Essay On My Literacy

Literacy has plenty of different types interpretations. Like most individuals, when I think of literacy I think of reading but most importantly understanding what you are reading. When babies are brought into this world, they are like sponges waiting to soak up new information about their unfamiliar surroundings. Deborah Brandt states “Sponsors, as I have come to think of them, are any agents, local or distant, concrete or abstract , who enable, support, teach, model, as well as recruit, regulate, suppress, or withheld literacy—-and gain advantage by it in some way.” Older individuals use their knowledge as literacy sponsors to pass down what they have learned to the next generation. One who always comes to mind is my mother. Therefore, her guidance through my life has given me a view of different aspects of my culture, religion and even the independence of improving my own literacy.
I was born in Jamaica but came to New York when I was eighteen months. Living with a Jamaican family and understanding the culture can be very difficult for me. The language is somewhat similar to English but the slang and accents can throw some people off. As most parents who bring their children to America, mine wanted me to get the best education possible. My mother, still to this day, never wants me to …show more content…
My mother’s use of literacy techniques had its negative effects on my culture. On the other hand, the positive effects override them. My mother being my literacy sponsor brought us closer together as I grew up and still has not been broken. I may have lost my path of literacy for books when social media started to become a part of my daily routine. However, in the end, I found an interest of mine and took advantage of social media to improve my literacy. Therefore, my mother’s influence and the help of social media contributed to a mindset of brand new ideas that altered the way I used to