Becky Broussard Eng. 116B My Path to Becoming Literate "There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book (Frank Secfin DAs a child, | would have disagreed with Frank Serafini’s-quote.\| would have said, "I will show you a child who hates to read, | am that child.” I never wanted to read nor did I find reading enjoyable. It was a punishment, a torture device ust by all adults to make me suffer. Why do I have to read? ‘That was the one question I was always asking. My journey to becoming literate was a Jong and hard path. I had to face some huge obstacles. The mos challenging obstacles I faced to become literate were, having poor vision, being dy and truly hating to read. The elementary schoo! 1 attended offered free eye exams every year, and every year I was told I had 20/20 vision, but that was wrong. [ would always tell my mom the letters looked funny, but I was too young to really verbalize what the issue was. All] could tell her was the letters were always blurry and I could not read what was writ the chalkboard. I was struggling and I did not know it was because of my eyes. Learning to read was always difficult for me because I was unable to make out the letters. How can ) Y 7\ | Learn to do something if I cannot see? I never wanted to read aloud in class because the " words never looked correct. | just know if I misread any of the words, all the other pw students would laugh at me. For years, | struggled with poor vision and no one would I listen to me, because after all, I had 20/20 vision, v — 1 was in the seventh grade when my mother took me to a true optometrist; wefound out I did not have 20/20 vision. In all actuality, I had poor vision and I needed glasses. The optometrist told me I would have to wear my new glasses whenever I was reading. [ remember thinking to myself, "I have already gone through six years not being able to properly read how was I going to catch up with the other students." The truth is, never really did catch up to the students in my class. 1 was having a hard time completing my assignments because I was a poor reader. My grades and my confidence were battered and bruised. [thought getting glasses would fix everythingand I would be able to read just like everyone else, but all it did was expose a different problem. I was now able to see the letters and read the words, but something still was not right. I was having a hard time understanding words and the stories I was reading, Individual words were difficult for me to comprehend, and I was having a hard time getting through longer books. I needed to read slower than others, which made it difficult for me to keep up with my classmates. | also found I would lose track of what I had just read, The truth is, I felt dumb. I did not know why I was having such a hard time reading, writing, and spelling. I was failing every subject, but because of "No Child Left Behind" I was promoted through middle school and into high schoo! with failing grades. fifth-grade level and my first year was | hard. I still had no idea why 1 was having such a hard time comprehending what I was reading. That was until my junior year of high school. My English teacher recognized some of my symptoms and set up a parent-teacher conference with my mom. They discussed the possibility of me being dyslexic and my teacher strongly urged my mom to Iowveq ‘get me tested. My mom made an appointment, and I was diagnosed with dyslexia. [went hoor! fomy WN rckitate til ech)through six years not being able to read the letters, then I went through another four years thinking I was just dumb and getting the diagnosis gave me hope I was now able to see the words, and 1 was learning how to function with a learning disability, but I still hated to read. How could I find a way to love reading, when it had plagued my life for so long? I would not say I found a love or even a tolerance for reading, it has always been punishment, but I have found the necessity of reading and the i Oo he ! importance of being literate. I do not think reading will ever be a pleasurable thing for 4 oot fnyself, but I have found a joy in reading. When I am reading to a group of wide-eyed children and I get to watch the excitement spread across their little faces and [ see them engage with a story, I find my joy. [have learned how to overcome my own obstacles. I make sure my eyegla t I we ft Lpreseription is current, so I can continue to see. I have learned how to learn with dyslexia | Wor IF Lam able to find audio books I listen tothe book as [read along, which helps meto 7 retain the material, [have also found a purpose for readings I love to read to my daughter,” ‘The one book I make sure to read every night is The Real Mother Goose, by Rand wl MeNally, because it is a book my great grandmother read to her youngest son, to my ys mother, to me, and now I read it to my daughter. I guess as an adult I will still disagree with Frank Serafini quote that "There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book," because I never found the right {° [book to entice me to read, | found my child entices me to read. I am finding success not despite my dyslexia, but because of it. It is not a deficit that I am trying to hide from, butreading, writing and even spelling. I love the literate person I have become, regardless of the obstacles I had faced and continue to face. Whos, Kecky The won powepely well ¢ —coaprled amd wrt! umiters agareyt, well cogpe te ees: “thant fe %4 mead. fr Crating rt (and l aun clase) anol 4 shaw yom sh ye ) py yen hrcras «Cacho? wu a” cmaperah om, Wad yor Uppers impact oo U hl FT nd intaacr wi tote, aoe 1Sacramento State University Writing Rubric ‘An “A paper: A paper in this category Cindetine for muita writers Grammatical rors are rare and do wot ieee ‘uh overall efectnenest of paper: occasional imprecision word chet and aug may acc. ‘Addresses the assignment thoughtfully and analytically, setting a challenging task Does not demonstrate a ned for more revision. Displays awareness of and purpose in communicating to an audience. Establishes a clearly focused controling idea. ‘Demonstrates coherent and hetorcally sophisticated organization: makes effective conneetions between ideas. Provides clear penetalizations with specific detail and compelling oppor and analysis Cites relevant sourees nd evaluates their validity. effetvely integrating them into the fext when appropri, Displays evidenee of careful editing with superior cotta of grammar and mechanies appropriate 10 the assignment A“B® paper: A paper in this eategory Grade for mung! writes: Some grammatical ero may ace trowgho he riper bakda nt wey with oral etnies: accasonal maprapna wont choce or Merve Wage may dec. ‘Addresses the assignment cleacly and analytically, siting x meaningful tas, Does not demonstrate a need for significantly more revision. ‘Addresses audience needs and expectations, Establishes Demonstrates clea and coherent arganization Provides clear generalizations and effective support and analysis, ‘Cites relevant soures, effectively integrating dhem into the ext when appropriate. Displays evidence of careful eiting with consistent control of grammar and mechanics appropriate to the ‘ssigament and the discipline ari Focused controlling idea. 'A“C® paper: A paper in this eategory Guideline or mluingual writers: Grammatical errors, appropriate word coke, or Incorrect uate may ecw througai the paper but rarely ieee with fective commutation ‘Adaesss the asignment with Some analysis. Demonstrates some need for further revision. ‘Addresses most audience needs and expectations. Establishes a controlling idea Demonstrates adequate organization Provides support for and some analysis of generalizations Cites appropriate sources, adequately integrating them into tex, Displays evidence of editing with adequate contro of grammar and mechanies appropriate tothe assignment. Errarseo not stow the reader, imped understanding, oF seriously undermine the authority of the writer. AD” paper has some of the following qualities: A paper in this category Cadet for matiingal writer: ‘Slriows andjfequenterors a grammar, ort ac, or woe seriously hinder communication ‘Does not address the assignment adequately Demonstrates a need for significantly more revision. Does not show sufficient audience awareness. Stray from the eonlling ide, oF the iden is unclear. Displays random or confusing organization Lacks generalizations, or gives generalizations but des not provide support or analysis Does no ite sources or doesnot cite andr integrate sources appropriately: ‘Needs significant editing for grammar and mechanies;erors impede understanding. ‘An "F" paper has many or all of the qualities listed under 2 "D" paper.