Gee blog post

“Thus, what is important is not language, and surely not grammar, but saying (writing)-doing-being-valuing-believing combinations. These combinations I call “Discourses,” with a capital “D”, (discourse with a little “d,” to me, means connected stretches of language that makes sense, so “discourse” is a part of “Discourse”). Discourses are ways of being in the world; they are forms of life which integrate words, acts, values, beliefs, attitudes, and social identities as well as gestures, glances, body positions, and clothes.” (p 526) Discourses are sort of like an identity kit and discourses are a part of Discourses. Some of my Discourses are that I am a woman, Asian, a student etc.

“Discourses are not mastered by overt instruction, but by enculturation into social practices through scaffolded and supported interaction with people who have already mastered the Discourse. This is how we all acquired our native language and our home-based Discourse.” (p 527) I wonder if you would consider people being lazy a Discourse? I know many families where the parents are lazy; they barely do any household chores and are sort of setting an example for their children that it is ok to be lazy, so then their children ends up being lazy just like them. They always expect you to do things for them but when you ask them to do something simple, such as washing the dishes or sweeping the house, they won’t even do it. Also, I have witnessed gender Discourses. My parents taught us that we are a part of a team, so we always help each other out. It doesn’t matter if you are a male or female, we are a team. I know of some parents where they teach their kids how to do things based on their gender. For example, they’d make their daughter cook and clean the house and watch younger siblings because that was the daughters “responsibilities” while the males just “sit back and relax”, allowing them to just play video games because that was the “male characters”.

Also, Gee defines literacy as the mastery of or fluent control over a secondary Discourse. (529) I agree with Gee to an extent. How you represent yourself to the public has a lot to do with Gee’s definition of literacy. After reading Gee’s article, my understanding of literacy has somewhat changed. I have always thought that literacy meant being able to read and write, but it’s more than that.