Hopkins 1

Sara Hopkins

Professor Jan Rieman

English 1103

February 1, 2011

Literacies that Light up my Life

To be literate not only means the ability to read and write, but more broadly, to master

communication and interaction with people. Literacies are not a naturally acquired ability. We

encounter sponsors throughout our lives who exhibit various literacies for us. "Sponsors are any

agents, local or distant, concrete or abstract, who enable, support, teach, model, as well as

recruit, regulate, suppress, or withhold literacy- and gain advantage by it in some way."(Brandt

407) So far throughout my lifespan, I have obtained multiple literacies, for instance, the most

common, alphabetic literacy. I'm also computer literate, math literate, and music and dance

literate.

Preschool, along with my parents, educational televisions shows, and the library were

great sponsors that supported my alphabetic literacy. My very first recollection of writing was

back in preschool. I remember getting a handout with oversized lines and having to trace over

the dotted cursive letters. My parents read the best bedtime stories at night and frequently took

me to the public library, where we would stay for hours and hours.

Computer literacy is almost mandatory these days. My family's first desktop computer
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comes to mind when I recall learning how to use a computer. With the home compute'there came

so many educational games and I could stay on the computer for hours! In the eighth grade I took

courses that taught me how to use word programs, spreadsheets, databases, and power points.

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Hopkins 2

Music and dance came early on in my life. At the age of two, my mom registered me in a

dance class and I ended up taking eleven years of lessons. I became familiar with hundreds of

important dance techniques and countless French expressions. My mom, the instructors and my

dance friends were main contributing factors in my involvement with dance. Even though I'm

not the greatest singer in the world, music has been a part of my life for as long as I can

remember. Junior choir at church was an obligation in my family, where I was taught how to

read music. Playing the clarinet in the sixth grade band only furthered my understanding of

harmony and song.

I am grateful for the sponsors who have intervened in my life and taught me the skills of

literacies I now treasure. Hopefully, I will be fortunate enough to encounter many more

opportunities to discover new literacies and perhaps expand my knowledge on the ones already

have.

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