Reading Journal
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| Title of Article + Proper MLA Citation for Works Cited page | Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Journal, Volume, Issue, Year, pages.
Fishman, Andrea. “Fishman Literacy A Lesson from the Amish.pdf.” Google Drive, Google, drive.google.com/file/d/1hyBNBd0byQpJoqqdlqajkzKGgTeqbkIv/view. |
| Summarize the article — include your reaction, thoughts, anything to help you remember its claims. 100 to 150 words | “Literacy and Cultural Context: A Lesson from the Amish” by Andrea R. Fishman is a description of how the Amish learn literacy. This article follows the Fishers, a family living in an Amish settlement. It details the differences between how the Fishers and mainstream society use and learn literacy. My reaction to how the Fishers operated was a look of shock. I did not realize how much differently the Amish use literacy. For example, the Amish use literacy for the main purpose of following Amish tradition and beliefs. As a family, the Fishers would switch off reading from books that respect their beliefs. The children would learn by using their abilities to “reading the world”(Friere). The Amish children learned by following what their parents and other immediate relatives did. I learned that an important part of being an Amish youth was the ability to follow written directions and the children had the absence of originality as a desirable feature in school. The author goes on with the claim that mainstream society’s teacher’s role may not be to prepare students to enter mainstream society but rather help them see what mainstream society offers. |
| Define new terms and concepts by quoting or paraphrasing the original author. | “To read the world”(Friere), Amish children obtained the ability to learn from their world around them at a very young age. |
| How does this reading connect to other articles from class and/or your own research?
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This article connects to the article we read about how different dialects write and how teachers should not condemn different dialects but embrace them and try to correct them by encouraging students. |
| Based on the reading, craft one question to act as a springboard for class discussion. | Why do the Amish keep themselves hidden from mainstream ideals of literacy? I understand that they want to stay true to their traditions and beliefs but I think that learning about other people’s ideas is important to becoming a well-rounded adult. |