My definition of literacy is being able to read words and conjuring up an understanding and meaning for those words. By doing so, you are able to interpret a meaning and create your thoughts and ideas on that meaning. This helps you to be able to indulge in conversation with someone else. Being literate is very important, because without being able to read and understand what your reading, life is just too unbearable. Everything you encounter has to deal with being literate and able to understand. You also have to be able to recognize dialect and different forms of language, not just what your prone to.
I know the word literacy because it is a term that has been thrown around in conversation and associated with knowing how to read. I can’t remember if it was ever taught to me in school in depth or just understanding how it relates to being literate and knowing how to read. I do remember the context it is mainly used in, for instance “Are you illiterate or do you know how to read the paper?” It’s mainly used in a question or comical way, very seldom is it used for the topic of an in depth discussion. My use of literacy stems from using the word as a basis to explain someone who can read and understands what he or she’ve read. To be honest, I’ve never thought about the definition of literacy and the deeper concepts it could contain.
I can’t recall any experiences of literacy being taught to me, if it weren’t for this English 329 class it would’ve never crossed my mine and something I wouldn’t have tried to pursue further. So my learning experience about literacy is thin. I can’t say that it’s unsatisfying because I don’t know too much about it therefore I don’t know how much I’ve missed or don’t know. One thing is obvious; since I can’t recall or remember the experience it must have not played a large role in my education. If it had, I should be able to remember way more than what I presently do.
