In the article, Literacy and the Politics of Education, written by C. H. Knoblauch, it touches on a deeper understanding about the concept of literacy. One important element that Knoblauch points out is that the idea of literacy is much more than what society usually perceives literacy as: which is simply reading and writing. Another strong point that the article gives is that only those in “power” and who are obviously literate have the ability to set literary standards for society as a whole. The problem is that there are many different circumstances pertaining to literacy for every individual or group of people. Therefore, it is inevitable that many people may not even reach those standards of literacy.
Knoblauch points out that there are four notable kinds of literacy that exist in societies. Those are functional literacy, cultural literacy, personal growth literacy, and critical literacy.
Functional literacy is probably the most familiar type of literacy, especially for modern society. It is literacy in the simplest form in which people use as a necessity. It is the literacy used when people process information. It can stems from reading an instruction manual to sending an email. It is the literacy that exists in the very basic everyday functions for people.
Cultural literacy depends more on the individual or particular groups themselves. It is when cultural values are trying to be passed down to further generations. This type of literacy is also known as traditional literacy because it “includes the awareness of the cultural heritage”. The big argument behind cultural literacy is that the rise of technology has weakened people’s abilities to memorize and hold on to tradition. For instance, since all people have cell phones, it is most likely that those people have lost the ability to remember phone numbers.
The third type of literacy is called literacy-for-personal-growth. This type of literacy is connected to the way humans develop cognitive thinking. It thrives on achievement and power. This type of literacy argues for the sake of literacy itself. It wants individuals to embrace literacy and let their minds wander into their own imaginations.
The last type of literacy noted is called critical literacy. This type stems from the Marxist theory, and is also deemed as a negative in our American society. It is the type of literacy that motivates people to urge for change in their current society. It refutes dominant organizations, and urges that all people have equal opportunities.
After Knoblauch describes these four types of literacy, there is a realization that “no definition tells, with ontological or objective reliability, what literacy is.”
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Anne's Autobiographical Incident for Week 5
Thinking back to the first time in my life, in which my language abilities made me feel important or powerful, involves a reason for which I have decided to go into the teaching profession. The circumstances involved with this empowering literacy event involved: grade six and Mrs. Dallape's History class. First of all, I became a better reader because I enjoyed reading. I once heard a quote about how reading allows one to travel without ever even leaving their seat. This is completely applicable to Mrs. Dallape's History Class. As sixth graders, we learned about different civilizations around the world. Mrs. Dallape enabled her students to set foot in different cultures by reading about them and, writing about them as well.
Often times, Mrs. Dallape would allow students the option of reading aloud. Reading aloud enables one to use a different side of the brain. One hears the words aloud and comprehends them as well. Needless to say, I was constantly reading aloud. Reading abilities, I feel define the kind of student one is. For instance, if one's reading abilities are up to par for their grade level then they will more than likely achieve success in school.
Reading aloud was important in Mrs. Dallape's class because it helped me to attain attention from both my peers and my instructor. I aided others to want to become better readers and students. Indeed, because I liked to read I hope I motivated others to want to read as well. At the end of the school year, Mrs. Dallape asked me to read stories aloud and record them onto a tape recorder. This literacy event enabled me to become a more effective communicator; in addition, I currently have no qualms about participating in oral discourse with others.
Often times, Mrs. Dallape would allow students the option of reading aloud. Reading aloud enables one to use a different side of the brain. One hears the words aloud and comprehends them as well. Needless to say, I was constantly reading aloud. Reading abilities, I feel define the kind of student one is. For instance, if one's reading abilities are up to par for their grade level then they will more than likely achieve success in school.
Reading aloud was important in Mrs. Dallape's class because it helped me to attain attention from both my peers and my instructor. I aided others to want to become better readers and students. Indeed, because I liked to read I hope I motivated others to want to read as well. At the end of the school year, Mrs. Dallape asked me to read stories aloud and record them onto a tape recorder. This literacy event enabled me to become a more effective communicator; in addition, I currently have no qualms about participating in oral discourse with others.
