Project I- Literacy Narrative

Draft 1 Due:
Draft 2 Due:
Final Draft3 Due:
Audio/Video Final Draft Due:
Points: 100 points
Materials needed: Everyones an Author, The Everyday Writer handbook
Computer, Microsoft Suite, Internet
Literacy Narratives
According to the Digital Archives of Literacy Narratives, a literacy narrative is simply a
collection of items that describe how you learned to read, write, and compose. This
collection might include a story about learning to read cereal boxes and a story about
learning to write plays. Some people will want to record their memories about the bedtime
stories their parents read to them, the comics they looked at in the newspaper, or their first
library card. Others will want to tell a story about writing a memorable letter, leaning how
to write on a computer or taking a photograph; reading the Bible, publishing a zine, or
sending an e-mail message. http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/selfe2/daln/faq.html
How is this relevant to my life?
Literacy shape who we are. Learning to read, write, and compose are essential to our
career, academic, and personal lives.
What will I need to know to complete this assignment?
Chapter 8 of Everyones An Author
DALN






Upon completion of this assignment, students will understand the following WPA
outcomes:
Rhetorical Knowledge
Focus on a purpose
Understand how genres shape reading and writing
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing
Use writing and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating
Understand the relationships among language, knowledge, and power
Processes
Be aware that it usually takes multiple drafts to create and complete a successful
text
Develop flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing, and proof-reading
Learn to critique their own and others' works
Knowledge of Conventions
Develop knowledge of genre conventions ranging from structure and paragraphing
to tone and mechanics
Control such surface features as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Composing in Electronic Environments
Use electronic environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing
texts
Instructions:

For this assignment, you will write a literacy narrative. Write a literacy narrative in which
you tell the story of one or two moments related to reading or writing. Connect these
individual moments to a larger discussion of what they taught you about the role of literacy
in your life.

Rhetorical Situation:

The Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives (DALN) is designed to collect people's literacy
stories and related literacy artifacts (e.g., photographs, poems, texts, home videos) and to
store these in a permanent collection which members of the public can access, study, and
learn from. The purpose of this project is to establish the first national archive that traces
both digital and non-digital literacy practices over time. Such an archive has great value for
the public as a historical, cultural, and educational record. We want to make it possible for
everyone to contribute their story and have it recorded as part of this record.
http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/selfe2/daln/adultconsent.html

Project Requirements:
Students literacy narrative must be a minimum of 500 words. Students must submit a first
draft, a peer reviewed second draft, and a final draft. Process journals must be submitted
with the final draft in order to receive points for this project. Students will create a digital
literacy narrative that can be submitted to the DALN. If the student submits their digital
literacy narrative, then the student will receive extra credit. Students must attend a writing
conference with me for this project.




Resources:
PURDUE OWL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
Purdue Owl is an online database that provides resources for citation, grammar, and
any basic information you need for writing. Purdue Owl is similar to an online
writing center.
Library & Collections research database: This can be accessed from the UALR
website homepage. If you select Library & Collections then Articles & Databases,
you will be able to choose an area and research the area for scholarly sources. You
will be probed for you UALR Net ID and password when accessing away from
campus.
Everyday a Writer Handbook: This book includes a plethora of writing topics to
assist you in your composition projects and other writing assignments. This is a
helpful resource for copyediting and polishing your work.
DALN: http://daln.osu.edu/
The Digital Archives of Literacy Narratives (DALN) is a publicly available archive of
personal literacy narratives in a variety of formats (text, video, audio) that together
provide a historical record of the literacy practices and values of contributors, as
those practices and values change.