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Earliest Memory
My earliest memory of literacy engagement took place at home and were with illustrated Bible (OT) stories being read to me by my mother, and with Little Golden Books. In both instances, the fantastic stories being expressively read and the glossy pages and catchy images shared wrapped my attention rather than the printed words or literary aspects (obviously). In essence, it was my first experience of literacy being modeled to achieve its prosodical and narrative effect. -
(Un)Learning into the Teen Years
Circle time, regular library visits, productive book fairs, and read-alouds are some of the things that kept the interest in reading going for me, though having teachers who supported our freedom to choose what we wanted to read (when appropriate) was also important. By the time middle school came I was able to navigate the library independently and preview and select books as per my interest or requirement, but then the flame that was lit early on became less and less. -
Swaying Away
Middle school was a time of social influence, not books, but there was a lot more that changed my tendencies, such as a fast and compact schedule, extracurricular activities, athletics, and fine arts. Unfortunately, most of my reading was done in the form of basal readers and test passages. This turned my view of reading from one of satisfying curiosity and interest to one of mechanical rote learning that was only needed to pass the big test, the TAAS. -
High School Years
Middle school's literacy habits devolved almost completely by the time I reached high school. So long as I could pass a test and write a decent essay that was enough for me, though some ELA assignments drew me into the library to find a book of my choice to write a report about. Sci-fi, a genre I took particular interest in, was my genre of choice, though I wasn't really familiar with the other ones. I used microfiche at times to locate works, paraphrasing as needed. -
Post High-School
After fumbling through my freshman year I ended up doing a two-year stint in the Army, where some soul-searching brought me little closer to books once again. I remember reading Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun and getting wrapped up in the story's imagery and plot, and message, especially since its context clicked. Best thing was that I found it at a Hasting's bookstore by way of my own interest and curiosity. Other soldiers modeled reading everyday too, so the support for reading was there. -
College and Adulthood
After the military, college opened the door to my own literacy development, especially since I was an English major. I used to relish going to the library to find specific works by poets and authors, though not so much when it came to non-fiction (essays, articles, e.g.), though getting them wasn't a problem. By adulthood my personal literacy branched into writing poetry and collecting works by obscure and well-known writers. In many ways, I feel like my own interest in literacy brought me here. -
Legacy of Literacy
As an ELA teacher that has worked with at-risk students and many that dislike reading, I have learned to hook them back in with works that they like, topics that perk their interest, or narration that draws them into a fantastic story. I've found that sharing my own enthusiasm for reading, as well as modeling it for them and practicing it independently is also a major help. I'm also a big advocate for independent reading (20 mins a day), as this is often the best aid for developing literacy.