"The New Literacy Studies" Precise
Street opens her piece entitled, "The New Literacy Studies," by primarily illuminating an autonomous literacy model. Transcribing the autonomous model, one would identify this model with someone in the field of instruction who adheres to those who are in authority. This figure highlights that one progresses on the basis what guidelines governing institutions have implemented so as to define a person as being literate. One comes to find out that a person's literacy skills are not solely determined via the institution; hence, this model is ineffective.
The fact is, specific groups of people often control the wealth of knowledge; indeed, specific groups tend to control who is granted access to literacy. Street ascertains that in identifying literacy and providing a model for literacy, one should understand that literacy skills are inherited differently, based on the individual. If one is deemed literate, the person who categorizes this person should understand the person's cultural background. In addition to making sense of words on a given page, and building sentences one's literacy ability has another criteria. This criteria for determining literacy is based on the amount of literacy resources that authority figures release and also what one's cultural background is.
Street's ideas about literacy are credible. Willingly, Street gives credit to those wishing to attain literacy. Boys and girls from different areas around the world who come to the Uited States are going to have different skills. People in authority who provide the curriculum for instructors of literacy should have regard to this fact. In essence, one's ability should not be determined by the literacy that institutions engrain in pupils' heads; rather, authority shall also take into consideration orality. Orality encompasses other people's thoughts and the way they realease their thoughts to others within their communes. Street brings forth thought provoking discourse. Street highlights that not all regions have institutionalized reading and writing supplies; hence, evaluators must take this into consideration.
The fact is, specific groups of people often control the wealth of knowledge; indeed, specific groups tend to control who is granted access to literacy. Street ascertains that in identifying literacy and providing a model for literacy, one should understand that literacy skills are inherited differently, based on the individual. If one is deemed literate, the person who categorizes this person should understand the person's cultural background. In addition to making sense of words on a given page, and building sentences one's literacy ability has another criteria. This criteria for determining literacy is based on the amount of literacy resources that authority figures release and also what one's cultural background is.
Street's ideas about literacy are credible. Willingly, Street gives credit to those wishing to attain literacy. Boys and girls from different areas around the world who come to the Uited States are going to have different skills. People in authority who provide the curriculum for instructors of literacy should have regard to this fact. In essence, one's ability should not be determined by the literacy that institutions engrain in pupils' heads; rather, authority shall also take into consideration orality. Orality encompasses other people's thoughts and the way they realease their thoughts to others within their communes. Street brings forth thought provoking discourse. Street highlights that not all regions have institutionalized reading and writing supplies; hence, evaluators must take this into consideration.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Auto (week 5) Psychological Terminology
Being the eldest child of parents who only spoke Spanish came with many responsibilities, one of which was translating. As a child I detested translating, but with age I learned to like the challenge of converting words from one language to another. I remember sitting in the car with my mom one day and translating an NSYNC song to Spanish because she wanted to know what the song said, up to then I had never realized how fast and accurate I was. It was this day that I realized that I wanted to pursue a career which involved my usage of both languages, I had never been so proud of my translating skills. To this day I occasionally catch myself in my car trying to translate songs from English to Spanish as fast as possible or vice versa. I hate to admit that it’s a very bad habit because sometimes I can’t stop my brain from doing it so that I can enjoy the song.
Being a bilingual instructional assistant at Colton Middle requires that I translate IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meetings for non-English speaking parents. This, you would think, should be a “piece of cake” but it’s not. You see I’ve never really been required to translate anything in a formal setting up until I started working at the middle school. My first formal meeting was so dreadful that just thinking about it gives me chills. I walked in to the meeting thinking that I would just be translating behavioral issues but I was wrong. I had really walked in to a room with about 5 teachers, a counselor, the school psychologist, the principal, a social worker and a member of the district. I was so nervous that I was hoping and praying for an earthquake just so I wouldn’t have to translate. When the psychologist started to throw out terminology that I wasn’t familiar with I wanted to crawl up under a rock and die. I had never felt so illiterate in my life, not even when I first started second grade without knowing a word in English. That day I went home and looked up words that I had remembered. I also asked one of the other bilingual aides if I could observe a couple of her meetings, to familiarize myself with the terminology. It has now been about two years and over 40 meetings since that horrifying first that I have become immune to such embarrassment and more familiar with psychological terminology. I now translate those meetings as if I have been doing them my whole life, but I will never forget that horrific incident.
