Literacy campaign in China. Literature & Language Research Paper

Zhao
Professor Saternus
March4, 2020
English 102
What is literacy?
Gee explains the frame and definition of literacy through the process it is acquired. He uses discourse to describe what literacy is. He defines discourse as a ‘socially accepted association among ways of using language, of thinking and of acting that can be used to identify oneself as a member of a socially meaningful group or social network (Gee, James Paul, what is Literacy? 1989). He goes on to elaborate discourse in attempt to show how it can be used to define literacy. He highlights points that make up a discourse. He also describes the difference between acquisition and learning which he considers very important in attaining literacy (20). He argues that acquisition is a process of acquiring something subconsciously by exposure to models and a process of trial and error without a process of formal teaching. He describes learning as the process that involves conscious knowledge gained through teaching though not necessarily from someone officially designated as a teacher. Though acquisition and learning are different, he argues that they are both necessary in mastery. He however adds that acquisition is good for performance and learning is good for meta-level knowledge. Gee also points out that all humans acquire language free of charge from their primary discourses especially in their ‘society of intimates (20).’ Society of intimates refers to the closest social circles around a person i.e. of it is a child, the parents to the child. Similarly, humans also get knowledge from secondary institutions which are outside the society of intimates through secondary discourses. Secondary discourses emanate from secondary institutions such as churches, schools, etc. After elaborating the secondary discourse and its role in leading to literacy, Gee argues that literacy is the control of secondary uses of language (23). He further defines dominant literacy as the control of secondary use of language used in what is known as dominant discourse. He also defines a term he refers to as powerful literacy which he defines as the control of secondary use of language used in a secondary discourse that can serve as a meta discourse to critique the primary discourse. Gee concludes by pointing out that learning and acquisition are very important processes in mastering dominant secondary courses the learning environment should therefore be structured in a way that it helps children to find a balance between the two processes for a wholistic understanding of the secondary discourses.
(Ze, David, Walter Ong's Paradigm and Chinese Literacy, 1995) suggests an explanation of the definition of literacy from the simplistic approach or learning and gaining knowledge to show that literacy should aim at developing effective reasoning. He uses imperial China which had an elaborate education system based on recitals and memorization of text as a proof that some approaches to literacy are ineffective. Ze describes many aspects of Chinese learning during the imperial China and pointed out that the mode of learning and acquiring literacy was important to the ruling authorities to impose ideological control over the people. (Ze) argues that memorization was the preferred discourse of learning. Content was primarily created and designed not for silent reading but for pondering, memorization and recitation. (Ze) also suggests that ‘the design of the classical style did not encourage effective reasoning and argumentation’ Students were not supposed to ask questions beyond a certain limit as they would be steering away from the goal of their education which necessitated them to memorize and quote as many related texts as possible. Thus, the goal of the education system in imperial China was not directed to encourage reasoning or argumentation but style and rhythm of composition. Additionally, independent study was impossible and anything different from the official approach to learning was considered moral deviation. Ze claims that though the hallmarks pedagogical approaches pertinent to societies with no written language at all, they are also present in literate societies and added the sociocultural impact it has in every case. (Ze) states in his conclusion that ‘not designed to promote the thinking ability of people in general, but to widen the sociocultural difference between people in dominant positions and those in subordinate positions.’ Therefore, literacy in even literate societies is not entirely in the best interest of the people. The people can and cannot understand how to control secondary discourses but their thinking is still constrained. In the case of imperial China, the goal was to enforce social control and the mode of educating the people was largely effective. Majority of the people never achieved literacy (Ze). He claims that the impact of oral residue and by extension literacy ‘on society has to be examined in a broader political, cultural and social contest in a specific time span.’ Therefore, he expanded the meaning of literacy to encompass its impact on the society and on making the people take charge of their own consciousness, to construct their own meanings, and to achieve their own voices form the ruling authorities.
(Watson, Ken and Bob Young, Discourse for Learning in the Classroom, 1986) defines teach...