In the last five years working with Youth Literacy Organisation (YouLI), I have realised one (among other few) critical thing: good writers are always – undeniably – good readers. Many people, including experts, have argued that there is no such a thing as teaching writing. But it’s wrong. Wrong in a sense, even, that writing is not just about putting pen to paper – or words. It is, in many ways, about the ability to think and organise detail.

In the process of developing a good writer, one cultivates the concept of understanding, meaning, sense and clarity. It spurs a lot of learning, ignites the ultimate purpose of reading.

Good writers are always good readers, but good readers are not necessarily good writers.

To put it well, and shortly, if we encourage writing with skill and clarity, we will be, simultaneously, nurturing effective readers – who read with understanding. Readers who, also, have the tools to transform their ideas and understood concepts into language they can communicate effectively.

But if we simply focus on encouraging reading, we will perhaps be doing almost just that.

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