ASSIGNMENT: Autobiography You are to write an autobiography that is two-­‐fold: Part 1. Your development in literacy, from early childhood to your current age; Part 2. Your personal perspective as it relates to cultural identity. Part 1: This is the story of how you learned to read, how you formed your opinions about reading and literacy, and why you have the current perspectives you do towards reading and literacy. Think back on your experiences surrounding literacy…. Recall vivid memories (positive or negative) that surrounded reading and literacy, these will be excellent milestones in your literacy development. The following questions can help guide your thinking and writing: • How did you learn to read? • What were memorable moments in your literacy development during elementary school, middle school, and high school? • Did your attitude toward reading ever change? If so, what prompted it? Why did the change occur? • Who were major influences on your reading development? (Parents? Family? Teachers?...) Was their influence positive or negative? How did these individuals influence your literacy development? • How have your reading/writing habits changed as you’ve grown up? • In your opinion, what is the connection between reading, writing, thinking, and learning? Part 2: Within this portion of the autobiography, provide a portrait of your unique perspectives that help to create your cultural identity. We participate in many microcultures on a daily basis, but our composite cultural identity is based upon relationships, interactions, and perceptions within and between these groups. It will be important for you to reflect upon who you are personally in addition to how you view the world and others. The following questions can help guide your thinking and writing: • Who are you as a racially, gendered, classed, religious, etc. person? How have you come to know yourself in these ways? • What is the cultural background of your family? • What experiences have you had with people who are different from yourself? What impact have these experiences had upon your overall perception of people different than you? • How can you explain differences between groups of people (cultural, behavioral, linguistic, socioeconomic, etc)? What are your beliefs about differences in people? • Describe in detail a memory you have when interacting with someone different than you. It could be positive or negative. What stands out about the person? Why is this interaction memorable? What effect did it have on your view of “others”?