Homework #3

What’s Literacy? The author defined literacy as “the control of secondary uses of language” (Gee, 261). In this definition, “control” means “use” and “function”.  “Secondary uses of language” means using language to communicate with non-intimates, who do not share a great deal of knowledge because of the difference between family or cultural background. Therefore, the author believes literacy is the use of language to communicate with people who have different social backgrounds.

Educators normally make students literate by teaching them. However, the author believes that acquisition, acquiring knowledge without the process of teaching, and learning play different yet important roles in making students literate. One masters discourses, which is certain way to speak or behave that represents one’s identity, in this case, mastering a different language, through acquisition. Besides, learning is extremely helpful when one needs to critique or compare one discourse with another because no one should make any judgment of another discourse before master the discourse. Therefore, the author believes educators should guide students to make choices between learning and acquisition while they study a language.