Blog 1

Hi,

  I’m Franzo and I’m an English major. I have always enjoyed learning new things, so I’ve always been into documentaries and books about philosophy and science. As far as my writing goes, I would like to write articles and documentaries on various subjects. My motivation for getting a degree in English is due, in part, to the importance I have assigned literacy. I have used literacy as a tool for self education and other things. I have seen how literacy in particular contexts can be advantageous. It turns out that I have been discussing literacy with teachers and former educators from my hometown, so I found John Szwed’s “The Ethnography of Literacy” interesting.  

The reading this week was thought provoking for me. Szwed presented a few ideas that were not consistent with my concept of literacy. For instance, he says “literacy as an ideal seems to be suffering a crisis” and explains how even the wealthiest of nations are experiencing “failures in reading and writing”. While I agree with these remarks as justification for evaluating our concept of literacy, Szwed raises a concern which does not seem legitimate to me, it is the following: “(some people) question the universal feasibility of literacy”. This is not the focus of the author throughout the paper; still, it stood out to me. I think think our efforts to promote literacy are for nothing if there are some barriers to literacy which cannot be overcome.

Its noteworthy that he brings up how literacy may not be “universally feasible”. A few of his examples of literacy (like the young black poets) can be tied into the idea of communities of practice. For example, poets function in communities of artists who both give and observe recitations. Being a part of this process of reciting and listening is partially how you become literate in this context.

Since literacy is based on conventions of a group, I think anyone can become literate in any context when they join the right group or have the right influences. What I take away from this reading is that Literacy is a complex subject and can seem different in different contexts.   

Another thing that stood out to me is how he says literacy needs of individuals are not determined according to their circumstances. This is probably the root of literacy problems for many people. Literacy needs are predetermined and practiced out of context. This is why academic literacy is not a tool that all students gain in their schooling. I think many of the people who become literate in multiple areas do so by applying principles of the subject to real issues in context. It seems like this subject overlaps with the COP theory I have learned about.