Instructor Group #5
LITERACY NARRATIVE
ENC 1101 – FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
What is a Literacy Narrative?
“A literacy narrative is a particular kind of [autobiographical] narrative that recounts a writer's
personal experience with language, reading, writing, and thinking skills, or with education as a
process and a social institution” (Ramage, Bean, and Johnson 119). Read chapter 6 of The
Allyn and Bacon Guide to Writing for a detailed guide on how to effectively write a literacy
narrative.
At A Glance
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Write a narrative critically considering your relationship with language
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3-4 double-spaced pages in length (approximately 750-1,000 words)
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Use size 12 Times New Roman font
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MLA or APA format for headings, style, & citations
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Use an open form prose style
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Submit to turnitin.com with a reflective writer’s memo as a cover letter
Assignment
Your first assignment is to prepare an autobiographical narrative that specifically focuses on
some aspect of your experience with reading, writing, listening, or learning a foreign language
and/or culture. It is important that literacy is the dominant focus of your paper and not a last
minute “add-on” to an otherwise unrelated autobiographical essay.
This assignment is an example of open-form prose, which means it does not require a clear
thesis statement and an orderly progression of supporting research. You should take a
narrative approach to this essay and identify a clear theme. That is, once readers finish your
essay they should see a larger point you are trying to make by telling this story or stories.
Provide your audience with clear imagery and vivid details. Use the literary elements of plot, character,
and setting to bring your story to life. You also have the option to include dialogue, if it helps convey your
story’s purpose to the audience.
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Audience
Your audience is your classmates and instructor. Your paper will be peer edited by your
fellow classmates, so please do not share personal information that you do not want to be
made public. It is also important to remember to respect the views and opinions of your
audience. In other words, don’t harm your ethos with offensive rhetoric or remarks.
Unit Schedule – Important Dates
Class #7: First Draft for Conference. Class is CANCELLED for Conferences. Each conference
is 15 minutes long, so please show up at the time you signed up for so that you get all your
time. Bring a hardcopy of your essay to conference.
Class #8: Second Draft Peer Edit. Bring a hardcopy of your essay to class today with the
new changes suggested your conference. We’ll look at portions of a few essays on the
projector before breaking into peer edit.
Submit Final Draft Prior to Class #10. Post the final draft of your Literacy Narrative by
00:00AM on Weekday.
What Outcomes Am I Working Toward?
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Produce a final written project that indicates a clear rhetorical purpose and that is
appropriate for a diverse audience of peers;

Use conventions of open-form prose;
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Show engagement with issues of language, literacy, rhetoric, or cultures;
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Apply knowledge of the following persuasive appeals and rhetorical concepts: ethos,
pathos, logos, angle of vision;
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Use specific language (descriptive, figurative, with attention paid to word choice);
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Produce a final draft that shows evidence of a thoughtful writing process, including
invention, revision, and proof-reading;

Use syntax, punctuation, and spelling effectively in service of rhetorical purpose.
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Literacy Narrative Project Scoring Guide
Scoring Guide is Based on Concepts Found in: Assignment Sheet and Chapters 6 and 19 from The
Allyn and Bacon Guide to Writing.
PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE AWARENESS (15 Points)
 Rhetorical purpose is clear, focused, and appropriate to audience and assignment
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Purpose is focused on some aspect of literacy
Shows engagement with issues of literacy, language, rhetoric, or cultures;
GENRE CONVENTIONS/STRUCTURE (30 Points)
 Title is compelling or surprising and appropriate for the genre
 Introduction hooks reader and presents the material as interesting and important
 Narrative structure clearly connects events sequentially or spatially, but also causal or thematically
 Employs tension characterized by a clash of opposing values/points of view
 Attempts to create suspense by disrupting the reader’s desire for direction/clarity
 Pacing and conflict are appropriate to the story's theme and engage the reader and avoid and then
chronology.
THEME (15 points)
 Theme relates to personal literacy, but also illustrates more universal principles
 Events selected clearly help the reader understand the issues of the theme
 Resolution, recognition, or reflection help the reader understand the theme.
RHETORICAL APPEALS (15 Points):
 Ethos: Writer's voice is convincing and authentic ; is likeable and personable
 Pathos: Emotional moments are used to good effect in establishing the significance of the theme
 Logos: Events and details make logical sense and advance the reader's understanding of the
universal themes.
WRITING PROCESS (10 Points)
 Portfolio demonstrates evidence of a thoughtful writing process, including invention, revision, and
proof-reading
 Final draft shows clear improvement from first to final draft with major revisions evident
LANGUAGE AND STYLE (15 Points)
 Concrete language ( low in abstraction) evokes strong images and awakens reader's
senses/feelings
 Most sentences are clear and can be understood the first time they are read
 Syntax, punctuation, and spelling used effectively in service of rhetorical purpose