Pre-Writing

I believe Literacy is combined with both Ong and Gee's theory. I have quotes from each that I plan to use.

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"Since literacy is regarded as so unquestionably normative and normal, the deviancy of illiterates tends to be thought of as lack of a simple mechanical skill" -Ong

"The law at work here is: once the world is technologized, there is no really effective way to critize it's condition without the aid of the technology you are critizing." -Ong

"Literacy is control of secondary use of language (i.e., uses of language in secondary discourses)" -Gee

"Finally, discourses are intimately related to the distribution of social power and hierarchical structure in society. Control over certain discourses can lend to the acquisition of social goods (money, power, status) in a society" -Gee

"Leaning should lead to the ability for all children-mainstream and non-mainstream- to critique their primary discourses and secondary discourse, including dominant secondary discourse. This requires exposing children to a variety of alternative primary discourses and secondary ones (not necessarily so that they acquire them, but so that they learn more about them.)"-Gee

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I am a broadcast journalism student here at Mizzou so literacy plays a huge role in communication threw written and spoken language. Based on Gee's definition I would say I am literate in several different discourses. Looking at Ong's ideas I use different kinds of technology to express (broadcast myself orally. Literacy is huge not only in my major at this school but in my life in general.

THere are many different ways to look at literacy. It can be spoken, written, or some combination of them. Many philosophers and educators have different ideas of what they consider literacy. After reading Gee and Ong's essays it is clear to me that it is a combination of the two ideas. Literacy is something that a person can use to communicate in man y different situations throughout life.