Major Assignment 1: Literacy Narrative (100 pts) Write a literacy narrative exam

Major Assignment 1: Literacy Narrative (100 pts)
Write a literacy narrative examining your own literacy history, habits, and processes. The
purpose of this inquiry is to get to know yourself better as a reader and writer. As Malcolm X
argued, awareness gives power and purpose: the more you know about yourself as a reader and
writer, the more control you are likely to have over these processes.
Start your literacy narrative by considering your history as a reader and writer. Try to get at what
your memories and feelings about writing/reading are and how you actually write/read now.
Avoid making bland generalizations such as “I really love to write” or simply “I hate reading”
and try to go into detail about how you learned to read and write. You might begin by thinking
about questions such as these:
 How did you learn to read and/or write?
 What kinds of writing/reading have you done in the past?
 How much have you enjoyed reading and writing?
 What kinds of particularly vivid memories can you think of regarding your journey of
reading and writing?
 Can you recall any early memories learning to read and/or write?
 As you were learning to read and/or write, did you get a sense of the value of reading and
writing?
 What frustrated or pleased you about learning to read and/or write?
 What kind of reading and writing do you do most commonly?
 What are your current attitudes towards reading and writing?
 Who are some people and/or institutions in your life that have acted as literacy sponsors?
You may want to answer all of these questions before beginning your paper to properly get you
thinking about your writing past and present. However, once you begin your narrative, you will
want to probably focus on a few particular experiences. You will want to ask yourself what you
want to talk about out of everything you could talk about. You may have particular stories or
instances in which your own writing affected you in some way, or helped you on your journey.
Refer to the readings prior to writing, which include examples of literacy narratives, to help you
develop a theme and particular focus for your own narrative.
Of course, your story shouldn’t be told simply for the sake of telling a story. Meaning, you’ll
want to a point or takeaway for the reader (again, think about some of the examples we read for
class). This kind of point of thesis is maybe different from other kinds of writing that you’ve
previously been exposed to (some might call your point an implied thesis). Often times, some
realization for you, the writer, will present itself in the end of the narrative.
Purpose:
– To reflect on your history as a reader and/or writer
– To tell a clear story that makes a point
– To write a readable narrative
– To reflect on how past experiences with literacy have shaped your present
– To consider what purpose the written word has in our world
Requirements:
– Length: 3 – 5 typed, double-spaced pages in Times New Roman with 12 point font with
1” margins. Also, include a centered, revealing title (don’t just write “Literacy
Narrative”). List the draft (first or final).
– Audience: While this is personal, it is intended to be read by your peers and the
instructor.
Grading Criteria:
– Properly addresses some part of your history as a reader and/or writer
– Addresses where you are now as a reader and/ or writer
– Narrative has a point (Thesis Statement)
– Writing is clear, well-organized, and edited for clarity.
– Meets assignment length and is free of grammatical errors
Due Dates:
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