 "Literacy" | 2009-11-03 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2UONPL99S7SQN |
I read chapters 29, 30, and 31 of this sourcebook for a class project, and while I found that the perspectives presented therein were informative and diverse, I also felt that the writing was a little dry. Let me put it this way: if I were doing research on how individuals use discourse in out-of-the-ordinary settings (particularly in the university) or on the acquisition of power discourses, these chapters would certainly be helpful. If I wanted to do a bit of light perusing on the subject of literacy before bedtime, however, I would skip this sourcebook and pick up something more engaging. Nonetheless, to their credit, the authors of the chapters I read fulfill their purposes: to inform and provide solid explanations of their subject matter.
First, in "Inventing the University" (chapter 29), David Bartholomae describes the writing challenges faced by students entering college. He sums up these challenges quite nicely on page 521, asserting that "to speak with authority student writers have not only to speak in another's voice but through another's code...before they know what they are doing, before...they have anything to say." Throughout the chapter, Bartholomae presents samples of student writing and analyzes those samples to demonstrate his point. While reading Bartholomae's arguments, I found that, as a college student, I could relate to what he was saying because I've experienced the same challenges. I felt that he put forth a convincing argument, although at times his writing seemed a bit convoluted and wordy.
Next, in chapter 30 ("Literacy, Discourse and Linguistics:Introduction" and "What Is Literacy?"), James Paul Gee explains what primary, secondary, and dominant discourses are and how discourses are, in essence, what he calls "identity kits." He goes on to argue that dominant discourses must, for the most part, be acquired rather than learned through instruction, and that if one is not born into a dominant discourse, then it is near impossible for him or her to fully acquire that discourse because he or she will probably find the use of the discourse oppressive. I disagreed with Gee on this point, and surprisingly, so did the author of the next chapter.
Chapter 31, "The Politics of Teaching Literate Discourse," is a direct response to Gee's work. In the chapter, author Lisa Delpit explains that while she agrees with many of Gee's views, she also disagrees on two main points. First, she argues that individuals who haven't been born into a dominant discourse can still successfully acquire that discourse; and second, she doesn't adhere to the view that dominant discourses are always oppressive for those who were born outside of them. On the contrary, she holds that acquiring/learning dominant discourses can be liberating. In addition, Delpit gives multiple examples to support her arguments. |
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 "LSIMM017 REVIEW" | 2009-11-01 |
| - Reviewed By User: A15J6HY66ACSB6 |
I have read 3 very diverse chapters from this book, all of which are the basis for my review. Chapter 4: From Pencils to Pixels: The Stages of Literacy Technologies, written by Dennis Baron, has been very informative. He argues that computers are just another evolution of tools that affect literacy. Baron describes the history of literary tools like the pencil, typewriter and eventually the computer. He discusses how we should welcome these new ideas for writing tools and we should embrace them in the literary classroom. He gives Plato's surprising resistance of writing as an example of how we as a society have progressed and those actions/tools once thought of as negative or too advanced are now common facets we can't function without. Plato thought that if we wrote our ideas down then we would lose our ability to communicate orally. In summary this was a great look at the connection between past and present technologies that have contributed to today's literacy.
Chapter 17: Gender, Advertising and Mass-Circulation Magazines written by Helen Damon-Moore & Carl F. Kaestle, discusses the development and evolution of gender roles and how they correlated with advertising in magazines and the overall development of various magazines like The Ladies Home Journal and the Saturday Evening Post. The authors discuss how magazines changed according to women's roles in the home, including becoming the general purchaser regarding household items, groceries and clothing. Due to the overwhelming audience received by The Ladies Home Journal, the authors tried to describe the effects various editors tried to repeat with men's journals. Overall this essay is a very good break down and history of the development of gender role influenced magazines.
The book is basically a combination of essays and ideas concerning various aspects of literacy. It criticizes, analyzes and gives the reader a historical overview of literacy trends and subject areas.
