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tain, or end writing and so by giving children a chance to “write your own versions,” teachers may free them to write.’ (Huck, Hepler & Hickman 1987.p 705).

In a research finding by Feitelson et al (cited in Dressel, 1990) found that hearing stories read aloud by teachers appears to have an influenced the “active use of language” of the first grade children who had little exposure to literary expression and “indicate that they developed an overall schema”. Hearing stories read aloud will provide models for learners in their writing as this has been proved in the first grade learners, there is without doubt that this finding could be applied to primary schools. Being read to is not only beneficial but pleasant.

The notion of using stories in writing is a powerful tool as this will not only provide models for learners to write but it also could bring out the imaginations of learners in composing. ‘...stories tend to invoke our imagination and desire for creating, composition classes can be conducted more than the drab routines of students-write-and-teacher-correct’(Chen, 2006).
The Reading and Writing Connection

Reading and writing are interrelated. Reading and writing are interdependent processes that are essential to each other and mutually beneficial (Holt & Vacca, 1984). This is because what that has been read will provide materials for writing. Written work pertaining to stories read needs to include selected elements on order that proper organization of content is in evidence. Thus a good reading programme is essential to a good writing programme because it is primarily through reading that learners learn to construct written text.

Shanahan(1988) had recommended seven instructional principles based on research on reading and writing to enhance children’s literacy learning. These instructional principles are;

Reading and writing both need to be taught

They should be taught from the earliest grade levels

The reading and writing should be emphasized in different ways at different developmental levels

Knowledge and process relations need to be emphasized

The connections between reading and writing should be made explicit to children

The communications aspects of reading and writing should be emphasized; and

Reading and writing should be taught in meaningful contexts.

Natural literacy development is dependent on the experiences the child has through reading and writing activities. Reading-writing activities are essential to the child's learning to read and write. Literacy instruction needs to explicitly present the relationship between reading and writing (Shanahan, 1988). In other words, children need to know the function of reading and writing. Since the skills underlying reading and writing knowledge and processes are similar, then the combination of reading and writing instruction is essential in literacy development. Even though reading and writing involve similar cognitive processes, it has different learning experiences during reading and composing (Shanahan, 1988).

When a child reads, s/he makes predictions about the text, s/he is not simply reading for meaning but is focused on the events based his/her interpretation. In other words, the reader makes predictions, constructs meaning, and struggles to understand the text. Wh