Notes from 11.02.2011 (palindrome day)

3 perspectives on literacies

While there may be overlap in theorists “main” focus – for this exam you can only assign one focus for each theorist.

1.    Focus on writing
Ong = writing as technology, separation/distance; changes thinking

Olson=writing as theoretical model for literacies; part of the thinking process;

Scribner + Cole= experience with particular writing systems results in facility in particular writing practices/thinking practices

2.    Focus on how literacies are used

Scribner + Cole= experience with particular writing systems results in facility in particular writing practices/thinking practices Heath = literacies are social, interpretations created by group interactions/social relationships
Bartholomae = audience explectations, what students wrote to those expectations

3.    Focus on unequal power relationships
Gee
Delpit
Pratt

Organization for essay

Intro – set up theorists to represent each focus = state what different focuses do

For the body of the text, you may organize your discussion in terms of the theorists, or in terms of the three aspects of literacies you were asked to discuss.  Which ever pattern for organization you choose, review your essay to make sure you use the same organization in each section (or close to it).


For example, if you chose to organize your essay by theorists, you would introduce the theorist & identify his/her focus, and then write about the 3 aspects of literacy you were asked to discuss.   Then you would move on to the next theorist (for a pattern as set up below).


Theorist 1

• learning to write,
• interpreting texts, 
• and communicating with others.  

Theorist 2

• learning to write,
• interpreting texts, 
• and communicating with others

Theorist 3

• learning to write,
• interpreting texts, 
• and communicating with others

Then conclusion

If you chose to organize your discussion in terms of the 3 aspects of literacies you were asked to discuss - you would discuss the feature of literacies = and then develop a more in-depth discussion that covers the different ways theorists from each perspective would explain/represent/think about that aspect of literacy.

An organization centered on the three aspects of literacies would be as follows.

learning to write
theorist 1
theorist 2
theorist 3

• interpreting texts
  theorist 1
  theorist 2
  theorist 3

 

• and communicating with others
  theorist 1
  theorist 2
  theorist 3

Conclusion.

Possible research questions and strategies for developing them.

Beginning research question:  What are the advantages disadvantages of an adult literacy learning program?  (good start => but needs to be focused.  This is way too much to take on for a 5-7 page paper).

To narrow your focus => do some background reading:
Look at adult literacy programs

Classify features of those programs in terms of their advantages & disadvantages and think about which particular features you want to write about

DO SOME BRAINSTORMING: Free write, make listes, cluster => any kind of brainstorming in writing that will help you identify and classify different aspects of your topic

Write a series of questions and then think about what you would need to write to answer it.  Consider how well (or whether) you can connect it to the course readings.