The Study
In 1996, the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) released Standards for the English Language Arts. Nell K. Duke, an assistant professor of teacher education at Michigan State University, and Bonnie B. Stewart, who is currently a literacy enrichment teacher in Indianapolis, studied ways in which to bring these standards into Stewart's classroom. At the time of the study, Steward taught first grade in Natick, Massachusetts. As part of the study, Duke visited 6-12 hours a month from January through June to observe students and interview Stewart.

The Findings
The standards recommended four broad purposes for oral and written language use: obtaining and communicating information, literary interpretation, learning and reflection, and problem solving. Duke analyzed Stewart's classroom to determine how she provided opportunities for her students to read and write for a variety of purposes and which purposes she stressed. Duke found that Stewart addressed all the purposes outlined in the standards and used several strategies to encourage her students to become purposeful readers and writers. Stewart made it a point to develop written language activities that students found meaningful, such as selecting a research topic that interested the students and allowing students to choose what they read during silent reading or what they wrote during writer's workshop. She also created opportunities for them to read and write for multiple, meaningful audiences through activities such as letter writing and author sharing parties. Lastly, Stewart used "teacher talk" and group discussions as means of pointing out, commenting on and encouraging the many purposes for reading and writing. For example, she modeled for students the use of written language to find correct spellings in the dictionary, the use of written language to record personal experiences and feelings in a journal, and the use of written language to think and reflect about things they've read.

What It Means to You
With leaders in language arts placing a great deal of emphasis on the purposes for written language, educators must work together to examine, evaluate and share strategies to bring understanding in the classroom about the "whys" of reading and writing. If students have a meaningful purpose behind their reading and writing assignments, then perhaps they will become more engaged when learning these essential skills.

More Information
To read further on how these first grade standards were incorporated into the classroom, see Duke, N.K., and Stewart, B.B., "Standards in action in a first-grade classroom: The purpose dimension," The Reading Teacher, November 1997, Vol. 51, No. 3, pp. 228-237.

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