Feb. 8 Blog

Malcolm X Summary:
        In "Learning to Read," Malcolm X describes how he managed to learn how to read despite dropping out of school at and early age and being in prison. He wrote down the letters in the dictionary and read them whenever he had the opportunity. He wished to utilize his literacy to help support the black community during his time.
QD:
1.) Malcolm X intended audience seems to be those who struggle with reading. He tells a very inspirational story of how he learned to read by himself which shows that it can be done in even the hardest conditions.
2.) He defines literacy as the level of understanding you have of what you read while the school-based definition of literacy is being able to read and write.
3.) Muhammad, Bimbi, the prison, and books especially the dictionary where Malcolm X's main literacy sponsors. The dictionary was the most significant sponsor he had access to because it was the basis of what he learned most of what he knows about writing about.
4.) It seems the most probable way that Malcolm X could have misappropriated the intentions of his sponsors was simply not knowing what some of the text in the books he read said.
6.) It is easy to see how he could have read much more than the average college student. Malcolm X had developed a true passion for reading while most of the students were reading simply to get the work done. There never has been anything that truly influenced me about what to read or how much to read it. There are very few things that I have enough interest in to read about and if anything else does not fall into those categories then I will have a hard time reading it.
AE1: Literacy definitely has changed. Although we can access any article of information through technology and reading is done more often through text and email, there are still things that technology hinders for literacy for example with the extended use of spell check new generations are worse spellers because they never had to learn how to spell things it was always done for them.
Reflection:
This was definitely one of my favorite articles we have read mainly because Malcolm X tells a truly fascinating story about how he became literate. This is an inspirational story and can possibly help the more fortunate appreciate what they have.

Alexie Summary:
      In the article "The Joy of Reading and Writiing: Superman and Me," Sherman Alexie talks about the troubles he faced growing up with the discriminations of being indian.  He leads on to explain the origins of how he first learned to read which he says was at the age of three and later on to reading comic books.   His passion for reading led him to become an extraordinary reader and writer.
QD: 1.) Expectations that are negative can harm a child's self-esteem which might cause them to be unmotivated which hurts them in the long run. Expectations that are positive might put too much pressure and stress on a child who now has to obsess with meeting predetermined standards. I know I have high expectations from my parents because they both came to this country by themselves at a very young age without any money and barely being able to speak english but still managed to end up very successful. Although these expectations can put a lot of pressure on me and are stressful at times; they also challenge me to prove that I can be as good and motivated as they were.
AE1:) I do not think that everyone can overcome poverty simply from enough motivation to read and write.  There has to be some cut off point between people because not everyone has what it takes to break their lower class barrier and make something out of themselves. My father is an example of Malcolm X and Alexie who both found success in the face of hardships. However my father has also worked with people who grew up in much better conditions than he did but still did not manage to find success so it differs from person to person. Not everyone has that fire.
Reflection:
      I enjoyed reading this article it was interesting and somewhat inspirational. Alexie shows that even without all the resources of a wealthy family, you can still pull through and find success if you have enough determination.

Baron Summary:
        In his article, From Pencils to Pixels: The Stages of Literacy Technologies, Dennis Baron goes through what technology has done to our generations when it comes to writing. He explains his frustration with computers in particular and how they are hurting the way we write unlike more conventional methods such as with a pen or pencil.
QD: 2.) Yes it does seem that Baron's message is that technology is in a way holding us back in some aspects. I do not agree at all with this claim because technology has made communication so efficient that anyone can connect and exchange ideas in a matter of seconds no matter where they may be.
4.) Besides the pencil the only other outdated technology for writing is the typewriter. Basically anything besides the modern keyboard has become obsolete for writing.
6.) The images definitely helped focus his ideas in a different light which made his points easier to understand at times. I think seeing these images outside of the article and by themselves would not make them considered writing. But used with Baron's article it is easy to see how they can be considered writing.
Reflection:
        Of course I am going to say that I do not like this article. He is complaining about my generation in his writing. He seems to have a very old-fashioned mindset and cannot grasp the big picture that technology offers. He does not even acknowledge the fact that at least if anything, the use of technology has resulted in a decreased use of paper.