Academic vs social literacy
In most cases, pursuing our dreams takes a leap of faith. The
English Language Learner (ELL) students at the University of the Arts in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, take a bigger leap than most. The majority of
students come to this country with nothing more than a basic working knowledge
of English – what we would describe as functional English literacy. Due to a
lack of access for degrees in the arts in their home countries, they chose to
travel across the world to achieve their goals. Abdul, for example, came all the
way from Saudi Arabia to pursue a degree in film, and Reshma made the trek from
Germany to complete her Bachelor’s in fine arts. Studying in this country means
being immersed in a language that they are unfamiliar with. The difficulties a
native English speaker may have operating within the highly specialized literacy
of the academic community are compounded by the ELL students’ need to master
English as a whole before tackling the university discourse.
English Language Learner (ELL) students at the University of the Arts in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, take a bigger leap than most. The majority of
students come to this country with nothing more than a basic working knowledge
of English – what we would describe as functional English literacy. Due to a
lack of access for degrees in the arts in their home countries, they chose to
travel across the world to achieve their goals. Abdul, for example, came all the
way from Saudi Arabia to pursue a degree in film, and Reshma made the trek from
Germany to complete her Bachelor’s in fine arts. Studying in this country means
being immersed in a language that they are unfamiliar with. The difficulties a
native English speaker may have operating within the highly specialized literacy
of the academic community are compounded by the ELL students’ need to master
English as a whole before tackling the university discourse.
UArts demands that students demonstrate competency in English before allowing them to matriculate at the school. The student who designed the adjacent cartoon expresses the frustration of being so close to his/her dream, but having to study something else first. This international student, and others like him/her, were required to graduate from the English as a Second Language Institute (ESLi program), with a minimum passing score decided by the university before entering the college as a whole and pursuing their degrees. By providing access and support to English literacy, the University becomes a positive sponsor for ELL students. This is also Bartholomae’s “gatekeeping” at its finest. A barrier is in place – students may not advance until they meet the standard.
Despite the frustrations she encountered, Sewon An recalls being excited to give her first classroom presentation in English for the ESLi program. She remembers trying to form the basis for the project – a practice in discussing her present and future career path – in English; learning the nuances of English orality/conversation as well as written academic reports. Out of all our interviewees, only one expressed having no difficulty with such practices. Reshma, whose English was the least-accented and most fluent, was exposed early to English academia when she studied for two years at an International school. Despite English being her third or fourth language, she was extremely comfortable operating with it in the modes that university study requires.
Despite the frustrations she encountered, Sewon An recalls being excited to give her first classroom presentation in English for the ESLi program. She remembers trying to form the basis for the project – a practice in discussing her present and future career path – in English; learning the nuances of English orality/conversation as well as written academic reports. Out of all our interviewees, only one expressed having no difficulty with such practices. Reshma, whose English was the least-accented and most fluent, was exposed early to English academia when she studied for two years at an International school. Despite English being her third or fourth language, she was extremely comfortable operating with it in the modes that university study requires.
The academic setting has a huge impact on the way these students process and interact with English. As Bartholomae writes in “Inventing the University”, the academic community demands that students “learn to speak our language, to speak as we do, to try on the peculiar ways of knowing, selecting, evaluating, reporting, concluding, and arguing that define the discourse of our community” (4). To be a part of this community, ELL students must not only master English, they must frame it in a way that the academy will accept. Several of the students we spoke with confessed that reading and writing in English is difficult, despite the fact that they have passed the ESLi program and are now matriculating at UArts.
It could be argued that these students may have a harder time taking on the “role of authority” that the academy demands (Bartholomae 6). Left on uncertain linguistic footing, their unstable foundation in English literacy makes it difficult for ELL students to write with the well-researched confidence and conviction that academic practices require. This leaves them less-likely to try on the voice of the academic university, and exposes them to the danger of being rejected by the community.
Where academic literacy leaves them hanging, social literacy presents an overwhelming boost in confidence and learning for our ELL students. Throughout our interviews, a recurrent theme became the presence of friends helping students to become more comfortable with the English language, learning conversational English and the subtle nuances of cultural expectations which translated into more success with their academic practices.
Tae goes to parties with his American friends; they teach him slang and provide a place for him to practice his English :
It could be argued that these students may have a harder time taking on the “role of authority” that the academy demands (Bartholomae 6). Left on uncertain linguistic footing, their unstable foundation in English literacy makes it difficult for ELL students to write with the well-researched confidence and conviction that academic practices require. This leaves them less-likely to try on the voice of the academic university, and exposes them to the danger of being rejected by the community.
Where academic literacy leaves them hanging, social literacy presents an overwhelming boost in confidence and learning for our ELL students. Throughout our interviews, a recurrent theme became the presence of friends helping students to become more comfortable with the English language, learning conversational English and the subtle nuances of cultural expectations which translated into more success with their academic practices.
Tae goes to parties with his American friends; they teach him slang and provide a place for him to practice his English :
Sewon is lucky enough to have a support system already built into the city – her best friend lives in Philadelphia. She also spends her time working in her cousin’s restaurant, interacting with countless numbers of new people and new words:
The academy actually provided an opportunity for social learning to Wonju. She was paired with a peer mentor, Andrew, who has been a source of support and education. He gives her company when she feels lonely in a new country, and introduces her to new people who expand her pool of peers and provide her with new voices to learn from:
This impact can be measured by the sheer amount of time interviewees spent discussing social influences. Overwhelmingly, it was these experiences that contributed most to their English literacy acquisition. Overflow into other aspects of life soon followed, including a positive impact on their comfort in the academy.
Scholars are beginning to identify this connection with non-academic experience and literacy acquisition. Beverly Moss points to the recent shift to “look at literacy in non-academic communities”, exploring “how people are defined as literate and people who are perceived to be not literate are characterized” (55). These ELL students are in danger of falling into the category of being judged illiterate, or functionally literate. Difficulties operating within academic literacy should not be confused as the result of lack of motivation or intelligence. By closely studying the “literacy events” that these students engage in outside of the academy, we gain a clearer, more representative picture of their English literacy. These events, defined by Moss as “any action sequence involving one or more persons in which the production and/or comprehension of print plays a role” (54), perfectly describe such social interactions. The impact of these events can be further explored under “The Extracurricular” and “Social Media” tabs.
Scholars are beginning to identify this connection with non-academic experience and literacy acquisition. Beverly Moss points to the recent shift to “look at literacy in non-academic communities”, exploring “how people are defined as literate and people who are perceived to be not literate are characterized” (55). These ELL students are in danger of falling into the category of being judged illiterate, or functionally literate. Difficulties operating within academic literacy should not be confused as the result of lack of motivation or intelligence. By closely studying the “literacy events” that these students engage in outside of the academy, we gain a clearer, more representative picture of their English literacy. These events, defined by Moss as “any action sequence involving one or more persons in which the production and/or comprehension of print plays a role” (54), perfectly describe such social interactions. The impact of these events can be further explored under “The Extracurricular” and “Social Media” tabs.