America the Literate?

As Americans “we lack a consensus on what literacy is because we have differing views about literacy’s social purposes and values” said Scribner. This accurately demonstrates the dilemma that we face in defining literacy. Last week, we read that Hedges believed that the internet was causing our academics to suffer. Carr stated that Americans are reading more than in any other time in history and I believe that this has exposed us to a greater repertoire of writing styles than we have ever considered possible.  Scribner, this week, instead argues that there are several misconceptions about literacy and that it essentially depends on our social situation. It is difficult to define it because in its most basic form, the word was developed to describe the basic level of knowledge that soldiers needed to know to be successfully enrolled.  Thompson’s essay about the results of a collegiate study on student writing imply that instead of being disconnected, students are instead increasingly aware of their audiences and adjust to the social situation. Thompson even goes so far as to say that “the participatory nature of digital media allows for more development of literacies” and implies that our youth are more well-versed than those of the ‘50s. 

After reading these four articles about the various views of literacy, I think that the word has evolved to become a greater than basic meaning of proficiency. I believe that literacy is the level of proficiency needed to communicate and be engaged in a context equal to the social situation in which the individual is a part of. Sometimes, this may require research and analyzation skills to assess the social context but this adaptability is critical to modern society, both professional and general. For now, I think that ability to adjust is somewhat limited in our school systems, as students often learn limited styles of formal and informal writing. There needs to be a recognition by the school system of the informal language used outside the academic arena, and effectively integrate that language into formal writing to create a better susceptibility to flexibility and assessing the audience.