Reading Matters

1. Select a text rich in descriptive language. For example, you can select from the works of William Faulkner. Or, you can select from thousands of texts at sites like Project Gutenberg, which provide large numbers of electronic texts. In small groups, read the selected passage aloud and have members of the group write down their associations with the imagery presented and share with the group what they have written. Use this as a springboard for a discussion about visual imagery.

2. Present the class with a highly abstract concept, such as: dream [http://www.dreamtree.com/]; or universe [http://hou.lbl.gov/], referring them to websites devoted to the topics. Have each student bring a physical object to class that represents the concept. Have each student verbally report his or her criteria for choosing the object.



3. Have students generate ten (10) homophones (words that sound exactly alike, but may be spelled differently) that have different contextual meanings. The most definitive list of homophones on the Web was culled by Alan Cooper, founder of a software design consulting firm and homophone enthusiast. Discuss the need for an agreement on the precise definition of these words needed for contextual understanding.



4. Think of five examples of language being replaced by visual representations. Draw them and share them with the class.

Use this as a springboard for a discussion about visual imagery.
5. Write a "literacy autobiography." Begin with everything you remember about learning how to read and write. Next, log and describe all the reading and writing you do in a single day. Make sure to include incidental reading, such as television schedules, menus, cereal boxes, labels, etc. Share autobiographies in small groups as a springboard for a discussion about the nature of literacy in everyday life.

6. The following site has information that may be useful to you as you discuss literacy and the history of education:
   The Prairie Oral History Project



7. Interview a family member or another acquaintance about his or her reading and writing practices.



8. Write a recollection of how you became interested in something for which you've attained a high level of expertise. Describe any reading you did pertaining to the area of interest, and how it enhanced your knowledge. Browse the Web to locate information about your area of interest and share your findings in small groups. Use this activity as a springboard for a discussion regarding the Web as a useful resource.