ERIC Number: EJ759789
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Apr
Pages: 10
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1081-3004
EISSN: N/A
Reflections on Native American Reading: A Seed, a Tool, and a Weapon
White-Kaulaity, Marlinda
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, v50 n7 p560-569 Apr 2007
Oral tradition has a long and valued history in Native American cultures and communities. In the past and still today, reading has had lesser value among many Native Americans. But oral tradition can be a vehicle toward improved literacy. This article uses literacy stories from Native American people, as well as quotes from prominent Native American writers, as a rationale for increased personal reading among Native Americans. Each literacy story describes or explains the positive impact reading has had on that particular person's life. Also, a theory that discusses how people attain literary appreciation, as they move from the earliest stages in preschool into adulthood, is used as a framework. From the stories and voices of the people quoted comes the message that oral literacy and print literacy can and should work together to affect positive reading practices and attitudes. Implications and examples of literacy activities are given at the end of the article for teachers and other adults to promote reading as a valuable and necessary activity.
Descriptors: Oral Tradition, Literacy, American Indians, Literacy Education, Reading Motivation, Recreational Reading, Personal Narratives, Developmental Stages, Child Development, Cultural Influences, American Indian Culture
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A