Nicole's+Second+Exposition+Paper


 * Nicole Tufano **

At the time when many of today’s seasoned teachers went to school, they attended classes referred to as “Reading”, “Writing” or “Language Arts”. Lankshear & Knobel (2006) explains that the term literacy was not used in the formal educational setting then, but was used more widely merely to define whether a person was literate or illiterate. Reading and writing were considered a crucial part of having the ability to receive information and communicate with printed texts, such as newspapers, books, and the like.
 * //Literacy and New Literacies //**

Lankshear & Knobel (2006) continue to explain that in the 1970’s there was a push for literacy within the formal educational system. One reason for this push was, in part, due to Paulo Freire’s work in the field of literacy. As described by Lankshear & Knobel (2006),

Freire’s work with peasant groups in Brazil and Chile provided an example of how literacy work could be central to radical approaches to education aimed at building critical social praxis. His concept of literacy as ‘reading the word and the world’ involved much more than merely the ideas of decoding and encoding print. (p.9)

Freire believed that the ability to read and write wasn’t simply about learning how to use and understand the alphabetic code, but to use the skills of reading and writing to think critically and to understand how the world works from a social and cultural standpoint. This was an important shift in thinking about reading and writing (or literacy) because this theory would give learners the chance to initiate a change for a more fair world. “Freirean literacy education was, then, an integral component of a radical, politicized pedagogy purposefully designed to stimulate action for change.” (Knobel & Lankshear, 2006, p.10)

According to Lankshear & Knobel (2006), another reason for the push for ‘literacy’ in the U.S. in the 1970’s was a ‘literacy crisis’ in the form of large numbers of adults identified as ‘illiterate’. At this time, the US was moving toward a post-industrial society and many people were unprepared for these changes; that is, reorganization of the labor market and employment moving from a manufacturing based economy to a service based economy with a restructuring of society as a whole. The ‘sociocultural’ perspective was also becoming quite popular among those who studied language and social sciences. Together, these all played a role in the push towards ‘literacy’ within the formal education system. Despite the large push for ‘literacy’ within the formal education setting—where literacy was defined as reading and writing the alphabetic code—many people were just simply replacing the words ‘reading’, ‘writing’, and ‘language arts’ with the term ‘literacy’. There was no attendant change in the ways these ‘subjects’ were taught, however. In essence they were not teaching literacy, they were teaching reading, writing and language arts under the term literacy.

Today, //Merriam-Webster Online// defines literacy as the quality or state of being literate, and literate as being able to read and write. The 2010 version of the dictionary still considers literacy as reading and writing. As educators, when we think of the term ‘literacy’, we need to go beyond just reading and writing and think in terms of using reading and writing in a critical way to understand and act in the world around us. When we teach ‘literacy’, we need to think about reading and writing from a critical social and cultural perspective. We don’t want our students just to be able to read and write. We want them to be able to think critically about the world in which they live, as well as play an active part in it.

When teaching ‘literacy’ to our students, we now must take into account ‘new literacies’. There is more than one type of literacy, which will be further explained in both Lankshear & Knobel’s definition and my own. Lankshear & Knobel (2006) define ‘literacies’ as “socially recognized ways of generating, communicating and negotiating meaningful content through the medium of encoded texts with in contexts of participation in Discourses (or as members of Discourses).” (p.64) Discourses here means “characteristics (socially and culturally formed, but historically changing) ways of talking and writing about, as well as ways of acting with and toward people and things.” (Gee, 2000) []) That is, Discourses are ways of seeing reading, writing and speaking as many different practices and that learners see meaning in the text and in the world as placed in the learner’s experiences. Learners will act in the world in specific ways due to experiences and culture. I view literacy as the ability to not only read and write but to understand, make meaning from, participate in, collaborate to produce knowledge and being able to use such knowledge within social and cultural areas of one’s life. For example, to be ‘mathematically literate’, one could read math equations, write math equations, produce math equations and even participate in a math league or even online math group and discuss math in a critical way, not just recite facts that have been memorized. When dealing with ‘digital literacy’, however, you need a different set of ‘literacy skills’. One needs to be able to read and speak the ‘language’ of the Internet, produce the ‘language’ of the Internet, collaborate with others and participate in discussions critically about the Internet and so on. Today, there are many types of literacies we can teach our students, (e.g., ‘science literacy’, ‘historical literacy’, ‘digital literacy’, ‘media literacy’, ‘musical literacy’ and so on).

