Form and Function in Today’s World

Mrs. Elaine Hill

ENGL 1101-007 & ENGL 1101-014

Literacy Narrative Assignment (Major Assignment #1)

Draft due September 8th
Final Draft due September 17th

Function ~
‘Narrative,’ in many ways, is another word for a story. The idea behind this assignment is for
you to look at your own history, up to this point, as the fodder for a story. Specifically, your goal
is to tell your audience (myself and your peers) the story of your use of language in its many
forms. As we will discuss in class, this involves an examination of the many types of “literacy,”
or forms of language, whether spoken, written, read, perused, or observed on a screen.

Response ~
In what ways has language been used in your upbringing? Was there a predominant type of
language used by certain people in your past that were influential to you? Are there differences
that seem important, for example, in how language was used in your house and at your school, or
in how you were told to write and in how you wanted to or enjoyed writing? Does the way you
use language depend on whom you are with? What are your personal preferences for reading
material, whether in print or online? Has your writing always been focused on a product, such as
a personal statement or a paper for school? Where are you at this stage in your development as a
writer?

Form(at) ~
Compose a narrative of your literacy history, including the forms of writing and spoken words
with which you are familiar based on your background, your interest (or lack thereof) in the craft
and substance of writing with reasons, and your thoughts on the future development of writing in
your personal/professional life. What are the interesting memories or experiences that you have
had that involved communication in some manner, and how did those affect the way you feel
about certain forms of writing? In order to appropriately fulfill the requirements of this
assignment, at least a solid two pages double-spaced will be needed (not a page and a half).