So as I think of our entire program at Nazareth, I think of the many literacies students will be required to functionally operate as they enter the world. One of them is financial literacy. I was lucky enough to catch some of Suzie Orman’s special “The Money Class,” which was a quick overview of what the new American dream needs to be for families to be financially sound. I bring up the point of financial literacy because students need to be able to absorb and synthesize more complex information faster than previous generations--their livelihood relies on it.
Through Suzie’s program, she effectively communicates highly complex concepts with new vocabulary in a systematic way. Although there is no actual reading or writing occurring during her presentation, many of the same principles in the expository genre are present. In terms of writing, Suzie is using the common text structures to frame her vital information. For instance, most of her discussion uses the problem-solution and cause and effect structures due to the many possibilities one’s choice about their money can have on their life.
I think Suzie’s presentation highlights what our students will be required to know and be able to do as they leave our classrooms. More than any other generation before, it is necessary for students (and people) to comprehend more information in a shorter period of time. By supporting our students using the expository text structures, cue words, and having them create new expository writings themselves, we hopefully help shorten the gap between the new knowledge they need to obtain and their own cognitive processes. As teachers, especially literacy specialists, we all need to recognize this truth that our students will face.
Tompkins quotes James Britton who explains the purpose of expository writing so well: “to interact with people and things and to make the wheels of the world, for good or ill, go round” (2008, p. 172). I agree with Britton fully. Narrative writing and the other genres are important to learn about, but expository writing is vital. I have heard that once students leave school, most of the reading they do is purely informational as adults. It makes sense that Britton claims informational writing is to make the “wheels of the world go round” because knowledge has the power to change the state of things. Our students need to be comfortable with change and drive change, hopefully for good. I think if we keep the purpose of expository reading and writing close to empowering students, then students will be more motivated to participate in activities to support their learning of these texts.
Emily, how do you the ideas you are noting in the first three paragraphs connect with the point you raise in the last paragraph "if we keep the purpose of expository reading and writing close to empowering students, then students will be more motivated to participate in activities which support their learning of the content in these texts?"
ReplyDeleteIt would be good to push yourself further in these entries to explore the intricacies of the issues raised in the readings.
Well, I think the mantra "knowledge is power" is reflected through the opportunities that understanding the expository genre gives students. If a student successfully operates in the expository genre, they will be better equipped to navigate the murky waters that life inevitably has, such as financial options. As teachers, we need to impart to students the necessary need for our content, like what students can and will gain from learning it. For instance, the financial literacy that many Americans currently have is insufficient for creating a stable financial outlook in today's economy. Students need to be brought into the conversation so that they will not have the same plight as many families do today. This new knowledge (highly informational knowledge) will empower students should they choose to use it. That is why I believe the expository genre lies at the heart of providing sound instruction to students of all ages.
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