Literacy is a bridge...

Literacy can be literally, yet only roughly, defined as the ability to read, write, and communicate to another person in a given language. Though this simple definition may be sufficient as a dictionary definition, literacy can not be defined in such succinct terms. Literacy has several main facets which help to shape its core definition. Literacy is a bond between a person and a message. Literacy is a bridge that connects one person’s message to another person. Everyone has something, whether it be a feeling, an experience, or thought, that they want to share. Literacy, in the form of written, oral, or visual language is the vehicle for that person’s message to be successfully delivered to another person.

Literacy in the written language consists mainly of putting words into the correct syntax according to the rules of a particular language. This can not be the entirety of written literacy, however, because syntax and grammatical rules cannot account for the emotions that some novels can create for an individual. Therefore, there must be an intangible factor which ties the grammatical rules to the emotional response within our human intellect. This intangible factor is just as relevant in the definition of literacy as the words on the page. Some might argue that it is more important because the point of literacy and the exchange of ideas is the very fact that a message is transferred from one person to another.

Literacy has been a difficult subject for many of my teachers to explain. For the majority of my elementary years, I cannot recall any instruction on the concept of literacy. It is much easier, obviously, to teach a math problem. Math has a beginning and an end. An addition problem needs little explanation. Discussing an existential concept such as literacy, with many young children seems daunting indeed. I did, however, have my first experience with writing an oral expression in my fourth grade classroom. It was the first time, that I can remember, that any teacher had explained how to write an essay. She taught me to use three words to remember in what order my strongest points should be presented in an essay; bing, bang, bongo. I’ve never forgotten those three words that helped me to learn to put my best point in my third body paragraph.

On top of this writing instruction, my teacher also helped me to understand that there are many unspoken messages accompanying my verbal message. She assigned the class a project where every student was required to pick a topic of interest and write an informative essay. The class was then required to use our newly acquired verbal communication skills to present the essay to the class. I always remembered this assignment. I think I remember it mostly because I excelled at it. On top of my success, I remember it as my first taste of literacy as a concept. It was the first time I was asked to come prepared with a message and successfully translate that message to a group of people.