Literacy, Illiteracy and Multiliteracy: the Rhetoric of Education
English 305 Introduction to Rhetoric: Rhetorical Power
Literacy, Illiteracy and Multiliteracy: The Rhetoric of Education
Dr. Sara Littlejohn
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me; stop by my office during my scheduled hours, or send me an .
Office Hours: MHRA 3330
Phone 256-0483
11 – 2 MW or by chance
Welcome to ENG 305!
Course Perspective:
This course will develop a working knowledge of foundational rhetorical terms and theory while examining the broader concepts of literacy, illiteracy, and multiliteracy. To learn about rhetorical theory and practice we will explore the emerging genres and literacy practices of the multimodal and interactive forms of 21st Century communications. For purposes of this course, we will focus on various forms of content creation and genre. Depending on your final digital writing portfolio project, you may potentially use a variety of digital writing, such as blogs, wikis, and social networks or other software tools such as Comic Life, VoiceThread, iMovie, etc.. Through viewing, analyzing and producing various forms of digital writing, we will discuss digital rhetoric, the digital writing process, its related multimodal literacies, and the benefits and challenges related to this form of communication.
Literacy (and Illiteracy) is a complex and political term. Multiliteracies is a way of rethinking what it means to be literate today in a globally connected world. It takes literacy beyond a focus on traditional print-based literacy to multiple-form of knowing, including visual, spatial, aural, gestural, and multimodal literacies. Texts, as you’ve already notices as a person in the world are often print, images, video, sounds, and shapes or some combination of forms in digital contexts, which are represented in inter-related and complex ways. A theory of multiliteracies complicates what we know because it is constantly evolving as new information and communications technologies (ICTs) emerge. This course immerses students in both the theory and practice of all literacies, multiliteracies and considers how globalization has created a more complex environment.
The term multiliteracies was created by the New London Group (1996) to emphasize two related aspects of the increasing complexity of texts: 1) a major shift related to the increasing influence of cultural, linguistic diversity, affecting communications and labor markets, making language diversity an ever more critical local issue.” 2) A major shift related to the influence of new communications technologies—a new multimodal literacy that is required in order to find our way around the emerging world of meaning.
It is the purpose of this course to develop a pedagogy of multiliteracies, to propel literacy into the present and future by creating literacy learners who are fluent in information technology. We will do so by immersing ourselves in new literacies. As such this course will always be a fluid and dynamic learning environment—an emerging work in progress. I ask students that they be willing to take risks, take on new roles, immerse themselves in new texts, contexts and modes of learning. I look forward to learning with you.
It is my belief that this course is strengthened by the diversity of thoughts, perspectives, and backgrounds that students bring with them. It is my goal that the diverse learning needs of students be met in and out of class. I will conduct this class in an atmosphere of mutual respect. I encourage your active participation in class discussions. Each of us may have strongly differing opinions on the various topics of class discussions. The conflict of ideas is encouraged and welcome. The orderly questioning of the ideas of others, including mine, is similarly welcome. However, I will exercise my responsibility to manage the discussions so that ideas and argument can proceed in an orderly fashion. Please let me know if I can improve the effectiveness of this course for you or other students.
Course Objectives: Students will be able to…
· Articulate a theory of multiliteracies that takes into account multiple ways of knowing and incorporates multiple textual formats including digital texts.
· Read and understand seminal scholarship surrounding multiliteracies including the work of the New London Group, Don Leu, Allan Luke, and James Paul Gee.
· Create approaches to argument that anticipate, accept, and incorporate a theory of multiliteracies. These will include a primary focus on digital and new information and communications technologies (ICTs).
· Understand how globalization and information communication technologies have created a more globally connected world.
· Become competent in the use of ICTs including but not limited to digital video and photography, blogging, web design, social networking, wikis, and podcasting.
Texts
Barthes, Roland. "Rhetoric of the Image." Image, Music, Text. Ed. and trans. Stephen Heath. New York: Hill and Wang, 1977. 32-51.
Burke, Kenneth. “Traditional Principles of Rhetoric.” A Rhetoric of Motives. Los Angeles: U of California P, 1969. Print.
Coad, D. T. (2013). Developing critical literacy and critical thinking through facebook. Kairos, Retrieved from http://kairos.technorhetoric.net/praxis/index.php/Developing_Critical_Literacy_and_Critical_Thinking_through_Facebook
Derrida, Jacques. Eyes of the University: Right to Philosophy 2. Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press, 2004.
Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum, 2000.
Keith, William M, and Christian O. Lundberg. The Essential Guide to Rhetoric. Boston: Beford St. Martin’s, 2008. Print.
Knoblauch, C H, and Lil Brannon. Critical Teaching and the Idea of Literacy. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook, 1993.
Kress, Gunther. “’English’ at the Crossroads: Rethinking Curricula of Communication in the Context of the Turn to the Visual.” Passions, Pedagogies and 21st Century Technologies. Eds. Gail E. Hawisher and Cynthia Selfe. Logan, Utah: Utah State UP, 1999.
Losh, Elizabeth, Jonathan Alexander, Kevin Cannon, and Zander Cannon. Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s, 2014. Print
McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. New York: HarperPerennial, 1994.
New London Group. "A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies: Designing Social Futures." Harvard Educational Review. 66.1 (1996).
Rodriguez, Richard. "The Achievement of Desire: Personal Reflections on Learning "basics"." College English. 40.3 (1978): 239-254.
Rose, Mike. Lives on the Boundary: A Moving Account of the Struggles and Achievements of America's Educational Underclass. New York, N.Y., U.S.A: Penguin Books, 1990.
Roskelly, Hephzibah, and David A. Jolliffe. Everyday Use: Rhetoric at Work in Reading and Writing. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2005.
"Urban Literacy Center Manifesto." Kairos. <http://kairos.technorhetoric.net/12.3/topoi/schaffner/index.html>.
Evaluation & Grading:
This class is not about figuring out how to write an “A” assignment or the “A” way to read and discuss that reading; however, your success in the class is very important. This class is designed to allow you to demonstrate your success as a developing thinker, reader, writer and global citizen. It is my hope that you will have opportunities to evaluate your own work and the work of others in the course. I will respond to assignments in what I believe is an appropriate manner, and I will ask you to respond to one another. I will provide detailed handouts for most assignments and grade according to the objectives and goals for both the content and the writing intensive requirements.
I view grading as an individual and noncompetitive assessment of your performance and growth through the semester. I do assign credit or a grade for each assignment so that you will be able to assess your progress through this course. I encourage you to make an appointment with me to discuss specific assignments, concerns, or questions about your grade in this course. For further policy regarding grades, see http://www.uncg.edu/reg/Catalog/current/AcaRegs/Grading.html
Assignments and Grade Composition:
Digital Multimodal Portfolio (The culmination of the semester’s work) (40 percent)
Students will research a particular issue and use our understanding of literacy, rhetoric and 21st Century literacies to create a Multigenre Research Project.
Short Genres (Produced each week) (20 percent)
Students will produce a different multimodal genre each week that engages with the concepts of of literacy, rhetoric and 21st Century literacies
Argumentative Essay (Drafts and final polished essay) (25 percent)
Students will draft and revise an argumentative essay that captures their slant on the issues of literacy, rhetoric and 21st Century literacies. Final copy to be turned in with the Digital Mutlimodal Portfolio.
Participation and Attendance (15 percent)
Students will attend class (missing no more than 4 in order to pass). Each absence between 1 and 4 will affect your grade. Students will contribute to class through questions and discussion about the days readings and concepts.
Grading Scale
A+ 98-100%
A 94-97%
A- 90-93%
B+ 87-89%
B 84-86%
B- 80-83%
C+ 77-79%
C 74-76%
C- 70-73%
D+ 67-69%
D 64-66%
D- 60-63%
F below 60%
General Expectations
Teaching Methods
In order to achieve learning goals, we will use, small group and whole class discussion, presentations, reflection papers, research papers, as well as instructor and peer feedback.
Attendance
Don’t miss class. Coming to class is the key to success in life (or, well at least in class). All of the assignments build upon each other. If you miss class, you are responsible for any missed work. After you miss class three times, it will cause a reduction in your grade. You cannot pass the class if you have more than 4 absences. Because I don’t accept late papers, if you anticipate being absent on a day that a paper is due, you should make arrangements to turn it in early. Finally, because this course also serves the purpose of preparing you to work in the writing center, for any class you miss, you will need to make arrangements with me to make up the missing material.
Disability Services
Students with any sort of disability who need accommodations for any of their courses should contact 334-5440.
