Suggests that social scientists use the reading of literature to enhance their instruction about contemporary situations. (AEA)

Argues that if cultural literacy does not mean a list of works, it is a list, whether in the form of a canon or syllabus. Concludes that the goal of common background knowledge is worthy but distracts educators from questions that offer a chance of achieving such a goal and achieving literacy. (SRT)

In reaction to articles by J. Warnock and W. Bennett, argues that a common background knowledge required for literacy does not depend on specific texts, or a literary canon, rather one needs to know a few facts about some of them. Concludes that cultural literacy is not text-bound. (SRT)

Advocates focusing literature instruction on the classroom community rather than the individual because through language, as through mathematics, concepts and worlds are fabricated. (CRH)

Uses reading responses of a ninth grade class and a teachers' study group to examine the social memberships and constituencies that reading and discussion disclose through the response process. Maintains that teachers should base reading lists on an understanding of their own and students' memberships rather than on some abstract notion of…