Is+Literacy+Collaborative

This blog is about the prompt we are going to discuss in class tonight. The text being read aloud is probably a how-to-do piece. It teaches the group how to register children in a daycare center. The mother being used as an example has to follow instructions. She has to listen carefully to the reader and maybe take notes. Then she has to fill in an application form and gather all the necessary documents and submit the package to the daycare center. It is a life skill and I used to work at the Life Skills Center in Detroit. It is an alternative school. However in this case, the mother's success is not measured by a grade but with her child being accepted to the daycare center. At school we only practice in experimental situations which prepares us for real life situations such as filling in job applications or medical information. My ESL students practice writing checks, balancing check registers, filling job applications and other forms which is a way of teaching them to perform in real life If they are able to fill in the forms and understand what documents are needed and how to submit applications, then each participant satisfies my definition of literacy. If a college student knows the why and how then he is literate in his subject is my definition of literacy for college students. A knowledge of theory and practice. In this case however, the participants need only apply and understand instructions and they get a pat on the back. Participants in the group tell each other how to fill the forms and help each other and also emphasize the importance of doing a good job. This passage was difficult to understand, but the example of the mother in question made it easier for me to answer the questions. When one reads in a group, depending on how well he reads and whether he is clear or not so clear, people will understand at different levels. When the group takes it a step further and discusses individual experiences the reading is clarified further to those who thought they understood everything as well as those who didn't get all the information. According to my assumption, the comprehension is deepened when forms are filled collaboratively. If I didn't make this assumption of filling forms or actually doing something I would not have understood what is meant by reintegration, but now I do. Elizabeth