Writing Assignment No.3 Revised

Writing Assignment NO.3

Frank/Rui Wang

Gee talks about literacy by first defining and illustrating the word ‘discourse’ by emphasizing on 5 viewpoints about discourses that are unpopular to Americans; then, the author focuses on the distinctions between learning and acquisition and their relationship with literacy; moreover, the author talks about the differences between the primary discourse and the secondary discourses; finally, the author differentiates between the mainstream middle school students and the non-mainstream middle school students by talking about their literacy learning process.(P.257-263)

Initially, Gee talks about 5 point of views which seem unpopular to Americans without talking about literacy itself.(P.258) The first point states that discourses is comprised of standpoints one must speak to the audiences. The second point says that whether the discourse can be criticized depends on what the person’s standpoint is. The third point indicates that the point of view taken by the discourse is not only influenced by the discourses itself but also by those of its opposing discourses. The 4th claims that a discourse can let people believe their ideas which are totally different to those of they originally belong to. The last point is that discourses are closely intertwined with one’s social status and they can help people acquire some social goods where the term ‘dominant discourses’ and ‘dominant group’ is derived.(P.258)

Then, Gee emphasizes on the distinctions between learning and acquisition by first giving definitions for both of them(P.259)-----Learning is a conscious knowledge gaining process through teaching while acquisition is a subconscious process without teaching and instead, being exposed to different situations so that people know that they need to acquire something under such situations.(P.259) The author also cites one of his experiences in order to illustrate that learning and acquisition coexist but acquisition are more significant in our daily life than learning do. (P.259)Finally, the author come to the conclusion that learning and acquisition all have their own merits and dismerits such that acquirers usually beat learners at performance, learners usually beat acquirers  at talking about it.(P.259)

Moreover, Gee focuses on the differences between the primary discourses and secondary discourses. (P.260)According to Gee, the primary discourse is an oral mode intimate people use to communicate with each other while second discourse is the discourses that are performed at institutions called ‘secondary institutions’ and is far beyond than a primary discourse.(P.260-261) Then, the author comes up with a useful definition about literacy------Literacy is control of secondary uses of language and two applications of literacy in secondary discourse arises----dominant literacy and powerful literacy while the latter one is used to critique the former one. (P.259)

Finally, Gee focuses on the differences between the literacy learning process between the mainstream middle school students and non-mainstream middle school students.(P.261-262) Mainstream middle school students learn their literacy through what they experience at home or school and have many opportunities to practice what they learn since the teachers will give them some strategies to criticize discourses they have listened to while non-mainstream middle school students don’t have the opportunity to listen to a dominant secondary discourse so that they can’t practice what they have learned at school. (P261-262) Lastly, the author gives some suggestions to future research mainly to express his idea that learning and acquisition are both important to develop a person’s cognitive skills ; acquisition should be advocated and it’s an efficient way  to help non-mainstream middle school students master their literacies and although non-mainstream students may have conflicts which is opposing to their primary discourses when they master the secondary dominant discourses, it will help them get new sorts of masteries during this process. (P.262)

Gee, James “What is Literacy?”   Language and Linguistics in Context. Eds : Harriet Luria, Deborah Seymour, and Trudy Smoke. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates 2006 P.257-264. Print.