Literacy Blog Project - Christa

Literacy Lirico - Barton and Farr - The Function of Functional Literacy

Barton, David and Mary Hamilton. Local Literacies: Reading and Writing in One Community. London: Routledge, 1998.

Farr, Marcia. En Los Dos Idiomas: Literacy Practices Among Chicago Mexicanos. Hampton Press. Cresskill, New Jersey, 1994.

Barton’s piece is about local literacy in a small area of the north-west portion of England, called Lancaster. The study was done in the later part of the 1990’s. Barton, among others, used interviews and observation to attain a general sense of the towns’ cumulative literacy abilities. With regard to the methodology, it was structured as an empirical study, which focused on the following: historical background, which includes the long history of the town, including the Victorian architecture; theory, including several references to prior studies; and contemporary context, which relates the literacy of the people of Lancaster to current economic status and gender roles. Barton’s article does not delve deep into the actual findings of the study. It is focused on the methodology, as the article seems like one big introduction paragraph. Instead of understanding the study and the conclusion of that study, the article is infused with short, subtle definitions that aid in our understanding of literacy as a whole.

For example, Barton writes, “Like all human activity, literacy is essentially social, and it is located in the interaction between people” (3). This thought is brought up, consistently, throughout the reading as he mentions the idea of the ‘literacy as a social practice’ on several occasions. Barton writes, “When we talk about practices, then, this is not just the superficial choice of a word but the possibilities that this perspective offers for new theoretical understandings about literacy” (6). This idea is the existential view of literacy that I think most of us did not have a grasp on when this class began. Literacy is not just words, written or spoken. It is not just the ability to understand language and exchange either verbally or otherwise to another person. Barton views literacy as an idea, whereas a literacy practice is more of a concrete thing that ’exists between people, within groups and communities, rather than a set of properties residing in individuals’ (7).

Barton describes the literacy practices in several ways. First, literacy practices are culturally constructed. Barton explains, “Literacy practices are as fluid, dynamic and changing as the lives and societies of which they are apart” (12). This points directly to the literacy continuum that we, as a society, are never fully literate. We can be literate in what is functional for us as individuals. And for our society, literacy of certain structures, such as standard English, law, and medicine, are deemed superior to the literacy of a minority language. Second, Barton discusses the idea that literacy can be located in a person’s ‘own history’ (12). He cites several dimensions to this idea, including the fact that people use literacy as a tool to make change in their lives, among others. Third, Barton discusses literacy as a theory of learning. He recognizes that literacy can be acquired through formal, as well as informal education.

Likewise, in Farr’s study, she discusses literacy through the lens of a study of Mexicanos (immigrants who were born and/or raise in Mexico) in the mid-west and Chicago. The rationale of the study focuses on the idea that students’ language problems are often cited as a factor in dropout rates. The question is it simply a problem of lack of English fluency? Or could it possibly be the way standard English is used in formal schooling? Farr cites use of participant-observation as her methodology for answering these questions.

Farr’s study of literacy practices within this group of blue-collared Mexicanos focuses on the idea that learning takes place, not only in formal schooling, (usually because economic issues inhibit access to formal schooling) but also within the sphere of the individuals’ lifestyle. Within the study, it is fairly obvious that economy dictates accessibility of formal schooling. Farr writes, “literacy skills correlate with the number of years of schooling, as would be expected, but there are interesting exceptions, all of which have to do with personal motivations to learn and use literacy” (18). Because of this, the group of first generation immigrants learn, more often, via lirico. Lirico can be more simply described as the act of “picking up” the language through the use of everyday vocabulary. It is a learning process that can only happen when a nexus between a motivated person, a trusted ‘teacher’ figure, and a functional text diverge. Therefore, factors such as safety and basic need (food and housing before literacy) must be met. Trust is another factor that must be met. A person will not ‘expose’ weakness to a stranger. And the final factor, in Farr’s study, is motivation. Motivation can come from a combination of places, such as a family relation separated by language illiteracy, or a personal obligation to become literate for religious purposes (27).

So how do these two articles really speak to each other. I think the most obvious comparison would be the emphasis of the author’s ideas of the relationship between economy and access to literacy. First, literacy, according to Barton, “is located in the interaction between people” (3). Therefore, if a person does not have access to literacy practices outside of his or her home, the knowledge of literacy cannot grow. If formal school is the literacy practice, but a person is afraid to attend because they fear for their life, as in Barton’s study - or if a person lives in rural Mexico where the nearest school is several miles away and you’re family does not own a car, as in Farr’s study, that particular literacy practice is not an option. So I wonder, what can we, as future educators, do to help this process become a reality. For the majority, simply building more schools in rural Mexico is not a valid option. So what can we do with the power we posses? My first thought is to focus on the trust issue. Farr describes a learning environment that flourishes because one friend is teaching literacy to another friend. Now, in secondary school, this may not be exactly the avenue to take, but to create an environment where a student can trust his or her teacher is invaluable. My biggest moments of growth in my education, came from teachers who sincerely cared about my future and my success in life. Most people can tell if someone is not being genuine, especially children, so to truly want to help another person succeed is necessary.

Barton and Farr studied very dissimilar groups of people struggling with literacy. And yet, their studies speak to each other in a way that shines light on the fact that all kinds of people struggle with access and comprehension of literacy regardless of the color of their skin. Several factors are related to the degree of access to literacy practices, including economy, but also feelings of safety and trust, as well as motivation. These factors are interdependent. Motivation can be affected by economy, as well as gender and cultural gender roles. As Farr states, “Literacy is a social phenomenon” (26). It seems as though it is almost a miracle that literacy is ever reached with so much adversity to overcome.