Assignment One Prompt

Assignment One Prompt

The Multimodal Language & Literacy Narrative Assignment Part I

Overview

This assignment will be broken up into two parts: a Written Language and Literacy Narrative (WLLN) and an Oral History.

Length

WLLN: 2.5 – 3 Pages | ORAL HISTORY 5-7 Minutes

Due Dates

First FULL draft of your WLLN: Mon 2/26

Final Draft of your WLLN: Mon 3/4

PORTFOLIO VERSION of WLLN(with cover letter): Wed 5/22

Assignment Prompt

For this assignment, you will compose two separate yet interconnected language and literacy narratives: one delivered in writing, and one delivered in as an oral history presentation. You’re asked in this assignment to zoom into a particular moment from your life.

  1. What moments stand out to you when it comes to how you use language and literacy?
  2. Can you recall any family, cultural, or social events related to reading or writing that you found enlightening, encouraging, awkward, challenging, or unjust?
  3. A key language or literacy moment when positive or negative emotions soared, where you struggled or triumphed?
  4. An object or artifact that serves as a memory of a place, activity, or person connected to your language and literacy development?

Written Language & Literacy Narrative

Part I Assignment Details

Your written narrative should be 2.5-3 pages and must contain:

  1. A carefully crafted and revised story of a specific moment, event, or experience.
  2. Vivid details that draw your readers into the scene.
  3. Three (or more) materials and media to support your narrative, such as pictures of artifacts, images, links, video clips, quotes, sound bites, etc. (As all of your major assignments will be placed on a WordPress site you develop, so creating multimodal texts is important.)
  4. Your interpretations of the larger social significance of the event chosen. (After all, our individual narratives reflect larger trends in society, history, where you grew up, and identities like gender, race, culture, linguistic background, and ability.

Additional Information

Personalize Your Narrative

THE MOMENT you choose to write about forms the basis of your literacy narrative, so it should be a subject matter that you are comfortable sharing.

THE REFLECTIONS you include in your narrative are important. They will help readers make sense of the moment’s significance and implications.

THE DESIGN AND DELIVERY of your written and spoken narratives should be personalized as you see fit.

  • You’re encouraged to carefully consider your tone and language choices.
  • You’re welcome to use your “native,” “home,” or “other” languages, literacies, and ways of being as you so choose.

Assessment Rubric

1. Appropriate Focus and Rhetorical Effectiveness of the Written Narrative

How effectively does the written narrative provide 1-2 concrete examples and specific details of the writer’s language/literacy experiences? How effectively does the narrative attend to description? How effectively does the narrative appeal to the intended audience?

2. Explicit Commentary on Significance and Implications

How effectively does the written narrative highlight some central idea about a larger social significance? How well does the narrative implicitly or explicitly comment on the larger implications of the story, signaling connections to national trends or to the writer’s life, family, generation, gender, race, culture, linguistic background, ability, and/or geographic location?

3. Appropriate Focus and Rhetorical Effectiveness of the Spoken Narrative

How effectively does the spoken presentation draw classmates into the writer’s language/ literacy experiences? How effectively are the 3 minutes utilized?

4. Use of Multimedia

How effectively do the written and spoken narratives integrate multiples modes (not just speech vs. writing but also the use of pictures, images, objects, props, links, and music)?

5. General Requirements

Were all requirements for length and due date met?