EFFERENT AND AESTHETIC RESPONSES TO TEXT AND WHY THE COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS RELATED TO READING ARE OFTEN ARE RIDICULOUS

1. Literacy standards (like the CCSS) should not be designed by literacy amateurs (as literacy standards most often are). There are some things that should be left to educational professionals (like classroom teachers).

2. Expository text calls for an efferent response. Narrative text calls for an aesthetic response.

3. In our approaches to literacy instruction, we must always focus on real-world macro goals for reading vs. artificial micro-goals. When reading narrative text, the macro goal is for students to be able to read and enjoy the story. When reading expository text, the macro goal is for students to read and understand (construct knowledge with) the text.