The
English/Language Arts is a body of knowledge, BUT Literacy is a skill
set that encompasses and enhances the study of ALL bodies of
knowledge.
In my view, the study of the
English/Language Arts is about employing language to achieve insight into the
human condition and expressing those insights in compelling ways, through the
use of the tools of the art, which include but are not limited to figurative
language, multiple modes of discourse, and time honored skills of rhetoric. We
do this now, as we have done throughout time immemorial, through stories which
illuminate aspects of our own lives and the lives of others. To this end, the
teaching of the English/Language Arts has historically focused on personal
subjects, narratives and literary texts intended to move or persuade the
reader.
Literacy is a skill set, NOT
a course of study. When one is described as literate, it is an
acknowledgement of their ability to generate, comprehend, and communicate
information with accuracy, precision, and confidence in a variety of situations
and contexts. It involves reading, writing, speaking, viewing, listening, and
thinking. Although some have questioned my addition of the term
thinking, I add it because an individual’s writing and speaking are
inherently and ultimately demonstrative of their thinking.
The establishment of positions
such as “reading specialist” and “literacy coach” are relatively new, so new in
fact that the terms did not make their way into peer reviewed literature on a
regular basis until the early 70’s. However, the advent of the
terms and the positions themselves are evidence of a disquiet that has been
lurking in western countries wherein English is the primary language for some
time. I have read extensively on the subject, as this is my
primary area of interest, and if you too find yourself intrigued by this
discussion, I invite you to consult the citations in the attached document
presented by Limbrick and Aikman to the ministry of Education and the faculty at
the University of Aukland.
I further invite you to join me
and continue to reflect and connect @
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