Being a bilingual instructional assistant at Colton Middle requires that I translate IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meetings for non-English speaking parents. This, you would think, should be a “piece of cake” but it’s not. You see I’ve never really been required to translate anything in a formal setting up until I started working at the middle school. My first formal meeting was so dreadful that just thinking about it gives me chills. I walked in to the meeting thinking that I would just be translating behavioral issues but I was wrong. I had really walked in to a room with about 5 teachers, a counselor, the school psychologist, the principal, a social worker and a member of the district. I was so nervous that I was hoping and praying for an earthquake just so I wouldn’t have to translate. When the psychologist started to throw out terminology that I wasn’t familiar with I wanted to crawl up under a rock and die. I had never felt so illiterate in my life, not even when I first started second grade without knowing a word in English. That day I went home and looked up words that I had remembered. I also asked one of the other bilingual aides if I could observe a couple of her meetings, to familiarize myself with the terminology. It has now been about two years and over 40 meetings since that horrifying first that I have become immune to such embarrassment and more familiar with psychological terminology. I now translate those meetings as if I have been doing them my whole life, but I will never forget that horrific incident.
AUTO week 5
There are plenty situations that can qualify for either question. However, there was a time when I felt that both situations could be applicable, and that is when I had my first big interview. I was interviewing for a job at Riverside Community College, and the way the interview process worked was as a group setting interview style. Therefore, there were about five or six department officials that were carrying out the interview. I felt like I was in one of those detective movies because I was literally being grilled by all the interviewees. I know that interviews are typically frightening for any person, but what made it worse was the fact that there were several “Big Wig” executives that were interviewing me all at the same time. I was only nineteen at that time, so I don’t think my so-called professional language usage had been fully developed. Although, I don’t usually perceive myself as a shy person, I was very much frightened and nervous throughout the entire interview. I remember one question was, “How well are you with computers?” and my answer was, “Yes, I am great with computers, I took a couple of CSI classes in college”. The mistake I made was when I said “CSI”, which stands for Crime Scene Investigation. What I meant to say was “CIS”, which is Computer Information System. It was funny thinking about it now. After the interview I was sure that I totally bombed the interview. The funny part is that I got a call from them a couple weeks later, and I got the job. Therefore the group probably didn’t even catch my mistake.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Anne's Autobiographical Incident for Week # 4
Think about a positive schooled experience with literacy learning. What were the circumstances of this learning? How did other people figure in this experience? Why was it meaningful for you? Discuss the significance of the event today.
Positive schooled learning experiences have most significantly come from my recent year at California State University San Bernardino. Professors have a way of instructing so that one's writing can be thought of as a sandwich. Introductions are always necessary, they incorporate what the text will be about. In addition to that, the body should always reflect what the introduction has stated. Most importantly, I have learned that the conclusion should be an analysis of what has been written. Lastly, the conclusion should answer the question so what?
I never thought about posing the inquiry, so what? I always remember reading over different texts that my colleagues wrote. I never thought about asking the question, so what? What would one like me to take from their writing? Typically a paper should encompass different ideas that critics or others have come up with; however, to make something truly eclectic, a writer should add their own insight. For instance, Professor Sanders recently said to think of the following when creating one's own text, "Here's what the critics have said, but here is why I (as the writer) disagree." Also, Sanders gives other suggestions such as, "Here's what scholars have stated, but here's what they have left out." At the same time, Sanders says another example is "Here's what critics have said and, this is why they are right." Prior to Sanders' class I never thought about writing a paper in this way.
In my past year at C.S.U.S.B, I have also come across incorporating quotes so that I react to them. In addition, it is also important to always site what has been written. An example of this is a paper I wrote on the Mexican American War. I did not have any expertise about the war. I learned everything involving the Mexican perspective from different sites. A very valuable lesson I came across dealt with going back and siting all the places in which I derived ideas that were not my own. Thus is why my literacy learning years at C.S.U.S.B have made a significant impact on me.
