Aaron Bennett
10-12-‘00
Literacy can mean many things in today’s society. You cannot explore literacy before you define what it is. The authors that we have read in this class have some differing views as to what literacy is. This difference shapes what they were looking for in their research and how they approached the results. Jabari Mahiri’s definition of literacy extends far past the classic reading and writing. He contends that literacy can be applied to non-academic realms such as sports. There is a literacy specific for a sport, in Mahiri’s case it was basketball. That literacy also comes into play with the reading and writing that might be done in relation to the sport. You cannot express yourself in writing if you do not have the nontraditional literacy of the game first. You cannot write an article or even read a basketball scoreboard without that literacy specific to the sport. Mahiri divides literacy into behaviors and skills. He quotes that “literate behaviors were defined as ‘behaviors that instill problem-solving abilities and knowledge creating resources’”(Mahiri, p. 129) He still thinks that “literacy skills” are only for reading and writing though. This dichotomy between skills and behaviors is interesting. I believe it is the author’s way of including the outside literacies without muddling the classic definition too much. Mahiri also applies literacy to computers. “… concepts of computer literacy further stretch notions of literacy”(Mahiri, p. 138). He thinks that computer usage could help to further literacy, but only if it is the person who is in charge. Researching on the Internet, typing on a word processor, or programming requires a great deal of literacy. Many computer programs nowadays do not require much literacy. If a program just leads a child through a prescribed sequence, that does not foster the learning of new literacies. There are role-playing games and others that do require a lot of literacy though. It can be a great tool if used conscientiously. Thomas W. Bean’s definition of literacy is a more classic one. “I define literacy broadly as conceptually rich engagement with a variety of print genres including novels, texts, and other written materials”(Bean, p. 149). Bean says that his definition is broad but it really is not. It only includes reading of print. Even if he includes the out of class reading and writing, it is still marginally the same type of literacy. This could be one of the problems in his observation of a loss of literacy around the Middle School age. At that time children may start to foster other literacies. They will learn sports that require a literacy of their own. They do work on the Internet and other computer related activities. This requires literacy but is not included in Bean’s definition. That is an example of how the definition will shape the research and resulting findings. Is it a decrease in literacy, or solely in reading? Obidah uses the more traditional definition of literacy.
“In general, the term literacy is used to describe structured processes of schooling whereby students are taught to read and comprehend texts as well as produce their own written works”(Obidah, p. 52).
This definition does not take into account the other literacies we all use everyday. She uses the term “literary currency” to encompass all those other literacies that people use in dealing with life. I like this definition because it keeps the definition of literacy simple and easily definable. The “literary currency” also takes into account the other multifaceted literacies that we also need. It is like the middle of the road, a happy median between the two extremes. I believe that literacy encompasses all structured processes that humans use to deal with life.
Literacy in a tribal Native American culture is described much differently than what is normally thought of as literacy. Knowledge of wampum belts, songs, dance, smoke signals, trail signs, and hand signals are all forms of literacy that Native American tribes used before the white man ever landed upon these shores. These notions of literacy pervade modern culture in areas with large Native American populations. Teachers in these areas must take into account the native types of literacy when teaching the students. This is the same in many regions where the minority culture is different from the norm. As teachers, we must teach the formal type of literacy without losing touch with the native ones of our students. Using the cultures and languages to complement each other is a good step in that direction. It is a slippery slope to climb, but one that is far more rewarding in the end. The students will have learned the correct literacy while keeping the proud heritage of their forefathers.
In such school settings as on an American Indian reservation, these traditional literacies must be taken in account when attempting to teach the students. Bringing in oral stories, myths, etc show that literature takes many forms. Just because the forms do not follow the Anglo-Saxon convention does not make them any less valid. Talking about dances as a form of telling a story might be an interesting way to show the literacy behind it. Delpit explored a school with a high concentration of Native Alaskans. The same scene presented there is represented in any like school, no matter what tribe. There is a contention between the old ways and the new. The Native American tribe had a language before colonization. Many times this language is still spoken at home or in other village settings. A reservation is set up as a country in and of itself. In that way it might be hard to convince people that they must learn English. This resistance is most often from the Elders, but it will pervade the attitudes of the young as well. The students must learn that they need good English to survive in this country. That does not mean they have to lose their heritage. This is shown in the comments from Martha Demientieff in the Delpit article.
’We’re going to learn two ways to say things. Isn’t that better? One way will be our Heritage way. The other will be Formal English. Then, when we go to get jobs, we’ll be able to talk like those people who only know and can only really listen to one way. Maybe after we get jobs we can help them learn how it feels to have another language, like ours, that feels so good. We’ll talk to them when we have to, but we’ll always know that our way is better.’ (Delpit, p. 135)
The students realize the value of both languages. They will have both literary currencies. Demientieff compares it to the differences between a formal dinner and a pot-luck type picnic. One needs both types of literacy at different times. Many people now believe that this way is better than the old way where the native culture is just repressed in favor of the new one. My Father’s ex-roommate teaches on the reservation in Monument Valley, Arizona. There are classes in the Navajo culture and the school is officially bi-lingual. I observed that the students are eager to learn about their own culture. If that interest is fostered, the love of learning is translated to other areas as well. This leads to a better well-rounded student and one who truly loves learning. The students are allowed the freedom to express their ancient values and stories while learning the correct modern wording and grammar usage. I like the idea of fostering both without the exclusion of one or the other. My family was forced to go to “Indian Schools” where they learned the “American” way. They were encouraged, or even forced, to give up their native culture and embrace the more Anglo-Saxon, Judeo-Christian one. This helped them assimilate into the new culture better, but they lost the cultural identity that held them together. I agree with the idea behind the mastery of both literacies because the students will need to live in the world as a whole but, they do not want to lose the heritage of their native culture. I like the modern way better in which both cultures are taught side-by-side. No culture is necessarily better, just different. In that way students are taught to embrace literacy in all forms. Fostering literacy is one of our ultimate goals after all. Keeping students interested goes a long way to easing the process of teaching.
