The students felt they had few available options when they wrote for school. They shaped their writing according to a narrow range of purposes and audiences. It is unlikely that teachers can or should abandon the practice of evaluating class writing assignments. Teachers, however, who rely extensively on assignments and strategies that focus on teacher as audience are likely to train students to write safe compositions that they think teachers will accept. Students of all ages can write letters to real readers.
Teachers can also exchange letters and notes with students.
In another variation, students write letters with the same information to different readers and adjust the text of each letter according to audience. Another good way to help students write for different audiences is to publish children's writing. In her study, students who published their writing viewed the readers' reactions as important and helpful. When people read my book it's like they help me. When they read it, I get more ideas for another story.