Jiang Meng Homework#3

JIANG MENG HOMEWORK#3

In Gee’s passage, literacy is defined by firstly understanding the point of discourse. Discourse is a method to socially identify somebody by language use, thinking and behavior. Discourse is not very common in America while it is in Europe. To help us further interpret what discourse is, Gee deeply explain several properties of discourses. 1) One must “do something” to let him be identified. 2) Discourse can be criticized but the one who criticize it must be in one of the all discourses. 3) The position of one discourse is closely related to other discourses. 4) One can accept conflict values between two different discourses at the same time. 5) Discourses are related to social power and hierarchical structures. Then, Gee again point out the differences between learning and acquisition. Learning is taught by someone by a model consciously. Acquisition is self-acquire something naturally and subconsciously. . From finding, we know that learning is good for knowledge and acquisition is good for practical skills and performances No one can get knowledge without either one kind, but the successful person should make a good balance between learning and acquisition. Literacy now can be defined mostly as the second discourse. First discourse is all thing about our primarily born-to-be gaining like race. The second discourse is some derivatives related to first discourse but it can be go beyond and independent from first. Second discourse is non-intimates connection. Because the differences in first discourse, two children can differ a lot in the ability of acquiring. The home background can cause a child easily acquire knowledge while others are learning. Finally, Gee claims we should let acquisition occur in all the school to all level of children and boost it. And the school should also plan courses to combine learning and acquisition in a better way.