That being said, I believe that ‘new literacies’ refers to being able to do all the things previously stated within the formal educational setting and the ever-changing digital environment in which we live. ‘New literacies’ can include being able to read, understand, evaluate and produce creations such as Fanfictions, blogs, digital remixes, videos, digital stories, podcasts and wikis. For the purposes of this paper, I will focus solely on items produced and shared on the web, and, more specifically, on Fanfiction.


 * //Why ‘new literacies’ are important //**

It is important to state here that traditional literacy skills, meaning reading and writing alphabetic print, are needed to understand and engage with ‘new literacies’. Jenkins et. al. (2006) explain very clearly“[y]outh must expand their required competencies, not push aside old skills to make room for the new.” (p. 19) It is important to teach reading and writing skills because they are needed to engage with ‘new literacies’, but “new literacy” skills easily can be taught in conjunction with important, traditional reading and writing skills (i.e., the ability to read, write and comprehend text can be taught through Fanfiction and blogging; the ability to research news stories, listen and critically respond to them and write and record essays can be taught through the use of podcasting; the ability to communicate persuasively can be taught through video making and so on). A new literacy such as Fanfiction, for example, could be used to enhance the way we teach certain skills we want our students to attain. Fanfiction typically also creates a more meaningful learning experience for our students. ‘New literacies’ are important because students engage with them for hours on end, yet not when they are in school. Jones-Kavalier and Flannigan (2006) state that “[c]hildren learn these [new literacy] skills as part of their lives, like language, which they learn without realizing they are learning it.” (p.8) We as teachers should be developing and enhancing these skills that students are teaching themselves because these are skills they will need later in life and will surround them on a daily basis.

Students need to learn how to research information reliably and effectively. They have a wealth of diverse information coming at them from all angles via the web. Students need to learn not only how to locate information but how to decide between what is credible and what is not, and how to “back up” or support the position they ultimately take with respect to the topic being researched. In order to ensure students’ success in and out of schools and their future successes in the workplace, we should be teaching our students how to engage with the web effectively.

Students must also learn how to read beyond the written word. They should be thinking critically about the message they are receiving from sources whether they are traditional print, audio, video, online information or other forms of media. In addition to learning how to understand and interpret the message, our students should know how to produce in all different media forms including print, audio, video, and so on.

In today’s information age, when students leave school and enter the workplace, they will be expected to work collaboratively to research information effectively and efficiently and to relay that information via various formats whether it be e-mail, a Power Point presentation, or the like. With this being said, students then must know how to operate in a technical world. Therefore, students must also learn technical skills; that is, become ‘technically literate’. Schools are supposed to prepare students for college and/or the “real world”. If we are not preparing students to be equipped with the skills needed to function in a digital world, we aren’t preparing them for the real world.


 * //What is Fanfiction and what are its implications for the classroom? //**

Rebecca Black (2005) explains that Fanfiction well and truly preceded the Internet. As a matter of fact, many children and adults were producing works similar to that of Fanfiction and submitting them for publication to personal fan magazines known as “zines” for years before the internet became a publicly available service. Fanfiction describes the act in which fans write and share new stories based on favorite books, movies, anime, television shows and the like. It also includes the final results, too: the fan-produced narrative itself. For example, “Dixie Sweetheart”, a seventh grade female from Georgia, wrote a Fanfiction piece based on the book //Hoot.// Here is a piece of her Fanfiction titled //Over a Year://

