We're beginning the literacy campaign on Thursday, but what is literacy? Its a very versatile and often controversial term. In fact, most languages don't even have a term for what English calls "literacy." So what is it? Thoughts....
3 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I think on the topic of literacy as social action, promoting literacy is one of the most dangerous things an activist can do. Only an educated people can overthrow their government. In the United States, the point of public education is to craft productive, well-informed and inquisitive voters. Although we've lost that focus, I think literacy is the first step in achieving that goal for all potential voters.
While I understand that intelligent citizens are more likely to try and overthrow the government, I am not sure that this is a realistic side affect of a literacy campaign in this day and age. I might be naive but actually, I believe that by eliminating illiteracy, we will have more informed voters and citizens. Illiteracy is typically a matter of resources available, not I.Q.. Aside from creating a nation of well informed people, I think it is our government's duty to provide necessary educational resources to those people who want it
When i think of literacy i think of my mom taking me to story hour every week at the library when i was little. It's that common need to know and learn. My mom taught me and my brother and sister from an early age how important being literate and reading was. I actually find it sad when I meet people whose parents didn't have the time or didn't take the time to read with their kids and show them the importance of reading.
Welcome to the official WR121: Genre Blog. This site will allow students to take classroom converstions out of the private sphere of the classroom and into the public realm.
3 comments:
I think on the topic of literacy as social action, promoting literacy is one of the most dangerous things an activist can do. Only an educated people can overthrow their government. In the United States, the point of public education is to craft productive, well-informed and inquisitive voters. Although we've lost that focus, I think literacy is the first step in achieving that goal for all potential voters.
While I understand that intelligent citizens are more likely to try and overthrow the government, I am not sure that this is a realistic side affect of a literacy campaign in this day and age. I might be naive but actually, I believe that by eliminating illiteracy, we will have more informed voters and citizens. Illiteracy is typically a matter of resources available, not I.Q.. Aside from creating a nation of well informed people, I think it is our government's duty to provide necessary educational resources to those people who want it
When i think of literacy i think of my mom taking me to story hour every week at the library when i was little. It's that common need to know and learn. My mom taught me and my brother and sister from an early age how important being literate and reading was. I actually find it sad when I meet people whose parents didn't have the time or didn't take the time to read with their kids and show them the importance of reading.
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