Phase 1 Assignment Prompt: The Multimodal Language and Literacy Narrative

Overview

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

Length

WLLN: 2.5 – 3 Pages | SLLN: 2.5 – 3 Minutes

Due Dates

First FULL draft of your WLLN: Sept. 14, 2023

First FULL draft of your SLLN: Sept. 19, 2023

FINAL draft of SLLN: Sept. 26, 2023

FINAL draft of WLLN (with cover letter): Sept. 29, 2023

PORTFOLIO VERSION of WLLN(with cover letter): Oct 24, 2023

Assignment Prompt

For this assignment, you will compose two separate yet interconnected language and literacy narratives: one delivered in writing, and one delivered in speech. 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 and Literacy Narrative (WLLN)

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. (Your interpretations may be explicitly included in your narrative or implied. But if left implied, be sure to be explicit about these connections in your Cover Letter.)

Cover Letter

Your Written L&L Narrative should be preceded by a Cover Letter when you submit the final version. Refer to the Cover Letter assignment sheet.

Spoken Language and Literacy Narrative (SLLN)

Assignment Details

You will present some version of your language and literacy narrative to the class. The purpose is for you to practice getting comfortable speaking to a group and for everyone to get to know each other a little better.

Content and Format Options

  • read your favorite lines from your written narrative and explain the significance
  • write an entirely new narrative
  • reenact a moment from your language and literacy past
  • read/perform lyrics that you or someone else wrote that captures something about your language/literacy identity.

Requirements

  • Your SLLN should be no longer than 3 minutes
  • Include the use of 1 (or more) multimodal aide(s) like photos/objects, text, music, or presentation slides.
  • Be delivered “live” in class OR presented as a a pre-recorded video (just please email the file to your instructor 24 hours in advance).

Remember who your audience is (your classmates and instructors) and tailor your presentation to fit the audience and context of the assignment.

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 or cover letter 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?

That is, 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?