Oral and writing skills overlap. Think of adopting an Hymesian approach. A concept of communicative competence could help to avoid your dilemma.

Hi Eteri,

While Charles is correct about the overlapping of literacy skills and a focus on the use of both of these forms of literacy in a more functional manner (hence, Communicative Competence), I do tend to agree with researchers like Frank Smith and David Olson that writing also functions to help the writer achieve a kind of meta-linguistic awareness that results in greater reflection, and can help one better formulate their ideas. Further the work of Connie Weaver has suggested that the acquisition of one's various kinds of language learning (vocabulary, grammar, punctuation) can be enhanced when a student employs writing for authentic and functional purposes since it enables the development of these capacities within the meaningful context of writing. This is one of the reasons behind "process writing" as a pedagogical movement. There is simply a greater awareness and a raising of one's consciousness when this powerful form of literacy is fully incorporated into the classroom.

OK, Jack, no point in retunimg to a "hyper-communicative" approach based exclusively on oral skills. No writing, no metalinguistic analysis.

Dear colleagues, thank you very much. These are very important and necessary information for me.

Right you are, Charles!  The focus on metalinguistic functions certainly do help with input and output...of the oral and written type....Your 2011 address on "challenges in Teacher Education" present a fine context for your point here.