Positive schooled learning experiences have most significantly come from my recent year at California State University San Bernardino. Professors have a way of instructing so that one's writing can be thought of as a sandwich. Introductions are always necessary, they incorporate what the text will be about. In addition to that, the body should always reflect what the introduction has stated. Most importantly, I have learned that the conclusion should be an analysis of what has been written. Lastly, the conclusion should answer the question so what?
I never thought about posing the inquiry, so what? I always remember reading over different texts that my colleagues wrote. I never thought about asking the question, so what? What would one like me to take from their writing? Typically a paper should encompass different ideas that critics or others have come up with; however, to make something truly eclectic, a writer should add their own insight. For instance, Professor Sanders recently said to think of the following when creating one's own text, "Here's what the critics have said, but here is why I (as the writer) disagree." Also, Sanders gives other suggestions such as, "Here's what scholars have stated, but here's what they have left out." At the same time, Sanders says another example is "Here's what critics have said and, this is why they are right." Prior to Sanders' class I never thought about writing a paper in this way.
In my past year at C.S.U.S.B, I have also come across incorporating quotes so that I react to them. In addition, it is also important to always site what has been written. An example of this is a paper I wrote on the Mexican American War. I did not have any expertise about the war. I learned everything involving the Mexican perspective from different sites. A very valuable lesson I came across dealt with going back and siting all the places in which I derived ideas that were not my own. Thus is why my literacy learning years at C.S.U.S.B have made a significant impact on me.
Ethnography & Composition/ Moss (Precis)
There are two main elements that are addressed in Beverly J. Moss’s article, Ethnography and Composition: Studying Language at Home. The first being the definition of Ethnography, for Moss explores the position of an Ethnographer and how the research should be done. The second element that Moss is concerned about is the relationship between the Ethnographer and the environment, which includes the people that a part of that particular environment.
Moss is doing research on language acquisition learned outside of school. She claims that much of the language that student’s acquire are learned from different community functions that student families are a part of. Moss reflects on her own personal language acquisition as a child, and realized that much influence was taken place at her local Church congregation. Therefore, Moss begins her research, but before she begins she must first gain some knowledge about Ethnography.
According to Moss, “Ethnography is a qualitative research method that allows a researcher to gain comprehensive view of the social interactions, behaviors, and beliefs of a community or social group (Moss 389).” Moss points out certain restraints that may arise when attempting to pursue an ethnographic research project. Since her research would be done at a place that she herself is a part of, then certain approaches must be done. Moss examines the pros and cons when being put in the position of doing research in an environment that is the Ethnographer is a part of. The objective of the Ethnographer is to gather the most righteous information, and Moss points out that sometimes if the people are aware of the research then they are most likely to covet their honest intentions. Therefore, it will tamper with the outcome of the research being made. Moss encourages Ethnographers, who are in the same position as her, to act as a part of the community while doing the study. Therefore, the community feels more comfortable and will start to act like their usual selves. The best results are obtain when the community feels at ease with the Ethnographers.
Moss is doing research on language acquisition learned outside of school. She claims that much of the language that student’s acquire are learned from different community functions that student families are a part of. Moss reflects on her own personal language acquisition as a child, and realized that much influence was taken place at her local Church congregation. Therefore, Moss begins her research, but before she begins she must first gain some knowledge about Ethnography.
According to Moss, “Ethnography is a qualitative research method that allows a researcher to gain comprehensive view of the social interactions, behaviors, and beliefs of a community or social group (Moss 389).” Moss points out certain restraints that may arise when attempting to pursue an ethnographic research project. Since her research would be done at a place that she herself is a part of, then certain approaches must be done. Moss examines the pros and cons when being put in the position of doing research in an environment that is the Ethnographer is a part of. The objective of the Ethnographer is to gather the most righteous information, and Moss points out that sometimes if the people are aware of the research then they are most likely to covet their honest intentions. Therefore, it will tamper with the outcome of the research being made. Moss encourages Ethnographers, who are in the same position as her, to act as a part of the community while doing the study. Therefore, the community feels more comfortable and will start to act like their usual selves. The best results are obtain when the community feels at ease with the Ethnographers.
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