UWRT 1103 Literacy Narrative Essay

Length: 3 Pages
Sources: Minimum of 3

Peer Review/Final due dates: see syllabus

Use MLA format for citations

For this project we will be looking at your literacy narrative. Literacy narrative, simply put, is a personal account of
how you learned to read, write and compose. It often explores the significance of books or written text in ones life
and how they shaped ones attitudes toward writing or thinking. We will read literacy narratives from other authors
as well as take a close look at the literacy narratives of others. In addition, while we are discussing our literacy
narratives, we will be reading The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. All these readings and sources will help
you relate your own personal narrative and make connections with some of the areas that we discuss and you
research. There is no limit to the places where you can seek information. You can question family members about
your earliest encounters with language, either written or verbal.
Because there are so many directions you can explore about your literacy narrative, you may include, consider and
incorporate any of the following where appropriate:

Write about the ways the community you grew up in was oral and in what ways it relied on printed texts
like a newspaper; was your community small and private or was your community a place that you could
hide?

Consider and evaluate race, class, gender and socioeconomic status and how all of these elements can impact
our literary access. Was there a library in your community?

Evaluate the time you spend with various parts of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing)
Do you use text messaging, e-mails, class notes, Face book, twitter, Instagram, telephone, or other social
media to communicate?

Look closely at some of the essays we will read, what can be gained by their message. Are there some
dominant symbols and themes evident?

Recognize cultures dependence on reading, understanding and composing texts where meaning is
communicated through visual elements of photos, video, and other images. Is this evident in your literacy
narrative?

You can provide examples to show connections or similarities in your literacy narrative and that of others, if they
exist. You want to keep questioning until the answers lead you to a better understanding of your literacy narrative
and how it was shaped. We can include our thoughts about how it may change, especially since you are enrolled in a
University. You will write in the first person narrative.
Integrate 3 sources in this essay, other than the interviews you will undoubtedly have with your relatives. For
example you may provide statistics about the benefit of teaching children to read at an early age. Was that always the
case? That simple philosophy has changed over the years thereby making your literacy narrative different from
someone who lived in a different time frame/generation.

To help you integrate just the right amount of your story and incorporate some of the other elements of this
assignment, you must follow the rules below
Novel Connection
Have at least one connection with The Secret Life of Bees whether the connection be with time frame,
characters, teaching philosophy of the time, etc., but use the novel in some way.
Direct Quote
Integrate at least one direct quote that pertains to your literacy narrative. This quote can be from parents,
family members, teachers, or anyone that can attest to your literacy narrative.
Technology
Make at least one connection with the way technology had any effect on your literacy narrative.
Support
Back up what you know about your literacy narrative with some research that supports your feelings. This
support could be from something you saw on television, a newspaper article, an on-line article, a documentary, or any
other source that would support an element of your literacy narrative. Example: You were homeschooled and believe
it to be a huge benefit to your literacy narrative, find any source that supports your view via data, statistics, or
explanation.
Readings
Incorporate at least one reference to any of the readings to show connection or non-connection with our
literacy narrative.
Comparison
What can you compare your literacy narrative to in your day to day life? What else has been this difficult,
this easy, given you as much angst, pleasure or pride? There are plenty of things that literacy narrative can be
compared to, include at least one.
Research
Print all sources from which you have directly quoted or paraphrased from and include in your turn in
package.

Complete and attach this rule sheet to the front of your paper.
Turn in package:
Reflection (done in class)
Final draft
Rough draft(s) including peer review notes
Invention work (anything that shows your writing process like: free writes, notes, outline, etc.)

Copies of the pages from the original sources for materials from which you have quoted/paraphrased (your
research)