Deborah Brandt, author of “Sponsors of Literacy,” has spent years studying people’s literacy acquisition across America to analyze trends and differences among them that emerge over time. Across time, Brandt notes consistencies across literacy development: it has sponsors, it is influenced by global conditions, and it adopts various forms. However, within those broad, consistent, overarching themes, there is dramatic variation that emerges with the rise of changing ideology, varying global circumstances, and new technologies. Brandt’s work has allowed me to synthesize the seemingly typical experiences of two average Americans who I recently interviewed in light of trends, patterns, and factors that ultimately contribute to the uniqueness of
They all had free time in the playground that had only one seesaw and some swings. On her way home, she took the bus and once they got to her bus-stop she got off and walk a quarter of a mile to her home. She told me that when she got older they would say prayer and the pledge allegiance in the mornings. She also had music lessons where she learned her first notes. When she entered high school she did not have a vision to be a teacher or anything similar, but she did want to be a secretary so she took business courses like typing, shorthand, and secretarial training.
When someone is guided in their literacy development and they are impacted in a positive way, they often can become more successful in the field of literacy, which can lead you to a successful life with good social standings, understandings, and power. When someone has what literacy scholar Deborah Brandt calls a “literacy sponsor” they will tend to become more successful in their experiences with literacy. Sponsors of literacy, according to Brandt, are beneficial because they are well educated, have experience in the field of literacy, and are willing to help others improve and let them into the world of literacy. Specifically, Brandt states in her scholarly article “Sponsors of Literacy” that “Literacy as a resource becomes available to ordinary
In this essay, I will argue about how technology is our most important literacy sponsor for our development of literacy. As a young child, my mother always used to forced books on me. Every other day was reading day and I would have to read a book to my mother. I would always look at her and cry because I hated sitting down and opening up a book that was longer than my instruction manual for my video games.
I was 7 years old in second grade when I went to Mrs. Gross’ house for piano lessons. Her house was near my school, Navy Hale Keiki School in Salt Lake. She lived in a small townhouse neighborhood that was quiet. It was a sunny afternoon, I was wearing my purple studded shirt, denim shorts, sparkly light up shoes, and rainbow striped backpack. We got to where she lived at about 3:20 p.m. and found a parking space.
My mother and father did not have college degrees and neither graduated from high school. I vividly remember reinforcing skills taught during the day by recreating the lesson for my dolls. Many evenings were spent with chalk in hand teaching on my wood closest doors. During my junior year of high school, I met my husband. We were married the summer between my junior and senior year.
Children covered in glitter and glue is a sight to witness. Scattered around the room are broken crayons, uncapped markers, and torn paper scraps. This image at the end of the day at a preschool means that it has been a good day. When the day had just begun the sound of feet pattering and bouncing down the hallway was perceptible. The teachers knew that when all the children entered the room and saw the table aligned with crafts every student’s eyes would light up with excitement.
I explained to my kindergarten class vowel consadent e which has always been something for my family to always bring up, I also explained the concept of algebra, not very advanced just the simplest 2 plus x equals 5 meaning 3 would equal x. that summer I went to aim for summer camp and wasn’t treated well by other people, which amazes me because I was being bullied by other 6 year olds, 6 year olds told me I was going to be a failure 6 year olds flushed my hairbrush down the toilet 6 year olds would hit me I was being bullied by 6 year olds, which is mind boggling because you’ve been alive for 6 years and you already have mean emotions to tell someone how there not good enough and that right there is a problem a big problem. In first grade I started competing in gymnastics and wasn’t doing very well, I don’t remember that period of my life well but my mom said a few of the girls on my team started to tell me I wasn’t any good and so I believed it. Academically I was still doing very well, as any 1st grader should, I moved to oak grove and had one of my favorite teachers, Mrs. mattassa.
In my literacy Narrative I will be tackling two problems. The first being my illiteracy in fanti, and the second being my struggle with speaking and pronunciation when I was little. I will be covering a small moment from preschool when I first started to struggle with pronunciation, and discuss how I fixed my english, but at the same time lost any linguistic connection I had to fanti. The second problem will more primarily be focused on in the introduction and conclusion, while the first will be the subject of my small moment. The defining moment any particular will be when my teacher talks to my parents, about me having a literacy problem with speaking english properly.
Books have shaped who I am today. Writing has provided me with a creative outlet. My literacy and writing history go way back. By the end of this essay, I hope you’ll have a better understanding of my literacy history. My earliest reading memory was in Kindergarten.
The history of my literacy has been a long road of a frustration and learned lessons. As a child, I was a bit of a loner so reading and writing were the closest thing to a social life for me. The things that I bottled up inside came out through my writing and it became somewhat of a pass time for me. As long I could remember literacy as has been an important value for me in my life because from very young age I got express my true self without being judged by the outside. Even though in my later years I would deal with some heartaches and set back that lead me to give up on my love for reading.
The two literacy narratives I used were my classmate, Devin Chaffin, and Yutaro Hosoda from DALN. During class Devin talked about his 3rd grade English teacher. His English teacher’s name was Ms. Lucas and she taught at Hebron Elementary. When he was young he used to stutter. He was an excellent student in math, and strive to do as well in writing and reading.
My relationship with literacy has been a journey all on its own. From learning how to sound out letters and words, to reading my first sentence , I have developed quite a valuable foundation and platform, that will eventually guide me to success. I have had the pleasure of experiencing a love that just continues to blossom. A love that will never fail, nor will I fail it. This love that I speak of is my passion for reading, writing and literacy as a whole.
Literacy has applied over the course of my education and my life. As an education major, I believed that literacy was an ability to learn how to read and write. Furthermore, literacy has been a part of my education. I have come to an understanding that literacy is a lot more than what it seems. It’s about expressing yourself that includes your opinions and feelings.
The school I attended had this program where I was first taught to read and write in
