2

Click here to load reader

Essay 2 literacy narrative

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Essay 2 literacy narrative

State University of New York, New Paltz

Composition I / Rigolino

Essay #2: Literacy Narrative

Requirements: 750-words; MLA 2009 Formatting

Literacy Narrative: General Directions

A literacy narrative traditionally tells a story about your personal engagement with reading

and/or writing. However, a literacy narrative may also include the story of becoming literate or

developing competence or knowledge in an area such as math or music. Basically, you will pick

an event from your past—either positive or negative—and connect that event to your current

feelings about and/or abilities in the area you have chosen to write about (ex. reading/writing;

mathematics; music; technology; science, etc.).

Literacy Narrative: Guidelines

A well-told story. As with most narratives, those about literacy often set up some sort of

situation that needs to be resolved. That need for resolution makes readers want to keep

reading. Conflicts and/or obstacles are essential to good story-telling.

Vivid detail. Details can bring a narrative to life for readers by giving them vivid mental

images of the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of the world in which your story

takes place.The details you use when describing something can help readers picture

places, people, and events; dialogue can help them hear what is being said.

Significance: A literacy narrative tells something the writer remembers about learning to

read or write (or becoming competent in an area such as math, technology, music, etc.).

In addition, the writer needs to make clear why the incident matters to him or her. Many

writers use the concluding paragraph(s) to reflect on the narrative and its meaning.

Choosing a Topic

Because this is a brief essay, you will likely want to focus on a single event that took place

during a relatively brief period of time.

For example:

any early memory about writing or reading (or becoming competent in math, music,

technology etc.) that you recall vividly

someone who taught you to read or write (or to be competent in a particular area like

math, music, technology, etc.)

a book or other text that has been significant for you in some way

an event at school that was interesting, humorous, or embarrassing

Page 2: Essay 2 literacy narrative

a writing or reading task/assignment (again, you can write about an area other than

reading and writing in English) that you found (or still find) difficult or challenging

the origins of your current attitudes about writing or reading (math, science, technology,

music, etc.)

perhaps more recent challenges: learning to write instant messages, learning to write

email appropriately, learning to construct a Web page

Considering the Rhetorical Situation

PURPOSE: Why do you want to tell this story? To share a memory with others? To fulfill an

assignment? To teach a lesson? To explore your past learning? Think about the reasons for your

choice and how they will shape what you write.

AUDIENCE : Are your readers likely to have had similar experiences? Would they tell similar

stories? How much explaining will you have to do to help them understand your narrative? Can

you assume that they will share your attitudes toward your story, or will you have to work at

making them see your perspective? How much about your life are you willing to share with this

audience?

STANCE: What attitude do you want to project? Affectionate? Neutral? Critical? Do you wish

to be sincere? serious? humorously detached? self-critical? self-effacing? Something else? How

do you want your readers to see you?

Refer to: http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/write/fieldguide/writing_guides.asp#06