“ It had been one year since Roy had spoken to Mullet Fingers. Over this time he had changed much he had grown about 1 foot and was taller then Beatrice Leep his best friend in all of Coconut Cove,Florida. As he was riding his bike to the hide-out where Beatrice a few hours ago had said to come to after school, he was in deep thought mostly of Beatrice "The Bear" Leep. She had changed some but, not much she was still a major soccer jock and still had an attitude that could kill you if it was a weapon. As he rode on he was thinking of her physical features he had never realized until this year the way her hair was a golden blonde and her skin had a sunkissed glow how her eyes were piercing and yet gentle with her brother and himself. He remebered the first time she had come to him when Lonna had fought with her Dad and how she was calm and easy about breaking into his home but, he knew deep inside she wanted to cry she had cried only once around him and that was when Mullet had been bitten by a dog again and this time they couldn't take him to the hospital. Mullet had surprised them so many times when he miracuosaly(sp?) recovered it didn't shock him or Beatrice. Now he had gotten close to the hide-out well you really call it a hideout it was actually a gazzeboa(sp?) deep in the woods.” Retrieved from: [|http://www.Fanfiction.net/s/3477488/1/Over_A_Year]

You will notice “Dixie Sweetheart” is looking for feedback from other fans about spelling. Shamburg (2008) explains that “[f]ans of particular books, movies, TV shows, and video games go online to write original fiction based on their favorite stories and then read, revise, collaborate, and comment on them with fans who share their passion.” (p. 50) Thus, it is possible to describe Fanfiction as a ‘new literacy’ because authors are generating and communicating meaningful content in a way that is socially recognized by other fans through participation. ‘New literacies’ such as Fanfiction, provide students with the opportunity to write collaboratively, gain experience in writing for larger, knowledgeable audiences and receive feedback on their writing in a more meaningful way.

When authors write a Fanfiction piece there are several “genres” they can choose from. Chris Shamburg discusses these genres in his book //English Language Arts: Units for Grades 9-12.// The first example mentioned is “missing scenes”. “Missing scenes” are not actually in the original literature but would stay true to the facts and characters in the original story. For example, an author might write a story based on the book //Tale of Desperaux// and add a scene between Desperaux and the princess. In that scene, the characters and scenes would be the same as what the author portrayed them in the real story. Nothing would be changed by the Fanfiction author. The author would simply add a section that could fall right into the story. “Alternative perspective” refers to the Fanfiction writer telling the story from a different perspective, which can include an opinion about a character, an event or the entire story. When a major character or story event is changed, it is considered to be an “alternate universe” story. For example, an author may write a story about //The Polar Express// but tell the story from the perspective of the little sister. Characters from one story entering into another story or world would be considered as part of an “alternate realities” story (e.g., //Star Wars// characters appearing in the world of //Harry Potter//). “Sequels” are a continuation of the story that takes place after the timeline of the original story. A “prequel” is when an author writes a story that takes place prior to the timeline of the original story. Finally, a “self-insert” is when the author writes himself or someone who closely resembles himself into the story, usually through an avatar (e.g., I could write a character into the story of //Curious George// that resembles me. She might be a shy hard-working teacher who loves sports, especially the New York Giants and Yankees, and loves her students). These various genres actually require a quite sophisticated understanding of story structures, characters, plots and so on. Some of the most popular Fanfictions today are written about the books //Harry Potter// and //Twilight//. //Harry Potter// currently has 457,511 Fanfiction pieces written and //Twilight// has 147,354. Someone of these pieces can run the length of multiple chapters and over 100,000 words. That is not to say that we will necessarily be writing pieces on //Harry Potter// or //Twilight// or pieces that are over 100,000 words, but it just shows that when students are interested they will write and they will write a great deal.

Clearly, in producing and responding to Fanfiction, students can enhance their writing skills and improve their technical and Internet skills as well (Herzing 2005). When posting stories on internet sites such as Fanfiction.net or using a Web-based blog or wiki established by the teacher, students are afforded many valuable learning opportunities. Knobel & Wilber (2009) argue that “[t]he Internet makes room for all kinds of interests and affinities, and more and more online services are making it possible for people to leave comments, review posted work, and respond to others’ opinions in truly participatory ways.” (p. 21) By working in this participatory fashion on either Web-based blogging sites, wikis or internet sites such as Fanfiction.net, students are learning skills that they would not otherwise learn by working independently. Not only is it possible for them to write both individually and collaboratively, but they are able to receive feedback, learn from constructive criticism, review and improve their writing, and learn how to give useful feedback. Feedback can range from simple to complex suggestions about storylines, plots, narrative structure, writing style, spelling and grammar. (Knobel & Wilber 2009) For example, authors can officially look for advice from beta-readers. Beta-readers are the Fanfiction name for proofreaders. Reviewers can also act as informal beta-readers. Black (2005) describes how these official or unofficial beta-readers may “recast(s) several paragraphs of the story to model effective use of conjunctions, subordinate clauses, and sentence transition. However, it is significant to note that, in rewording the passages, the reviewer does not single out and criticize individual grammatical or spelling errors, but instead offers a more holistic critique aimed at helping the author better convey her meaning.” (p. 126) Reviewers may also comment on grammar and story structure that may hinder their comprehension of the text. Reviewers will almost always follow with a positive comment and request more writing from the author. Negative commenting, known as flaming, is strongly discouraged within Fanfiction.

