As this project follows closely the model provided in the textbook, I encourage you to look over the assignment there (WAW 458-460).
Style and Form
Like Project 2, this project is also a narrative/reflection form that is more open-ended and exploratory. Yes, the "I" works here because it is a narrative of your experiences.
Invention
The editors talk about this genre in a very helpful way. Pay particular attention to the questions they provide under "Invention, Research and Analysis" as these should enable you to start think about your particular literacy. Most of the blog posts have been also asking you to examine your own literacy. The important thing is to start thinking and drafting now. The more drafts you produce, the better your work will be. It's okay if you write something that you don't use later. That's part of it.
Literacies
But also remember that you don't have to limit yourself to a 2-d definition of literacy (as strictly reading/writing). There are endless variations and types of literacy. You might want to consider a type of computer literacy, or the implications of collaboration that happens in open-source platforms - how it challenges ideas about authorship/ textual ownership.
So What?
The book emphasizes that you need to have a "so what"- an overall finding or controlling idea that the narrative leads or adds up to. For Yusuf, this controlling idea came in the form of a definition of literacy, but you could make many other types of argument. See the list in the textbook for more examples.
What Makes It Good?
I really like this section of the assignment. Following this general advice can, to some extent, ensure that your essay has a structure and a purpose. Your piece should accomplish the following:
1 ) "tell a story or stories about your literacy history"
2) "talk about where you are now as a writer and reader and how you past has shaped your present,
3) "make some overall point about your literary experience"
Multimodal Opportunities
The book also encourages you to work in modes beyond print/text (powerpoint, audio, video, mixed media doc. with images/video, etc). Feel free to do so but make sure that you can meet the following conditions:
1) You talk to me about what you're planning. No surprises!
2) Your work can still meet the formal requirements of the assignment (below).
3) Your work can still be uploaded to the DALN.
Formal Requirements
1. Project meets the length requirement (1500-1700 words). If producing video or audio, have a script which meets this requirement.
2. Incorporates at least 2 sources. Sources can be primary or secondary material. The DALN encourages you to supply additional materials to enrich your narrative. For instance, a scanned copy of some material that relates to your literacy, a short story you wrote in second grade or an interview with a grandparent or a scanned. This would be primary source material. Secondary sources could be something from the book, either Alexie or Malcolm X, Brandt or Devoss et al or Baron. So if you're talking about how your experiences with technology demonstrate changing literacies in the 21st century, you might use Baron to back up / illustrate your main point. Talk to me if you're having trouble with this at all. This isn't always done in the genre.
3. Project must be uploaded to DALN. We'll do most of the work uploading in class. But if you're working in a mode other than text, make sure that the web sites accepts your file format.
Genre Conventions
Autobiographical. Narrates experiences of author's life.
utilizes narrative mode-descriptive language to capture a memory. so sensory details will bring this alive more. If you're talking about your grandmother. what did she wear, how did she smell? What was it like playing video games? Did it make your heart thump in your chest? This is where you can use creative language.
first person "I"
the lit narrative should have purpose- there's a reason you're telling us about your experiences. one purpose or controlling theme is to define literacy in your life. does it mean upward mobility? identity? what?
chronology-the literacy narrative shows some kind of evolution/growth of the person.
others describe this as before and after literacy. so acquisititon of literacy works. the literacy narrative also "looks to the future" and looks back. Where do you see yourself based on past experience?
Especially on the DALN, the literacy narrative can be multimodal-it can include different forms of media (text, video, audio) to help you tell your story. SO if you have another image or video or song you produce that you want to talk about, you'll upload that to the DALN along with your narrative,
