Essay 1 –Literacy Narrative

What is the earliest or most vivid memory you have of learning to read and/or write? Think about the person who taught you or who influenced you to read or write as a child. Which books, stories, articles, comics, poems, song lyrics, or other written materials caught your attention? Did any of these inspire you to write? How did you feel about reading and writing then and how do you feel about it now as an adult? Did reading and/or writing bring joy or frustration? Why do you think it brought you the feeling you experienced? Who influenced your feelings about it, either positively or negatively?
After considering your answers to some of the questions above as well as ones we will discuss in class, write an essay narrating a literacy experience from your life. (If you can’t think of a literacy story related to your own life, feel free to retell a literacy story related to a family member such as a parent or grandparent.) In other words, tell a story from your life (or a family member’s life) about learning to read and/or to write. This essay should be two to three pages long (typed and double-spaced). Use MLA format, as we will discuss in class. Here are some key elements I will be evaluating when I read your literacy narrative:

1. The essay uses a topic sentence or thesis statement to clearly indicate the focus. This statement should give the reader an idea of which literacy event you will focus upon throughout the essay and a general idea of your attitude towards the experience.
2. The essay should include plenty of detail to develop the thesis. I will be looking for the following types of detail: five sense description, dialogue, and answers to the five reporter’s questions (5WH).
3. The essay should be organized in a logical order (possibly chronological) and should include clear transition between paragraphs.
4. The essay should end with a conclusion that gives a sense of closure and finality to the story. You might consider ending with some sort of explanation of how your story has been important in your life overall (or in the life of your family member).
5. The essay should show evidence of having been edited and proofread.