Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Literacy Lirico - Lisa Biscan

Marcia Farr observes and reports the different types and levels of literacy amongst a group of "chicago Mexicanos", or Mexican immigrants in her article "En Los Dos Idiomas: Literacy Practices Among Chicago Mexicanos". The group Marica studies is comprised of approximately forty-five people who live in Chicago and Mexico and make up one social network of "mexicano immigrants" (467). Farr states that her study derives from a conceptualization of communication by Hymes (who I assume is a linguist?). She summarizes Hymes type of research as it "emphasizes the importance of context and holistic analysis...to understand meaning from the point of view of the members of a particular cultural group" (467).
Farr does not state her own personal research goal, in addition to her announcement that she is carrying out the study within Hymes framework. This puzzled me slightly. What does Farr aim to acheive in this study? I understand that her study is built on Hymes, but what does she aim to achieve? What is she looking for? Maybe she is open-ended on this. Could this also have anything to do with whom is funding the research? I do not have the answers, only questions. Yet, I believe the initial statement "to understand meaning from the point of view of the members" is especially important (467). It seems that language, or the study of language can be circular in nature.
In class, we have gone from Dyson to Szwed to Gee, then Barthalomae, who state their own opinions of the literacy of language as a system. Next, we discover Heath, who does more observation than interpretation. Yet, thus far, no-one has stated that their mission is to understand the meaning from someone else's point of view.
Farr studies "Learning Literacy Lirico" amongst Hispanic adult males (469). Literacy seems to be mostly learned based on generational and economical opportunity in this community of mexicano immigrants. Still, even immigrants who cannot attend formal schooling Adult males, who were not afforded the opportunity Lirico is these males' title of learning to read and write outside of formal schooling.

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