Conversation 2

In “The Ethnography of Literacy,” Szwed discusses five aspects of literacy: script, style, society, situation, and strategic use. These variables interact to affect how literacy is practiced and perceived in a certain culture. Szwed suggests examining literacy via an anthropological lens. Immersion in a community to watch and understand how literacy is employed in diverse social, cultural, and contextual settings is required. Researchers can use ethnography to learn about the subtleties of literacy practices and their relevance in a community. When Szwed talks about “coming to terms with people’s lives without patronizing them,” he underlines the need of appreciating and comprehending the group being studied’s experiences and behaviors. Researchers should approach the community with an open mind and a readiness to learn from the community members themselves, rather than with a patronizing attitude or preconceived preconceptions. Following Szwed’s advise as a literacy instructor in the Bronx could include developing a curriculum that represents the students’ ethnic variety and experiences. This might include including texts, tales, and issues relevant to their life, as well as fostering debates about how literacy relates to their personal and community identities. The two literacy models in Perry’s work are the “autonomous” model and the “ideological” model. Literacy is viewed as a collection of neutral abilities centered on decoding and encoding text in the autonomous model. In contrast, the ideological model sees literacy as firmly ingrained in social, cultural, and political settings, with literacy practices molded by power relations and cultural norms. The term “orality versus literacy” often refers to the disparities between civilizations that prioritize verbal communication (orality) and those that favor written communication (literacy). It illuminates how these types of communication impact mental processes, cultural transmission, and knowledge preservation. Our reading practices are heavily impacted by the communities we belong to and the circumstances in which we grow up. The anthropological method of Szwed emphasizes how literacy is positioned within specific social situations and how community norms and values impact how literacy is used and interpreted. Szwed’s work may or may not expressly address this issue. Discussions on the development and measurement of literacy standards, on the other hand, include educational institutions and legislators choosing what skills and knowledge individuals should have. If these standards do not take into account the different backgrounds of learners, they may contain cultural prejudices. The evaluation for cultural bias is critically analyzing whether the criteria favor some cultural norms or exclude others from being included.