Haley
Gibbons
Literacy
Autobiography
Dr.
Meesuk Ahn
EDLI
634
Reflecting on my time
learning how to read and write, I immediately started to look back to
kindergarten and first grade. These were the staple years that would set the
tone not only for the rest of my academic life, but my life in general. These
two skills are something that every person needs from the start in order to
have an advantage at life.
It all started in
kindergarten. I remember the day and exactly what the classroom looked like
when I we first sang the ABC’s. I was already familiar with this song from
pre-school, but It suddenly became more serious that we knew this song well and
we were taking the sounds that correspond with the letters very seriously. I
grew up in a very diverse school district and two of my friends went to ESL
class. I remember them telling me they also practiced their ABC’s with their
ESL teacher as well.
I don’t quite remember
much from this age, but I was able to talk to my parents about it, and they
told me my first ever book that I read cover to cover was a Dr. Seuss book, and
I was always very drawn to those books because of the fun pictures and witty
rhyming words. Reading generally came easy to me, but I did have friends that
needed to be pulled out for reading, as it took them a bit longer to learn.
I can vaguely remember
practicing tracing letters in a workbook in kindergarten. And now that I think
of it, this is really where my writing started. I tended to enjoy writing a bit
more than reading but found it difficult to get my ideas clearly out on the
paper.
When I think back on my
literacy development from elementary school, I remember loving going to the
computer lab. This is where we would practice our literacy development through
fun computer games. I was very engaged with using technology and caused me to
focus more on my literacy development without even knowing it. I started
elementary school in 2001, so technology was very bare and not nearly as
advanced as it Is today. The access we had was very limited, however computer
time was the best time for us! Furthermore, knowing how I excited and engaged I
was back then with technology, I can only imagine the level of engagement we
can get to by utilizing technology today for literacy development, especially
in bilingual students.
The only language that I
spoke at home was English. When it came to my literacy development outside of
school, I was lucky enough to have a family that would encourage me to read
every night. However, as stated earlier in the paper, I grew up in a very
diverse district and had many friends who spoke two languages, usually Spanish.
I would visit my friends’ houses and hear the different language spoken there
all day. I did not think anything of it back then, but looking back and having
the knowledge I do today, I can only imagine how hard it was for them to only
hear Spanish and home and only hear English in their classroom, besides being
pulled out for ESL.
When we think about
literacy development, we often think about our younger, developmental years.
The teaching we receive in these years is pivotal for the rest of our lives.
However, I feel as if we never stop learning and growing when it comes to
literacy. Over the years, I have learned how to challenge my reading levels
with more complex books and novels. I have also gained a higher writing level,
every academic year. Going from grade school, to middle school, to high school,
college and now even my master’s program, I feel as if I am still learning and
growing every day in both my writing and my reading. For example, I am now
challenging myself to read masters level articles, as well as writing master’s
level papers.
Overtime, I feel as if my
attitude about literacy has evolved for the better. When I first started
reading, it came generally easy to me however I did not enjoy it much. My parents
would have to force me to read my books at night after school, because I
definitely would not do it voluntarily. I did, however, enjoy writing because I
felt as if it was a form of expression and enjoyed being creative with it. As
time passed, it became quite the opposite, I slowly became to disfavor writing
and like reading more so.
Furthermore, I continue
to challenge myself with reading novels outside of my educational career. I
have found it to be favorite hobby and am surprised at how far I have come with
it. Reading and writing has also become the subject I enjoy teaching the most
to both bilingual and monolingual students. I find great joy in watching
bilingual students’ literacy in English develop over time. Teaching students
how to be biliterate is something I have found extremely rewarding.
In closing, looking back
at my time as a student, my literacy development has progressed tremendously
over time, as it still is every day. What I would like to bring into my
teaching career with me is the mindset that every student starts in a different
place in their reading and writing, both in their skills and attitude. It’s
important for me as a teacher to be able to work with every student in their
own unique way.
References:
Babino, A. (2017). Same
program, distinctive development: Exploring the biliteracy trajectories of two
dual language schools. Bilingual Research Journal, 40(2).
https://doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2017.1307290
August, D., Snow, C., Carlo,
M., Proctor, C. P., Francisco, A. R. de S., Duursma, E., & Szuber, A.
(2006). Literacy Development in Elementary School Second-Language Learners. Topics
in Language Disorders, 26(4).
https://doi.org/10.1097/00011363-200610000-00007
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