Literacy Autobiography

Answering the following questions may help you begin your

> reflection and
> analysis:
>
>
>
> � What is your earliest memory of writing?
>
> � How and why did your attitude change as you encountered
different
> writing situations and teachers?
>
> � How and why did out-of-school writing such as diaries,
> letters, and
> poetry affect your development?
>
> � What patterns do you notice in your remembered writing
> experiences?
> � Were some kinds of writing typically more difficult or more
> engagingthan others? Can you explain the reasons for the differences?
>
> � What instructional approaches did you find helpful or
> discouraging?
>
>
> You might include some of the following information:
>
> � family influences on your reading and writing;
>
> � school experiences (good and bad) with teachers, librarians,
> friends,classmates;
>
> � the role "self-initiated" writing has played in your
development;
>
> � ways that your strategies for, and approaches to, writing
> have evolved
> or changed as you grew older;
>
> � experiences with second/foreign languages and
> literacy, if
> applicable;
>
> � your present attitude(s) toward writing.
>
>
>
> *Structure/Organization*
>
> The best structures are usually organic and seem inherently
> connectedwith content. Generally, analyzing the experiences and
> relating them to your
> current attitude toward writing is most effective when these
> insights are
> provided throughout the paper rather than in a general summation
> at the end.
> Many students organize this paper around a chronological
> structure. However,
> you can organize the paper by topic (positive influences, teacher
> responses,self-sponsored writing) or any other method that you
> think appropriate for
> your content. You may want to state directly how recounting your
> experienceof learning to write helps you to understand the process
> of becoming a more
> proficient writer, or you may prefer to leave this connection
> unstated. But
> it should at least be implied so that the reader doesn't think
> that you had
> the experience but missed the meaning.
>
>
>
> *Format/Length: *This will vary depending upon your individual
> story. We can
> discuss what seems appropriate for your essay.
>
>
>
Literacy Autobiography Assignment:

This is from Marilyn Elkins' workshop and I think it is her assignment for her first semester
college students. It is a great assignment!

Literacy Autobiography

Description and suggestions: This paper should recount the history of your literacy, emphasizing the development
of your writing abilities. Because reading and writing are closely related, you may have better memories of your
reading development, particularly in your primary and elementary years. But this course focuses on writing, so your
paper should answer the question: How did I learn to write?

Begin by exploring memories of writing events in your life. Next, select a minimum of three significant
experiences--ones that illustrate how your attitudes toward writing and/or your ability to write evolved
and developed. Remembering that good writers provide "telling details," describe these events so that
readers (your classmates and I) can understand both how and why these experiences have affected your
writing development. Then analyze and interpret the meaning and cumulative effect of the experiences
you have selected.

Answering the following questions may help you begin your reflection and analysis:

� What is your earliest memory of writing?

� How and why did your attitude change as you encountered different writing situations and
teachers?
� How and why did out-of-school writing such as diaries, letters, and poetry affect your
development?
� What patterns do you notice in your remembered writing experiences?
� Were some kinds of writing typically more difficult or more engaging than others? Can you
 explain the reasons for the differences?
� What instructional approaches did you find helpful or discouraging?

You might include some of the following information:

� family influences on your reading and writing;
� school experiences (good and bad) with teachers, librarians, friends, classmates;
� the role "self-initiated" writing has played in your development;
� ways that your strategies for, and approaches to, writing have evolved or changed as you grew
older;
� experiences with second/foreign languages and literacy, if applicable;
� your present attitude(s) toward writing.

Structure/Organization
The best structures are usually organic and seem inherently connected with content. Generally,
analyzing the experiences and relating them to your current attitude toward writing is most effective
when these insights are provided throughout the paper rather than in a general summation at the end.
Many students organize this paper around a chronological structure. However, you can organize the
paper by topic (positive influences, teacher responses, self-sponsored writing) or any other method that
you think appropriate for your content. You may want to state directly how recounting your experience
of learning to write helps you to understand the process of becoming a more proficient writer, or you
may prefer to leave this connection unstated. But it should at least be implied so that the reader doesn't
think that you had the experience but missed the meaning.

Format/Length: This will vary depending upon your individual story. We can discuss what seems
appropriate for your essay.