Essay #1- Connecting Reading to Service Typically, when the term “literacy” is mentioned, one automatically connects it with reading and writing. Literacy, to me, is much more than that. Literacy is the “ability to read and write”, but I believe that literacy is a way to grow, discover, and express oneself. My ideal vision of literacy instruction would be to allow students to use reading and writing as a gateway to self-expression. Literacy can be used to grow not only as a person, but as a well-developed writer. A constraint to my vision of literacy would be the restricting mindset instructors enforce on their students. Students have been expected to write solely based on the “rules” taught by their teachers throughout their education. If students do not comply with these “rules”, they are punished with a bad grade. I strongly believe that students write in fear of bad markings and in fear of not pleasing their instructors’ needs. As students advance through the education system, they must advance in their writing skills as well. University students should be able to read and write at a higher level.
High school and college instructors must be open to reason and consider that being so demanding with their criteria will only cause students to write at basic level. Instructors that have a stern grading policy are only keeping their students skills at a standstill. Some concerns with my vision of literacy would be that it can cause instructors to hold back on their grading’s, which could cause students to not improve or slack off. My vision is not to hold back instructors from teaching reading and writing skills to their students. Students who are pressured into writing simply to complete the task in order to get an “A” will never truly grow as a writer. Writing is meant for putting thoughts onto paper. If students felt more at ease with their writing