Andrew Garcia

Mrs.Connelly
8-29-16
ENGL 001
Literacy Narrative
When I was about eight years old they told my parents I had some sort of a learning
disability.Which was shocking to both my parents my sister had been able to read and say all of
her abcs by the time she was two.So they thought maybe I was a late bloomer when it came to
reading and writing.I was unable to read or write at a proficient level but I could comprehend
what they were saying I just could not for the life of me do what they wanted me to do.Reading
was seemingly an impossible task and writing would frustrate me to my core and I would be
angry at how I could not complete simple tasks.They Told my parents I was dyslexic and just
saw things in a different way than most.That was a simple way of putting it I could not focus on
reading for very long, because it seemed as if the words would just move across the page.The
letters would switch their place with one another and reading became like trying to decipher a
uncrackable code that everyone else knew the answer to.So I meerly decided I would only do
enought reading to get by and no more.
The older I got the more I began to think I was lacking something.As all the other kids
moved on from reading thin 60 page books, and began to take on novels I still remained reading
ten page books at their longest.I had no inclinatiom to read harder so I began to hate what I could
not understand.I was still at a seconde grade reading level and was ashamed of it.Being the only
kid in the fith grade as I was in at this time and not being abel to pick the book I read I felt as if I

was lesser than them because I could not do what they were doing I had a tape book that would
read the class stories to me so that I could keep up with them.I would read the story while the
tape played and I would watch envyus of the other kids who powered throught the storeies at
there own will an ability .I now felt as if there was somthing they didnt teach me that the other
kids were taught and I became filled with more disdain for the subject.I knew I was smart and
my teachers and my parents knew I was smart but I could not show it and I did not feel it.I felt as
If reading and writing was the only way to show my true intelect so I treied reading but with no
avail.I was not growing as a reader but not from a lack of trying but because of lack of ability.I
still despised it because I was only permited by the school to read certant books based on my
reading scores witch were very low.
During the summer My dad made me a deal that I could not refuse.He promised me that
for every book I read he would buy me a new video game.He believed in me and told me that I
would run that game store dry .He thought I could do it and had worked with me that summer to
improve my skills as an indivdual writer.I was quick to let him down or so I thought.In all the
summer I only finished Half a book I had worked on it and tryed to power through but the book
was to hard for my minimal skills.I had however fell in love with poerty and had loved the
author Gary soto.My dad had told me that these poems were hard but I adored them.The words
he used and the way he siad them made me see picture and prevoced my mind to see deeper.I
had gone the summer only reading half of a novle but had sreahed through 3 poerty books my
dad had bought.I loved the imagry and what they said.At the end of the summer I said I had only
read one half a booka and im sorry dad.He aid by my count you read three and a half witch we
will round up to four.Each poerty book had only been 100 pages at most but he admired my

drive and my passion for those books.My dad had always encouraged me to think bigger and try
harder if at first you dont sucseed try harder he would say.Even if I didnt do what we set out
to do we did enoght to make each otgher proud and I was happy with that.
Entering my sixth grade year I Still felt as if reading was not my strong suit neither was I
comfortable with it in fact I despised reading still.I had walked into my classroom ready for
another long year of school which would end as all the others would.But then my teacher began
to describe something to us which caught my attention.She had began to describe a book and It
fascinated me I had no clue books could hold such secrets and mysteries.Neither had I ever
thought to explore them.I thought of them as only a tool to bring me misery not joy or even
knowledge.When I heard her describe this book I knew I wanted to read it I knew I wanted to
find out its secrets.But there was one problem It was eight reading levels above me and they
would never let me check that book out.I approached my teacher explaining my current situation
and she replied with You can read any book you want in my class I don't believe those
rules.They are not fair to all kids..She than encouraged me to read whatever I felt comfortable
with.This was the first time I was allowed to pick a book that I wanted to read not a book that
they had selected for me or told me to read.I felt a new sense of pride in myself because no one
had ever believed that I might be able to read or even encourage me to read a difficult book.The
only rule put on me was that after I read this book if I scored low on the test for it I chose a book
that might better suit my reading level.I Accepted the deal for it was the only one presented to
me in witch I was able to pick the book I wanted read.I began to read the book and was
teleported into another boy's life and saw his experiences through the pages on the book in front
of me.It was a revolutionary concepet that had just dawned on me reading allowed others to

