Sydney Oyler

Literacies #1
I. What is literacy?
Literacy: knowing ways of being in particular contexts
Literacy deals with power, patterns, language, etc.
Literacy is affected by economics, histories, politics,
culture, technology, etc.
II. How do we define literacy?
Literacy is a flexible category and reflects a process
A literacy event is a particular example of literacy in
action
III. Video: Would you consider what you see here to be an example
of literacy?
Yes, beat boxing is an example of literacy. I believe this
because literacy also has to do with the patterns in
language and all beat boxing consists of is different
patterns.
IV. Different types of literacies
Reading and writing
Speaking
Storytelling
Pop culture
Work
Academic
Musical
V. Chart
Things Im an expert Things Im good at Things I dont know
in but not an expert in much about, but Im
curious
Musical Writing Mechanical
Pop Culture Academic Technological
Athletic Storytelling Mindfulness

VI. Looking at the list, would you consider these activities to be

literacies? Why/why not?
I would consider some of these to be literacies but not all
of them. I believe this because I dont see how politics or
mechanical aspects could be a part of writing or
expressing writing.
Literacy: A flexible category and reflects a process. Know
ways of being in a particular contexts
 Expertise: expert skill or knowledge in a particular field

Literacies #2
Watch the "3 ways to speak English" video to the right. Write: How is Lyiscott
articulate/literate? What expertise and external influences impact her
literacies?

In the video, Lyiscott expresses how she has multiple different

backgrounds and thats why she calls herself trilingual. The three languages

she says she speaks are: articulate, hood, and Jamaican. Having all of these

different influences has helped her in life because she now has the ability to

connect with all different kinds of people. She is able to speak their language

and understand when she is spoken to. She is an expert on these three

different types of ways to speak.

Literacies #3
In your daybook, please make a list of what external influences impact who
you are and how you act. Include books, video games, songs/artists, people.

Family
Friends (Best friends especially)
Music/Concerts (all different types because I listen to certain types
based on what mood Im in)
Social Media
Movies
Art (Photography mostly because it captures the feelings of that
certain moment in time but all kinds of art speak to me)
My dog Stuart
Literacies #4
1. In the all the different examples that I looked at explained kind of the

same idea. All of their writing careers started later in life but their reading

ones started at a younger age. Each individual writer approached their

literacy narratives by telling a little backstory as well. For example, in

Mary Katherine Swianteks Finding my voice she talked about how when

she was five years old she wrote her first book. She said, It didnt make it

on the New York Times best-selling list, but, nonetheless it was a still on

complete story and I still have it to this day. Stories like this influenced

the authors to become who they are today as both writers and human

beings.

Literacies #5
1. Are there any influences on the forum list that surprise you? Why? or Why

not?

When I was looking at all the lists from the forum, honestly none of

them surprised me. A lot of them contained certain aspects such as

family and friends. Every one of us has different upbringings and

with these upbringings come our influences. There are also

influences such as the social media. The social media was a big

influence on our generation specifically because social media came

about in our generation. A huge influence in my life are the visual

arts such as music and art. Several people had music or concerts as

an influence. This didnt surprise me because a lot of people,

including myself, look to music as an escape.

2. Who decides what being literate and/or articulate means? Explain.

I dont think a single person decides what being literate or

articulate means. I believe the definition depends on the different

aspects of an individuals life such as culture and where they grow

up. The video with Lyiscott was a very good example because she

talked about being trilingual. What she meant was that she could

speak with her native tongue, hood, and articulate. The difference

because the way she talked with her father and the way she talked

with her friends was completely different. I believe each situation

defines what being literate and articulate means.

4. How might a broader understanding of literacies/being articulate impact

my analysis of my readers? Impact my writing? My reading of texts and the

world?

Now that I have broader understanding of literacies, it gives me the

ability to write with a deeper connection to my specific audience. It

also improves my reading skills as well because I can understand

why authors use all the different perspectives. Reading all the
different texts the world offers has allowed my mind to look on a

broader scale.

5. Write a reflection about your experience with this studio. Springboard

questions: How did it go for you? How long did you spend on it? Did it shift

your understanding of this course at all?

When we were first told about studios in class and how they would

take a good amount of time to complete, I honestly started

stressing about them. Once I actually sat down and started working

on the studio, I learned that yes it took a good amount of time but it

was interesting to do. I did have a problem understanding activity

#4 but other than that one activity I was about to understand the

directions. I thoroughly enjoyed how there were videos involved

and it wasnt all just reading. I also liked the fact that I was able to

learn from people like Lyiscott and how their different backgrounds

influenced their everyday life. Reading from other authors also gave

allowed me to think more about my life and my own opinions. By

doing the studio, I now have a better understanding of the class and

what some of the components of it are.