Defining Purpose: Objectives and Super Objectives

In Chapter 5 of Cris Tovani’s Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? (2004) we are introduced to the idea of using purpose as a reading strategy.  Whether as a student or an educator, we have all likely been in a classroom when a student asks why they are reading the current assignment.  In my own high school experience, it was something the English teachers heard daily.  Rarely, however, did they provide any sort of answer or response.  It was a “because I said so” kind of situation.  For most students, it was assumed that we were required to read certain texts so that we could pass certain exams.  The goal was being able to regurgitate character names and key plot points, and so that is what we read for.  

Tovani explains that the goal, or purpose, readers have while reading affects both the speed at which they read, as well as what information they retain.  When thinking about my own reading, this makes perfect sense.  I read at a completely different pace with attention to different elements depending upon the type of text I am reading and what my overall purpose with the text is.  With that being said, it is a wonder to me that my teachers never communicated the idea of purpose while reading in high school.  As Tovani (2004) says, “teachers have to be clear in their reasons for assigning the reading. Students need to know what those reasons are so they can better determine what is important” (p. 52). 

As an actor, you develop both objectives and super-objectives.  Objectives may be your character’s purpose for a single action or scene, while a super objective would be an overarching motivator throughout the play or film.  Tovani discusses in great detail the importance of narrowing down very precise purposes for reading specific texts.  These would be our students’ objectives.  What I cannot help but think about, however, is the super objective.  Defining purpose for our students should also be considered on the content level.  If we are to motivate our students to read, but also to want to read, they must first understand the significant role written communication will play in their lives outside of school.  In this way, I see a connection between Tovani’s idea of setting purpose, and Alfred W. Tatum’s (2012) call for an awareness of historical literacy roles.  If students classify their English class as unimportant, they are unlikely to devote much mental energy to the class and the work.  For this reason, I believe it is imperative to communicate the powerful role literacy plays outside of the classroom as well.  

These readings on purpose and motivation have given me a lot to think about.  I look forward to finding ways of implementing the role of purpose as both a reading strategy and an overall engagement strategy with my future students.

Reference List:

 

Tatum, A. W. (2012). Literacy Practices for African-American Male Adolescents. Boston, MA: Jobs for the Future.

Tovani, C. (2004). Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.