Lessons From Sociocultural Writing Research for Implementing the Common Core State Standards

Abstract

The Common Core State Standards advocate more writing than previous standards; however, in taking a college and career readiness perspective, the Standards neglect to emphasize the role of context and culture in learning to write. We argue that sociocultural perspectives that pay attention to these factors offer insights into how to interpret and implement the Standards in more meaningful ways. This article shares sociocultural research to elaborate on—and, in some cases, contest—the writing and language Standards and to support teachers in three key pedagogical shifts: from “text types and purposes” to genre, from “technology to produce and publish” to new media literacies, and from “conventions and standard English” to asset-based perspectives on grammar and language use. By critically examining both explicit and implied messages in the Standards, we invite educators to interrogate documents and mandates that inform instructional practices, a cornerstone of our profession.