TO ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION AMONG THE MEMBERSHIP OF NEW DIRECTIONS IN RESEARCHING LANGUAGE AND LITERACY. TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF LANGUAGE AND LITERACY SCHOLARSHIP OCCURRING OUTSIDE OF THE US AND CANADA TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE MENTORSHIP OF SCHOLARS NEW TO THE FIELD OF RESEARCH IN LANGUAGE AND LITERACY TO RECOGNIZE THE SUSTAINED ACHIEVEMENT OF EXCELLENCE IN THE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH ON LANGUAGE AND LITERACY BY INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF NCRLL