* Decoding Skills: Reading requires decoding written language – understanding the relationship between letters, sounds, and words. This foundational skill is generally considered a prerequisite to effectively translating thoughts into written form. Writing fluently demands a solid understanding of phonics, vocabulary, and sentence structure, all of which are often solidified through reading.
* Language Acquisition: Exposure to written language through reading expands vocabulary, improves comprehension of sentence structure, and introduces students to diverse writing styles and genres. This passive absorption of linguistic information facilitates the active process of writing.
* Cognitive Development: Reading develops crucial cognitive skills like attention span, comprehension, and inference-making – all skills highly beneficial for effective writing. A stronger reader often possesses a richer mental framework from which to draw ideas and organize their thoughts for writing.
* Model Texts: Reading provides a wealth of examples of good writing, from sentence structure and paragraph organization to narrative techniques and persuasive arguments. Students can analyze these models to learn effective writing strategies.
* Motivation & Engagement: Early success in reading can foster a love of language that transfers positively to writing. Children who are confident and engaged readers are often more enthusiastic and motivated to engage with writing as well.
It's crucial to note that while reading might be emphasized initially, effective literacy instruction integrates reading and writing from a very young age. Early childhood education often incorporates activities that blend both skills, such as dictating stories to an adult who then writes them down. The focus shifts gradually, but both reading and writing are considered essential, interwoven parts of the literacy development process. The "90%" figure is likely an oversimplification of a complex pedagogical reality.