literacy

This class has taught me that literacy can have different meanings to different people. For example, some can think of literacy as simply the ability to read and write, while others can believe it also includes the way people speak and act in addition to reading and writing. Before taking this class, I never thought of literacy as including speaking and acting in a certain way, but I think it is interesting how that can be seen as a part of literacy. The articles we have read so far this semester have made me think about my own literacy and academic writing as a student. Knowing now that literacy can have different definitions to others is something to keep in mind as I continue my education and my future career as a teacher.

A couple articles we have read this semester questioned whether students are truly literate when it comes to academic writing. All college students are able to read and write, but are they able to read and understand academic writing, and then produce their own equally academic-sounding writing? I think that the literacy of college students is limited when it comes to academic writing. Learning the language of academic writing is the first step for college students to become more literate and able to produce their own adequate academic writing. Another article mentioned the importance of having literacy in more than one discourse; or, being able to be literate as a man or woman, as well as an employee, a member of a club, etc. I think being literate in more than one discourse is an important skill for all people to have. This course’s discussion of literacy has taught me a lot about a subject that I had previously not given much thought.