- There are five elements of literacy Szwed mentioned text, context, motivation, function, and participants. The one I chose is text which refers to the written or visual materials that individuals engage with as part of their literacy practices. This element encompasses various forms of written or visual communication, including books, articles, websites, images, and other textual artifacts. Understanding and interpreting these texts are essential aspects of literacy.
- John Szwed recommends ethnography because it allows us to observe how people interact with texts in their everyday lives. This method allows researchers to gain a deeper understanding of how individuals use literacy in different contexts. It also provides a more comprehensive view of the social and cultural implications of literacy.
- When John Szwed writes, “we must come to terms with the lives of people without patronizing them” in the context of ethnography, he is emphasizing the need to approach the study of other cultures and communities with respect, cultural sensitivity, and a genuine desire to understand without condescension or judgment.
- If I were a literacy instructor at a high school in the Bronx, I would strive to create a culturally responsive and inclusive literacy classroom that values the lives and experiences of my students, just as Szwed recommends when approaching the study of literacy through ethnography. This approach would not only enhance their literacy skills but also empower them as active contributors to their community and society.
- The two model types of literacy discussed by Perry are, autonomous and ideological. The primary focus of the autonomous model is on the mechanics of reading and writing, such as decoding words, grammar, and comprehension. It often treats literacy as a set of transferable skills that can be applied universally while the ideological method emphasizes the importance of understanding how literacy practices are shaped by and, in turn, shape society. It encourages critical thinking and the exploration of the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of texts. I think the ideological model is better because it encourages critical thinking and awareness of how literacy is influenced by power structures and ideologies. It equips learners to analyze texts more deeply.
- Orality is the transmission of history and culture through storytelling, while literacy is the transmission of history and culture through writing. Orality is more personal and immediate, while literacy is more structured and written. Both are important in preserving history and culture
- Our literacy practices are shaped by the expectations, values, and norms of the communities we are part of and raised in. These expectations are passed down from generation to generation, and we learn to read and write in ways that are appropriate for our culture. This helps us to form our own unique understanding of literacy, which can differ from one community to another
- Literacy standards are usually created by a group of experts in the field, and they serve a variety of purposes, such as setting expectations for what students should learn, providing a framework for teachers, and helping to evaluate student performance. They are also assessed for cultural bias to ensure that they are fair and equitable for all students.
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2 thoughts on “Conversation 2”
Hi Sharice! I think you make some really important points when discussing Perry’s models of autonomous and ideological literacy, especially when you mention that the ideological model emphasizes the confluence of critical thinking and the state of society. However, I disagree with your response to where literacy standards come from and what they are. While you say they come from experts and take into account context, right now, they unfortunately do not. Literacy is defined through concrete abilities and achievements that are much easier for people with privilege. This is problematic, but hopefully, with more people having access to the information we do in this class, the definition and requirements of literacy can adapt to be more equitable.
Hi Sharice! All your examples are spot on. Your approach to question 4 is similar to my approach, I also mentioned taking into account the lives of the students outside the classroom. Great work on this conversation!