that I created about endangered animals so students could develop content specific vocabulary. During guided reading, I included books (primarily nonfiction) pertaining to animals. Students also had access to texts on this topic to explore during their independent reading time. By the end of the summer, every student had increased their knowledge of endangered animals and related content vocabulary. This experience was more like a thematic unit than what Rickards and Hawes (2006) discussed, but it illustrates how including the same focus across multiple areas of balanced literacy deepens students' understanding of a particular topic.
Reflecting on this experience, I wish I had known of Rickards and Hawes' (2006) model as I would have made more explicit connections to writing. After researching their endangered animal, students created informational posters and a video to share what they learned. These students were going into first and second grade, so we talked about nonfiction features such as photographs, captions, headings, and so on. I wish I would have taken the time to find a strong mentor text, even in the form of an informational poster, so students could focus on specific elements of nonfiction writing. With Rickards and Hawes (2006) in mind, in the future I will definitely choose stronger mentor texts that show specific elements of author's craft so connections can be made to students' own writing pieces.
One aspect of Rickards and Hawes' (2006) article that I am still pondering is that it was written in 2006 when balanced literacy was big. Many schools still utilize this structure, but I am aware that some schools are moving more toward the Science of Reading. I have not been in a school that has entirely shifted to Science of Reading, so I don't know exactly what this looks like. I know there is a focus on skill-based learning with the Science of Reading, which I support to a degree, but I worry that some educators may forget to focus on author's craft and simply reading for pleasure. I think the balanced literacy model has a nice way of incorporating both skill-based learning and reading for understanding. I am slightly concerned that connections of author's craft across reading and writing may not exist in some schools that are shifting away from the balanced literacy model. Can Rickards and Hawes' (2006) suggestions be used in schools that do not use balanced literacy? What exactly might this look like? Although I am left with some unanswered questions, I will certainly aim to help my students make as many connections across reading and writing as possible.
References
Rickards, D. & Hawes, S. (2006). Connecting reading and writing through author's craft. The Reading Teacher, 60(4), 370-373.
Maddie, your post leaves me in two "minds." Part of me is left thinking... how can teachers teach a child to be literate if they are only focusing on the "code" or teaching students to be "construction workers?" [This is admittedly my knee jerk reaction to such a reductionist view of reading.]. The second is to say, it's okay. Even if teachers are required to approach reading instruction with more of structural approach, elementary teachers can still think of *many* ways to create a balanced approach to reading. Think about what Harvey and Goudvis offered in the Strategies that Work book from 614 -- their content literacy/inquiry workshop is exactly how you could make space for balanced literacy .... and bring in content area reading and writing to boot.
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