The Native American dances require a lot of literacy to fully appreciate. I could take my students to a pow-wow and ask them to try to write the story that the dance is trying to tell. A pow-wow includes many dances of many types so the students could pick the one that they enjoy the most. If that is not an option, I could bring in a VHS tape of some dances although there is something to be said for the experience of seeing it live with ones own eyes. There is a lot of background info the dances take for granted that the viewers know. I would probably have to give a lesson or two on the background so the students could fully appreciate what is happening in the dances. Paint, masks, etc provide clues to the content but you must know some background to the costuming to be able to tell what those clues are. Painting is important in the dances. Through the painting of individual dancers the viewer is able to discern who are the lead characters. The leads will have more vibrant colors like blue, yellow, and crimson (Mason, p. 258-259). This is to set them apart from the other rank and file dancers. Masks can tell much about the character as well.
Some have a fierce, hideous, war-like expression, others are pleasant, and still others have a witless, imbecilic look. Mask dances allow considerable freedom of expression on the part of the dancer. Each mask should be studied for the type of character it represents in order to determine how this particular kind of person would dance. In this way the appropriate movements for each mask are created. (Mason, p. 194)
Many dances are set up around various masks and the creature they represent. The masks and other costuming are paramount in tribal dances. They convey the meaning of the characters and story along with the dance itself. An “old man” might be dressed in rags and have a haggard looking mask. He would also dance lethargic steps and might use some sort of walking stick. Props, costuming, dance, and masks all merge into the formation of a complete story.
In order to fully appreciate this, one needs to look at a specific dance, or many if you have the opportunity to go to a pow-wow. It would more advisable to see the dance since describing it in words does not capture the essence of the event. Since this is a paper, I’m forced into one form of literacy. That in itself shows the importance of multiple literacies. The following description is of the Apache Devil Dance as Julia M. Buttree observed it. It appears in Mason’s book on American Indian Dance.
A strong dancer commands the scene. A Black Spirit enters, filling the ring with a sinister power, evil and malign. The dancer weakens under the deadly spell, struggles futilely to shake it off, and finally falls to the ground, the victim of the Evil One. In the exotic manner of his kind, the Black Spirit dances his devilish delight over the triumph. A Medicine Man, cringes back in fear… then gradually his anger wells up and he charges the Holy One. In the play that follows between the conflicting powers of good and evil, the Black One gradually gains ascendancy. The retreating Medicine Man motions in three other Medicine Men, each with a holy wand. The combined power of the four wands overcome the Evil One and he runs off screaming loudly. The dancer rises and dances again with all his original power and glory. (Mason, p. 124)
This entire story must be done with the use of costuming and pantomime. In many of the story dances, there are know spoken words. The viewer must have the appropriate literacy to discern what is happening. The Devil is dressed in black or painted black. He wears a grotesque mask and long black hair. His sound comes from a double rattle. Often a certain drum or other instrument is used specifically for one character. This works much like the music from Peter and the Wolf that many people are familiar with from the Disney cartoon. The medicine men can be discerned from their elaborate headdresses and wands that they carry. The character’s movements reinforce that costuming. The Devil crouches and slinks around. The medicine men grow stronger in spirit throughout the dance. This is shown in the way they slowly rise and finally circle and vanquish the Devil. The students will be able to follow the story in spite of the lack of spoken words. This may be used to bring home the idea of outside literacies to the students.
I think that literacy is a many-faced beast. It can mean many things to many different
people. It includes everyday knowledge
that one needs to survive, as well as formal knowledge needed in specific
situations. To be a truly literate
person, one must use many forms of literacy.
There is no good reason to exclude one type of literacy in order to
learn another. Sub-cultures such as
Native American tribes should be able to embrace their own heritage while still
learning the literacies needed in America at large. The literacies involved in watching a Native American dance are
much different than the traditional pen and paper type. It is literacy nonetheless. This shows that our definition of literacy
must be expanded to consider many new forms that were not thought of
classically.
Bean, Thomas W.. “Teacher Literacy Histories and Adolescent Voices: Changing Content-Area Classrooms” Reconceptualizing the literacies in adolescents’ lives. (pp. 149-170). 1998. Mahwah, NJ. Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc, Inc.
Delpit, Lisa D.. “The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children” Harvard Educational Review, 58. (pp. 280-298). 1988.
Mahiri, Jabari. “Reading Rites and Sports: Motivation for Adaptive Literacy of Young African-American Males” Literacy Across Commuinties. (pp. 121-146). 1994. Hampton Press, Inc. Crosskill, NJ.
Mason, Bernard S.. Dances and Stories of the American Indian. 1944. A.S. Barnes and Co.. New York, NY.
Obidah, Jennifer E.. “Black-Mystory: Literate Currency in Everyday Schooling” Reconceptualizing the literacies in adolescents’ lives. (pp. 51-71). 1998. Mahwah, NJ. Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc, Inc.
