Jiayang Guan Conversation 2

Szwed’s philosophy asserts that literacy consists of five elements: Text, Context, Function, Participants, and Motivation. In “The Ethnography of Literacy,” Szwed thoroughly explains each of these components. The concept of Participants suggests that each individual’s literacy level varies due to diverse cultural backgrounds, life experiences, and age. This diversity leads to differences. Szwed advocates for ethnography to capture variations in literacy levels among users from different cultures. Ethnography employs techniques like field observations, interviews, and direct communication to comprehend how cultural backgrounds influence literacy levels as manifested in conversations. Szwed also emphasizes in his discussion of ethnography that we must engage with people’s lives without patronizing them. His point is that those learning literacy should not adopt a superior stance when communicating with those they seek to understand. This involves refraining from forming stereotypes based on information about experiences, culture, mental state, and living conditions gained through conversations. This approach promotes a sense of equality and a receptive mindset to learn from the person being spoken to. If I were a high school teacher in the Bronx, I would first assess the literacy level and cultural background of each student. Based on these differences, I would provide specialized instruction for each group of students. This might include explaining distinctions in grammar and vocabulary between languages and cultures. David Perry has proposed two models of literacy: the autonomous model and the ideological model. The autonomous model places greater emphasis on individual abilities, while the ideological model focuses more on broader cultural and social impact. My exploration of “orality versus literacy” led me to realize that oral English differs from literacy. Literacy requires proficiency in both speaking and writing, whereas orality can be achieved through listening and conversation without the need to read and write. Communicating with others is key to mastering oral skills. Learning spoken language also influences our literacy practices. The communities we frequently engage with, the communities we reside in, and the communities we grew up in all shape our literacy practices. Each community invariably has distinct words and writing conventions. We become accustomed to using the unique “literacies” of these communities. These are inherently linked to cultural and power structures in society. I believe literacy standards are founded on fundamental skills and knowledge applicable in various fields of work. They ensure that learners can employ their literacy skills effectively in any professional setting.