imortalize them self in a book.I became addicted to reading at all times of day not acupied doing
somthing elses.I didnt read fast but I still was reading I had to focus hard but indoing so I was
abel to do so for longer and longer periodes of time.At first I was only abel to read for a few
short miutes at a time before it became unbareabel.I loved books now and after finishing my first
novel I felt great.It took me nerly twice aslong as the other kids to read a book but it didnt
matter because I loved it. I felt a connection to all these new characters I read and for each new
book I read I felt as If I gained a new friend or in some cases a new group of friends.
As I began to read more I was able to read for longer and longer periods of time
sometimes I would read for hours and hours without once breaking concentration.It would make
me happy looking at all the books I read and what I was able to do now.Along with my new
found skill of reading I was abel to develope more as a writer and as spaeker.I had found so
many new words and phrases throught reading.It was changing me all around and I felt more as
if now people could see me more as intelligant like my parents had and has some of my teachers
had.I now no longer dreaded reading but it was my favorite activity to do. I would sneak away to
read alone and to find new books. I was reading every thing in my grasp and I felt as if there was
nothing holding me back now.Books became my own personal escape and I would visit them
constantly.
Moving on from my new found love of reading I developed a vast array of words to use.
It was almost incomprehensible to me how I had not know these words existed or what they had
meant.I had now gained more knowledge in a matter of months than I had in years of school
before. I could see more in depth the english language and all of the ideas that had previously
escaped my grasp.I was able to access this new world of data and information at an instant all I

had to do was look for it by opening a book.This had given me what I thought I was missing, a
better way of communicating with others.Now I was expressing myself with all of the new words
I had added to my arsenal.I was now challenging myself more in academia with harder and
harder books and looking deeper into written material.I felt like I was smart now like I was now
part of the world that every othere person lived in.I had recived my pass to enterb and I was not
going to take it for granted like so may othere kids have.I had to fight for this ability it did not
come naturaly.It was not somthing that just came to me.It was somthing that took me years to
figure out.Finaly allowing me to show people my true self and all the things I knew.
After that year in school in which I grew exponentially as a reader and as a writer I was
more confident in my ability as a student.Going forward several years I still was growing In my
english abilities.It was my sophmore year when my High school when my Ag Biology Teacher
Mrs.Thournburg recomended that I compete in a speaking compotition.At first I was opposed to
the idea of giving a speach to random people who would judge me based on posture my ability to
convey my messgae.I had no inclonation to continue this venture until she said I already signed
you up and its in three weeks so be ready..So than I started to prepare my self for any topic they
might have picked for me on the day.I was not going to go into this with the conventinal writen
essay because this was not that kind of speach.This was a Improptu speach contest witch ment
that we were given a list of possibel topics and from that we had to study and be prepared for the
random one we picked.Then we would be given two minuets to prepare a spech and have to
speak for another minute at least on the topic we had just picked.So as part of my preporation I
had to read about every possibel topic and formulate oppionons on them.I was not confident In
my speach because I have a slight problem with stuttering steming from when I was littel and

could not read well.So I was batteling with that but from when I had leaned to read better I had
also learned to comunicate better what I wanted to say with out messing up on my words.When
the day came I was not ready in my mind every thing that I had read and looked at had seemed to
escape me this moring and I was feeling sick with anxiety.When I looked down at the floor it
seemed much further away and when I sat silently preparing my body was sweating my nerves at
least thats what my partner had said why I was sweating in a 60 degree room that every one else
semmed to be freezing in.I felt as if the weight of the world was on my sholders and I was
crombeling.Then as if things could not have got worse I was not the first to go I was the last to
go so I would be forced to stay in this state of torment for what seemed like an eternity.It was
now finaly my turn and I felt all thoses emotions escape my body ,in all actuality I felt calm at
this point.When I was finished with my speach They told me I had done a good job and I left
feeling great I had only stuttered once and they didnt even notice.I took fith that day and was an
alternate for the next compotition.This was my first speaking contest but I knew it woukd not be
my last.
Fast forward One year to the day And I would take first place one level above what I had
done the year before.I was focusing on my speaking and at my school I began to be known for
it.It was surprizing that somthing that I had not been confident in was now one of the biggest
parts of my life.I had gained a new confidences in my english ability yet agian and it was all
owed to thoses who pushed me to be a better me or not a better me but the person they saw I was
that I did not see.I was now Involved In all things Agriculture related at my school and was a
leader in most of thoses teams .I had gotten more involved In school al thanks to my ability to

convey my message in the english laguge.The world seemed so much more open now that I
could say what I wanted and people would understand me.
My life has changed immensely scenes I was little.All thanks to reading and writing and
the experiences that I have gained from them.I would not be in the place I am in today If It had
not been for these experiences changing my life.Now I am able to present myself through the
english language.If I had never found a passion for reading I would not Have been able to gain
the knowledge to speak in compotions.I would have never been able to be San Joaquin regional
extemporaneous winner two years in a row I would have never had the confidence to take risks
and compete in these conditions.If I had never competed I would have not earned the respect of
others and myself in the process.I would not be Me If I had not had the struggle In the first place
to show my true intellect.I am now confident in my abilities as a writer and as a student and
know how knowledge is not given but earned and you will never learn If you dont
try.Sometimes you just need a friendly push to jump start a new wave of thinking to unlock a
part of you that you may have not known was there.