Classroom Manners
Please don’t be late. We often cover housekeeping matters, due dates, criteria for assignments, etc. during the first part of class. You will miss important information. If you have to leave class early, please let me know before class begins. Also, please be courteous to all speakers in class by not interrupting or talking to other people at the same time another person has the floor.
Classroom Community
This class will be a speaking and writing community and you will be responsible for evaluating and delivering constructive criticism to your fellow classmates. Although students should view the classroom as a safe place to express ideas, any behavior that is discriminatory or otherwise isolating to other students will not be tolerated. We have a responsibility to one another to create a healthy learning environment that does not promote hostility or discrimination. We must maintain a mutual respect and behave in such a way that does not disrupt our learning community.
Plagiarism Policy
Students must do their own work. They may seek and receive help from peers, from instructors, and from Writing and Speaking Center Personnel, but the student must generate all writings and presentations. Students must cite all sources of information. Any cases of plagiarism will be handled in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy. You may reference relevant information at the Academic Integrity website at http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu/complete/
Class Readings
You will be responsible for weekly reading assignments. Be sure to keep up with the readings, as it will be difficult to participate in class discussions, or really learn anything at all if you are not prepared.
Class Participation
This is a lecture and discussion class, so you have to contribute to class discussions and group discussions. Tell us your ideas and opinions. This is a good way for me to know you are on top of the reading assignments and engaged with the material.
For any writing that you do for me, remember this important info:
§ 12 pt Times New Roman
§ Double Spaced
§ Use pre-set margins (1” top and bottom, 1” left and right)
§ Page numbers
§ Please title your papers.
§ Please use MLA citation style format
Tentative Course Schedule for (Subject to Change often!)
Week 1: Introduction to course; syllabus; Digital Studio
Reading and Application: Introduction to Rhetorical Tradition
Textual Production (genre work): map text
Week 2: Rhetorical concept: Background and history/defining terms/overview
Readings: Essential Guide to Rhetoric (Part 1)
Textual Production (genre work): Encyclopedia of Part 1
Week 3: Rhetorical concept: Foundational/ Rhetorical Triangle
Conceptual Readings: Everyday Use (Chapter 1 & 2)
Example: “Achievement of Desire”
Application/Textual Production (genre work): literacy memoir
Week 4: Rhetorical concept: Foundational/ Rhetorical Triangle
Example: Banking Model
Application /Textual Production (genre work): choice
Week 5: Rhetorical concept: Ethos/Logos/Pathos
Readings: Essential Guide to Rhetoric (Part 2); Understanding Rhetoric “Why Rhetoric” Example: “Our Schools Our Children” Mike Rose
Application/Textual Production (genre work): persuasive speech
Week 6: Rhetorical concept: Ethos/Logos/Pathos
Example: “Principles of Reason University in the Eyes of its Pupils”
Application/Textual Production (genre work): choice
Week 7: Rhetorical concept: enthymeme and kairos/topoi
Readings: Understanding Rhetoric “Strategic Reading”
Example: Critical Literacy by Knoblauch and Brannon
Application /Textual Production (genre work): comic strip
Week 8: Rhetorical concept: enthymeme and kairos/topoi
Example: “Multiliteracies” New London Group
Application/Textual Production (genre work): choice
Week 9: Spring Break
Week 10: Rhetorical concept: Modern Rhetoric (identification)
Readings: “Traditional Principles of Rhetoric.” Burke
Example: “English at the Crossroads”
Application /Textual Production (genre work): multimodal choice
Week 11: Rhetorical concept: Modern Rhetoric (identification)
Example: “Critical Literacy and Critical Thinking Through Facebook”
Application /Textual Production (genre work): multimodal choice (different mode)
Week 12: Rhetorical concept: Visual/Digital/Aural Rhetoric
Readings: “Rhetoric of the Image” Barthes
Example: “Savage Inequalities” Kozol
Application /Textual Production (genre work): multimodal choice (different mode)
Week 13: Rhetorical concept: Visual/Digital/Aural Rhetoric
Readings: “From the Vocabulary of Comics” McCloud
Example: “Urban Literacy Manifesto”
Application /Textual Production (genre work):
Week 14: Draft of Multimodal Argumentative Essay; Workshop and Revise Essays
Week 15: Digital Multimodal Portfolios Due