In the article ‘’Sponsors of Literacy’’, Deborah Brandt argues that the process of learning literacy along with influential sources are dependent on the present economical setting. The exchange of information regarding social, economical, and political standpoints in America, play a vital role in the skills acquired by reading and writing as well. The transition from a print based culture to digital culture resulted in a negative shift of an individual’s ability to develop exceptional literate skills. Brandt offers a conceptual avenue to connect literacy as an economic development conjointly with the ability to obtain several sponsors. Sponsors are defined as agents who enable, support, teach, model, recruit, regulate, suppress, or withhold literacy. This is a mere result of the necessity to learn literacy and the requirement to have some sort of assistance. Brandt asserts, ‘’ literacy takes its shape from the interests of its sponsors. And, as we will see below, obligations toward one’s sponsors run deep, affecting what, why, and how people write and read’’.(pg. 168) Furthermore, the ability to achieve high level literacy and high socioeconomic status, is a result of being in contact with several powerful literacy sponsors. The question that emerges throughout the text is, what about the individuals without the ability to access sponsors? Their economic success is extremely hampered. Brandt discusses these differences between two individuals named Dora Lopez and Raymond Branch. Dora Lopez undertook to teach herself how to read and write due to the economical situation at home. Dora experienced little to none assistance from a sponsor and other resources. This resulted in her economic success to be low-ranking. Raymond Branch was able to access powerful literacy sponsors due to his fortunate economic situation at home. This allowed Raymond to develop exceptional literary skills. In result his economic success is considered to be high ranking. Brandt draws a direct line between large scale economic, historical, and political conditions in correlation the present economical situation along with the development of literacy.
Christina Haas & Linda Flower Assignment
In Rhetorical Reading Strategies and the Construction of meaning, Christina Haas and Linda Flower discuss how readers interpret the text, display representation, construct and apply multiply strategies to be a “good” reader. The authors assert that readers tend to view the text as an opportunity to gain knowledge, while ignoring the necessity to expand on the meaning of the text. Furthermore, when the text becomes very complex, inexperienced readers fail to make a connection or display any sort of reasoning. The question still remains, how do you teach students to develop a rhetorical reading strategy? Haas and flower suggested, ‘’teaching by direct instruction, by modelling, by encouraging students to become contributing and committed members of rhetorical communities.’’ My own view is that readers develop complex reading strategies over a lengthy period of time and experience. In conclusion, Haas and Flower maintained that inexperienced readers view the text as an opportunity to gain and apprise knowledge, while lacking the complex strategies entailed to understand the text.
Don’t Blame The Eater Summary # 2
It is often said that there are inexpensive and convenient alternatives to fast food restaurants. David Zinczenko argues in ‘’Don’t Blame the Eater’’ that, ‘’McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, or Pizza hut, were the only available options for an American kid to get an affordable meal.’’ In Modern day, there are several options to receive a nutritional meal. Time, money, and patience are a crucial factor. Preparing meals at home is a start. In addition, purchasing Tupperware and other items to keep your meals fresh and ready to go is essential. Replacing snacks with fruit and vegetables, drinking water instead of soda and being conscious of what you consume is important in leading a healthy lifestyle.
When it comes to the topic of correlation between obesity and fast food restaurants, most of us will readily agree that in the reading ‘’ Don’t Blame the Eater’’, David Zinczenko makes some compelling points. Where this agreement usually ends, however is on the question of the pathology of obesity. Whereas some are convinced that obesity is a genuine medical problem, others maintain that obesity is a problem of cultural stereotypes. My own view is that obesity is partially a medical problem and a characteristic of the American culture as well.
Apart of being American is embracing our vast number of fast food restaurants and sparse healthy food alternatives. This contributes to the worldwide medical problem referred to as obesity. Furthermore, Zinczenko discusses the role of advertising, lack of nutritional facts, and the failure of the Food and Drug Administration to regulate prepared foods. He asserts, ‘’ without such warnings, we’ll see more sick, obese children and more angry, litigious parents.’’ If health hazards were advertised and warning labels were utilized, Americans are given the ability to make informed choices about which prepared foods to consume in moderation.
Zinczenko discusses obesity as being a genuine medical problem in correlation to the increase costs of health care and the emergence of Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from impaired insulin utilization coupled with the body’s inability to compensate with increased insulin production. Furthermore, Type 2 diabetes is either caused by a genetic disorder or obesity related. David states, ‘’ Today, according to the National Institutes of Health, Type 2 diabetes accounts for at least 30 percent of all new childhood cases of diabetes in this country.’’ In making this comment, David brings awareness to the excessive cost of healthcare due to diabetes; ‘’The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that diabetes accounted for $2.6 billion in health care costs in 1969. Today’s number is an unbelievable $100 billion a year.’’ He suggests that children lack the ability to manage their diet resulting in a prolonged unhealthy lifestyle. In result, obesity and diabetes will be costly, chronic medical problems in children and adults of America.
Wolf and Barzallai’s ” The Importance of Deep Reading.” Summary with quote
Deep reading is essential to the mind, young or elderly. The ability to process information, make new connections with the use of prior knowledge, and decoding is all a part of being an efficient reader. Due to the emergence of a digital culture, the learning process has been hampered. Other audiences may argue that digital texts can enhance the learning process, by giving the reader no choice but to evaluate the information given. Also, allowing the reader to develop swift attention shifts, the ability to multitask, and gather information quickly. Throughout the text, several quotes caught my attention. In particular, Edward Tenner (2006) remarked; ‘’it would be a shame if the very intellect that created this new technology was threatened by it’’. The importance of this quote is that the same intelligent persons creating digital texts are diminishing the learning process as well. In result, intellects are making it difficult to extend your knowledge presently or in the future. Therefore, digital texts should be used as a secondary source for learning.
Summary 1
Jazmin Wilson 