Hello everyone,
Earlier in today’s class we took time to write our individual understanding of what literacy is. In a general sense literacy is the ability to read and right. I believe literacy goes beyond the basic idea of reading and writing. Literacy is to understand reading, writing, to be able to communicate and record information; both on paper as well as internally. Being literate implies having versatility in the way we store information and communicate. A literate person can read and write but can also record information and produce the information they record. A literate person likely learned how to read and write from a young age.
The definition I have of literacy and the ideas I have developed from personal experience with my experience learning as well as working with a variety of age groups and types of people. This goes beyond the field of education. Working in the education field, in retail, with elderly, volunteering, tutoring a variety of ages, etc. have all contributed to the ideas I have today about literacy as well as other views I have. In my opinion experience is key in understanding people and gaining knowledge.
If I were to choose one person to be the largest influence on how I generally developed the base of my definition it would be my mother. She was the one who taught me in the beginning and still continues to do so. My education was also a large contributor; however, I would not solely place the development of my definition on a single person. I believe that every encounter, person, and experience is what contributes to the de development of ideas, definitions, and beliefs. These outside contributions and personal experiences have been the primary source of the development of my definition of literacy.
In the criteria of the English language, I would consider myself literate,
but I would not consider myself the ideology of literacy. I think there is
always more to know and room to grow when it comes to anything including being
literate. I can read and write both formally and informally in the English language.
I can understand and communicate what I want to say verbally as well as
non-verbally in an efficient manner. I have versatility in my ability to read,
write, and speak. I think that there is no definite place to be in order to be
considered literate. I think being literate is being able to read, write, communicate,
record, and verbalize information. This does not mean that someone is very good
at this skill, instead they may just be able to complete the task instead of doing
it well. I would still consider them literate as well as myself. To be literate
is to be able to complete these skills in an efficient manner which many people
can. These are basic skills that most of us are taught at a young age but not
everyone perfects these skills. In my opinion it doesn’t make them illiterate.
Illiteracy to me is being unable to read, write and therefor lacking a crucial
form of communication. If you are able to do these things I would consider you
literate.