Chapter 23: A World Without Print, by Victoria Purcell-Gates, was my favorite of the three chapters I have read. The author discusses the details of a study she conducted with an illiterate mother and her son. The mother dropped out of school in the 7th grade, as did her husband, the child didn't attend kindergarten because the mother couldn't read to comprehend what was required of him regarding his education. She has enrolled in an afterschool literacy program at a local university with her son to educate herself and him (he's in the second grade and can't read or write, including his ABC's). The author explores how children learn literacy, focusing on those that don't have influences at home regarding literacy; the little boy and his mother.
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| "Good Lit Book" | 2009-10-29 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2LARPLQN9B1ZV |
I liked the way various authors shared their views on different subjects instead of there being just one constant voice. This helped open up new ideas and new interpretations on what literacy is and how it is addressed in various aspects. The three chapters I concentrated on most throughly were twelve, thirteen, and fourteen.
Chapter twelve, though good, did appear to be a little cluttered with so much information compacted into such a short space. What the author, Harvey J. Graff, did write on, however, did keep me interested and I learned a lot from his perspective. He lists how literacy changes through time and how different groups, i.e. poor, african americans, enlistees etc., were treated concerning literacy and how they themselves embraced it.
Chapter thirteen, written by Jamie Candelaria Greene, was about how literacy is often portrayed by scholars as being limited in the ways it was brought and expanded in America. Greene argues that many forget the Spanish influence on literacy. However, limiting the chapter to Spanish influence excludes the monumental influence of Native Americans. I feel that Greene's argument seems then almost null and void, because in one case he is saying "what about the spanish," but in the other, by his own actions, is disregarding other prominent influences on literacy.
Chapter fourteen, written by David Paul Nord, is a overview of the impact, experiences, and teachings of the American Tract Society in Antebellum America. The author does a good job in having a balanced view of what happened and the various ways the tracts were received. I feel though, that the chapter was redundant, and most of what was said was just an echo of an earlier paragraph. |
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| "Women & Literacy: A Quest for Justice" | 2009-10-26 |
| - Reviewed By User: A10NJ5VC00VIXN |
Lalita Ramdas attempts to build a bridge between literacy and women. She does an adequate job of addressing all the problems that exist between world-wide illiteracy and women; however, she does not develop the possible solutions sufficiently. The majority of this article focuses on the injustices women face in a male-dominated society. Women, according to Ramdas, are pulled down by stereotypes, economic status, and social barriers. After reading her article, I recognize the many obstacles women face worldwide to become literate, yet I struggle to see any realistic solutions to this devastating dilemma. The article would have been significantly more powerful had Ramdas spent time developing solutions to this growing issue. Also, she does not provide much analysis deciphering differences in literacy issues between third-world nations and more advanced countries. Overall, the article is interesting, but it leaves the reader wanting more definitive answers to this issue.
Robert Arnove and Harvey Graff do a fairly adequate job of discussing National Literacy Campaigns throughout the ages. The details of this article reveal literacy campaigns to be focussed primarily around religion and politics. Reading and writing are powerful skill sets that empower mass groups of people. They spend a significant period of the time discussing emerging campaigns from various countries; however, they often leave out the development of many third world nations (a huge disappointment). They also address some obstacles facing educators: gender inequalities, religious applications, and poverty. This article left out some key components: the printing age, capitalism, and the Industrial Revolution. Overall, the writing lacks substance and leaves the reader with questions.
Irwin Kirsch, Ann Jungeblut, Lynn Jenkins, and Andrew Kolstad wrote the article Adult Literacy in America. The article reads more like a narrative and reveals little personal insight or methods for addressing illiteracy issues within our country. The article consists of the various findings from the National Adult Literacy Survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Education from 1993. Overall, these authors merely repeat statistics found in the results. The findings are glim and reflect a significant portion of low-level readers. If you are looking for data, this is an adequate source; however, do not look to these authors for solutions or explanation on causes of illiteracy.
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 "A must own" | 2009-06-13 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2T4VGSNXPD6MV |
This is an essential volume of essays on literacy research that any interested scholar should consult.
A great essay by Harvey J. Graff, an essential essay on Service learning, and a very helpful essay on ethnography by Szwed. This book is referenced constantly by literacy scholars. You will not be disappointed with it! |
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