Literacy Autobiography

NAZIMA ALLY

Why This Artifact?

• This PowerPoint is an essential aspect of my portfolio because it illustrates my growth in literacy as an individual. This is a reminder to me that literacy is a process that can take various paths, and as a literacy educator this should always be present in my instructional planning. This artifact demonstrates what I have come to discover as a literacy professional: literacy development rests on many socio-economic factors, and opportunity and access are crucial to literacy success.

BACKGROUND

• Born to Guyanese parents of East Indian descent.

• The first of five children

• Grew up in a large, extended family

• Mostly traditional and culturally conservative

• Country of birth

Components of my Literacy Autobiography

• Listening• Speaking

• Reading• Writing

Listening • Jumble of voices• Mother sang old love

songs• Father sang old Hindi

songs• Observed the nuances of

other people’s language and expressions

• Father spoke “differently” when speaking to strangers

• Stories and music on the radio

• Learned greatly from listening closely

Speaking

Development• Always the “quiet” one• First words: mama• Spoke fluently: 2 years

old• “Speak when you are

spoken to”• “Children should be seen

and not heard”• First public presentation

– fear and embarrassment

• Found my “voice” in late teens

• Though confidence came with motherhood, remain the “quiet” one

Cultural Influences

• East Indian, African, and British

• Words for foods, clothing, and rituals

• Resulted in a form of “pidgin” English

• Code switching: Informal “English” at home with family and friends, and standard English at school and with strangers

Reading

• Learning the English alphabet.

• Images made letter-sound coordination easy to remember.

• Books with images and sentences

• Ex. Dick and Jane Readers

• Then ………..

Favorites

Reading Became a PassionMaterials

Newspapers

Mysteries Westerns

Murder Mystery

Romance

adventure

After Marriage• Informational texts,

such as health magazines

• Religion based texts• Newspapers

dominated reading• Internet reading• College required

reading

Limitations• Economic (couldn’t

afford)

• Social (no library services)

• School (no library)

Writing

Early writing• Letters of the

alphabet• Simple sentences• Special moments

or events• Letters to family

members

Reflections• I hated writing• It seemed like too

much work• Handwriting was

atrocious• Just couldn’t get it

right

Later Writing• Failed entrance

writing first time• First English course• Writing about

literature• Graduating

seminar writing

Reflections• Still hated writing• Anxiety about

college writing• Amazement at my

own writing• Realizations about

my own writing• Confidence in my

own writing