Reading and the Common Core

There has been a lot of discussion and concern among English teachers lately regarding the push toward reading more nonfiction and informational texts as suggested by the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). While there is an increased emphasis on reading non-literary texts, two things must be considered before everyone goes into an all-out panic.

First, making sure students understand nonfiction and informational material is not the sole responsibility of English teachers. Every subject has required reading -- science, history, math, and the rest -- and for the most part (now this is critical to understanding my point, so pay attention) it is nonfiction and informational texts! Subject area teachers outside the realm of English Language Arts should be as concerned about their students understanding of the material they ask them to engage with as much as anyone, and I’m sure they are. If a student in chemistry is having trouble understanding instructions to conduct a lab experiment, I’m sure the chemistry teacher will happily coach them through rather than send them off to their English teacher for a quick tutorial.

Second, reading fiction and literary texts has significant value that must not be dismissed or diminished. A January 13th, 2014 article in Education Week Teacher article entitled Study: Novel Reading Generates Sustained Boost in Neural Connectivity, notes: “A new study out of Emory University offers hard evidence that reading novels is more than just high-level entertainment. It also appears to be good for your brain” (Rebora). The study demonstrates that reading novels, “heightened connectivity (compared with baseline scans) in the areas of the brain associated with language receptivity and representative understanding—that is, grasping or sensing things you aren't literally experiencing.” Furthermore, “The heightened activity in these areas of the brain was apparent even days after the students had been actively reading the book, suggesting that something akin to muscle memory was activated.”

The Common Core is here for now and probably for quite some years to come. Public school educators experience new challenges and initiatives all the time; it goes with the turf. But how we deal with these challenges relies on our clear understanding of what is expected and how we choose to address those expectations.

Question: What do you see as the best way to approach literacy expectations of the Common Core?  

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