Typically, in many classroom settings students are given an assignment where they are expected to work independently and are assessed on their individual work. A teacher may give one round of feedback while students are working on an assignment and then the assignment is submitted for a final grade. After the students are given a final grade, the class moves onto the next topic. Students don’t generally give feedback to each other until the final presentation of assignment work, if at all. By teaching in this manner, students are not being offered a chance for peer-to-peer learning or to learn in a meaningful way and they often can lose interest in the assignment. If students cannot relate to and make meaning from the assignment they are given, then the situation is not conducive to learning. Fanfiction writing and reviewing enables students to focus on their own ‘fanships’ and existing knowledge about some narrative world (e.g., Harry Potter).

We, as educators, want to instill a love for reading and writing in our students and we are expected to teach them how to become familiar with the writing process, which includes; prewriting, writing, proofreading, editing and publishing. What better way to teach them than through a meaningful experience with reading, writing, editing reviewing and so on through Fanfiction. “Online blogging communities such as LiveJournal and sites such as Fanfiction.net have become more than repositories of Fanfiction; they are communities of readers and writers who provide commentary, share enthusiasm, offer proofreading, and collaborate on creative pieces.” (Shamburg, 2008, p. 50) It is easy to argue that Fanfiction.net enables students to use all steps of the writing process and, as such, lends itself readily to meeting school and classroom curricular goals.

Fanfiction.net is currently blocked by our school’s internet filter blocking system. I believe it would be such a valuable tool for our students to draw on. Some of the issues raised by Shamburg (2008) concerning Fanfic include accessing adult material. However, these perceived dangers can be minimized by registering to the site and teaching the students to be aware of the Fanfiction writings labeled for mature content. To be sure, the benefits of using Fanfiction.net to encourage all of our students to become serious and seriously good writers far outweigh the concerns of encountering mature content, especially if we teach them appropriate navigation on this site.

In conclusion, it is my opinion that it is extremely important that educators teach their students ‘literacy’ skills. To do this effectively we must take into account the ‘new literacies’ needed to be successful in today’s world. By lifting the filter from Fanfiction.net we can create a beneficial learning environment that can broaden the reading and writing skills of our students and increase their participation as readers and writers.

**__References__** Black, R. (2005). Access and affiliation: The literacy and composition practices of English- language learners in an online Fanfiction community. //Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy (49)//2, 118-128.

Gee, J.P. (2000, September). Discourse and sociocultural studies in reading. //Reading Online, 4//(3). Retrieved May 27, 2010 from: [] __ .html __

Herzing, M. (2005). Retrieved on May 27, 2010 from: http://digarchive.library.vcu.edu/bitstream/10156/1705/1/herzingmj_thesis.pdf

Jenkins, H., Clinton, K., Purushotma, R., Robison, A., & Weigel, M. (2006). //Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century.// Chicago: The MacArthur Foundation.

Jones-Kavalier, B. & Flannigan, S. (2006). Connecting the Digital Dots: Literacy of the 21st Century. //Educase Quarterly 29//(2), 8-10.

Lankshear, C., & Knobel, M. (2006). //New literacies: everyday practices & classroom learning//. NY: Open University Press.

Knobel, M. & Wilber, D. (2009), Let’s Talk 2.0. //Educational Leadership,// 20-24.

Shamburg, C. (2008). //English Language Arts: Units for Grades 9-12.// Eugene, OR: ISTE.