Literate Communities

As a college student, I have been a part of many different communities throughout my life. Right now I belong to my family, the floor I live on, travel softball team, all the classes I am enrolled in, and a tutoring club I belong to. All of these communities have different literacy rules. These rules are not necessarily written down and explained to every member as they become a part of the community. When I became a part of my family, nobody told me I would have to learn how to answer the phone, take messages, write notes to family members, learn how to read a book and write a paper, or read the signs on the streets. As I grew up these things slowly became a part of my life. I saw my mother and father answering the phone and taking messages down if the person was not home, or if I was going down the street to play I would leave a note so that my family knew where I was at all times. Learning to read became something I wanted to because I saw other people reading and I wanted to learn how too. Becoming literate in my family was not something I was told I had to do, it just became a part of my life because I learned by watching others. When my sister joined this family, she also learned literate rules by learning from others around her.

The floor I live on also has literacy rules. These rules came from everyone’s opinions on how we should live so that we are always respecting one another. Some of the rules are the times we should be quiet in the halls, keeping the bathrooms clean, or what time visitation hours are. These rules were the posted on the wall so that every time we walk down the hall we are reminded that we are part of a community that has rules. If everyone follows these rules, then living together will be easy and everyone will enjoy it. To become a literate part of this group all you have to do it follow the rules that are posted. If a new girl were to join the floor, all they have to do is agree to the written rules.