Week One
Wednesday, January 3
Defining Literacy
Class begins
Week Two
Monday, January 8
Defining Literacy
James Collins, “Literacy and Literacies” and Sylvia Scribner, “Literacy in Three Metaphors”
Wednesday, January 10
The Origins and Beginnings of Writing
Denise Schmandt-Besserat, “How Writing Came About” and John Boardley, “The Origins of ABC: Where Does Our Alphabet Come From?”
Week Three
Monday, January 15
NO CLASS: Martin Luther King Day
Wednesday, January 17
The History & Development of Writing
Denis Baron, “From Pencils to Pixels: The Stages of Literacy Technology“
Week Four
Monday, January 22
The History of Reading
Carl F. Kaestle, “The History of Literacy and the History of Readers”
Week Five
Monday, January 29
Midterm Prep/Review
No readings—midterm prep and review in class.
Wednesday, January 31
Midterm
No readings—midterm exam in class.
Week Six
Monday, February 5
Researching Literacy Practices: Reading in Context
Elizabeth McHenry and Shirley Brice Heath, “The Literate and the Literary”
For In-Class Work: From Topic to Question
Wednesday, February 7
Researching Literacy Practices: The Particular & The General
Deborah Brandt, “Sponsors of Literacy”
Week Seven
Monday, February 12
Researching Literacy Practices: Literacy in School
Anne Haas Dyson, “On Reframing Children’s Words: The Perils, Promises, and Pleasures of Writing Children”
Wednesday, February 14
Researching Literacy Practices: Literacy & Gender
Helen Damon Moore, “Introduction and Chapter 1 from Magazines for the Millions“
Week Eight
Monday, February 19
Researching Literacy Practices: Fans & Texts
Henry Jenkins, “How Texts Become Real” from Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture
Wednesday, February 21
Researching Changes in Literacy: Video Games
James Paul Gee, “Semiotic Domains: Is Playing Video Games a ‘Waste of Time’?” from What Video Games Have to Teach Us about Learning and Literacy
Week Nine
Monday, February 26
Researching Changes in Literacy: Redefining Writing
Lisa Dush, “When Writing Becomes Content“
Wednesday, February 28
No readings—in-class presentations by…
RILEY
KATE
ZACH
ZOE
Week Ten
Monday, March 5
No readings—in-class presentations by…
IAN
ERIK
CAILEEN
MADISON
WENDY
GERALD
Wednesday, March 7
No readings—in-class presentations by…
MARIA ELENA
THOMAS
AMY
EMMA
MEGAN
