Making Literacy – Level One

Traditionally, people define literacy in somewhat simplistic way: “the ability to read and write.”  But what does that mean in practice, in the real world. Read what? Write what? This badging pathway begins by having you think about your own definitions of literacy and then walks you through activities to think about the kinds of hands-on, active, engaged literacy practices that are increasingly being pushed out of school-based education.

1. What does it mean to be “literate” to you? Don’t Google definitions or bother asking anyone else: Write, draw, perform your concept of “literate.”  Does that change depending on context or is literacy context-independent?
2. Now, interview 4 – 5 people (no more than 2 from class) and ask them the same question: “What does it mean to be literate?” Record their answers, possibly using the voice recorder on your phone. Add these audio files to your Google Drive folder for this badging pathway.
3. Watch Lerer’s TEDTalk “History of Reading and the Literate Life.” Notice the different reading and writing practices that Lerer points out. Return to your initial response to what it means to be literate and revise it based on the interviews you conducted and Lerer’s talk. Write a 250 definition of literacy making sure to reference at least two of your interviews and Lerer’s talk. Post quick-write in Google Docs and make it shareable to “anyone with the link.”
4. Claim Code: BCF-32FC-D24