Cover Letter

My audience for the language and literacy narrative is you, my professor; I also considered my classmates as a secondary audience, trying to write something that’s relatable and easy to understand. I chose my language and literacy narrative to be written in such a way that it feels personal and heartfelt; The reader should feel like they were there themselves with all the descriptive language used when describing the room of the reading group. With the use of such vivid imagery, I wanted the audience to feel the safety and comfort I felt when I was once there myself. While most of the narrative was storytelling, in the last paragraph, I shifted my tone to be more analytical. I made this choice on purpose to connect my part of the story to a broader and bigger idea of the benefits of different learning environments for students.

One of the objectives of the language and literacy narrative was to connect our language and literacy to a larger social reality, and before I started writing mine, I had no idea what to make that connection about. So, as I was writing this narrative, I came to a realization of how much of an impact a learning environment can make, because of me getting pulled out of class and being a part of a smaller group. And so I decided to make that the larger connection for my narrative, and that is what I gained insight on as I was writing. The reading group was just a fond memory I had, but after analyzing it while I was writing, I came to realize that I improved not only from the reading aspect of the group but also from the calmness and the lack of peer pressure I felt while in the reading group.

The language and literacy narrative taught me that literacy is essentially social. My improvement didn’t just come from reading; it came with all the interactions I had with my peers in the reading group about the book, and my teacher, who would make jokes and share snacks related to the book. It showed me that literacy practices aren’t skills that I need to learn alone, but something that thrives in a community. If I’m talking with others about what I’m reading, not only does it give me a better understanding of the content, but it also makes me think in new ways that I otherwise wouldn’t have, and that new way of thinking and analyzing carries over with me. Another meaningful insight I gained is the realization that everyone is at their own level of language and literacy. Every time we talk, write, and listen, our language and literacy improves, no matter how minuscule that improvement might be, it improves. It showed me that learning isn’t a competition but a shared process of growth, and the only way to grow is to learn from others.  

The concepts that have most impacted my learning and writing practices are rhetorical situation and purpose. The rhetorical situation was very important for me. Understanding that I was writing for a certain audience with a clear purpose made my entire essay. It’s what made me conclude my essay with an analytical paragraph relating to my entire experience with language and literacy. The concept of purpose was also very important in this narrative, as it guided the whole process of me writing this language and literacy narrative. I knew the purpose wasn’t just to tell a story from my past but to use that story and connect it to something bigger. My goal was to show how a comfortable environment with a smaller group of students could be more effective for some students than a traditional classroom. This sense of purpose heavily impacted the structure of my narrative, and it’s the reason why I concluded the narrative with a completely different tone in the last paragraph. Without a purpose, my essay would just have been a memory about language and literacy that somewhat affected my ability to read and comprehend, but with the addition of the last paragraph, it made it connect to something bigger than the memory itself.    

The Reading Group

Have you ever been pulled out of class and felt singled out? For me, that moment turned out to be the beginning of an unforgettable experience for the entirety of 3rd grade. Once or twice a week, I would get pulled out of class to join a reading group where a teacher would guide us through a book series called The Zack Files. At first, I really didn’t like it, but as time went on, I started to appreciate it more and more; it not only improved my language and literacy skills but also changed my way of thinking about books. That small reading group also taught me that reading can be social, fun, and rewarding.

The place where the reading group was held was in the basement of my school, and it was the office of the teacher who led the reading group. The room had no windows and was dimly lit. The room was cozy: it was warmly lit, had bean bags, one or two armchairs, and many snacks and plush toys scattered around.

The reading group consisted of 3-4 other students who were also in the 3rd grade. The group wasn’t necessarily for ESL students but for students who struggled to read well. The teacher who led the group was on the older side and was preparing to retire the following year. She had white hair and liked to wear darker colored clothing. She was kind, patient, and funny. Every time we had reading sessions, she would come pick us up from our classes. While we would read, sometimes she would offer us snacks related to what the characters in the books would eat.

At first, the reading group felt more like a chore than something I might actually enjoy and want to do; However, after about a month of the reading group, I started liking it more and would look forward to it. The reason I started enjoying the group was that the book, which I had never heard of before this, was fun to read, not to mention the teacher, who would occasionally make funny remarks. My peers in the group were also very sociable and would talk to me all the time about the book and other things as well. The teacher would enforce popcorn reading, which forced us to always stay vigilant and have no time to daydream. As the reading group continued, I was able to improve my language and literacy without even realizing it. My reading level went up by a few levels, and I felt as if I was having an easier time conversing with others, especially with this one friend; Me and him were into this graphic novel named Astronaut Academy, and after I had spent a few weeks in the reading group, I found it easier talking to him about the book. The group was only held for about 1-2 hours per week. At the end of the reading group, the teacher told us that we could choose one of the plushies in the room to take home. To this day, I still have the bunny plushie, and it reminds me of that room and the books we read every time I see it.

The social and calming environment of the reading group helped in improving my language and literacy. The reading group taught me that classrooms don’t have to be the only place of learning; sometimes, a more informal, social, and cozy environment may help certain students improve in places where they may be struggling. The setting of the reading group helps students mentally, whereas the same thing in a traditional classroom may seem too overwhelming with classmates who are at a much higher reading level. In a smaller space, students build confidence without feeling left behind. The smaller space makes learning feel personal and less stressful, which can result in faster improvements. The students who would thrive better in an environment like my reading group not only need a space like that, but also an instructor who is engaging and enthusiastic enough to guide the students. To sum it up, not every student can learn properly in a traditional classroom, and smaller spaces with other students who may be struggling with something similar may help that student deal with their struggles.   

Translation One