'The Ecology of Written Language'

So, just how far will Barton extend the metaphor of ecology? As I'm reading (and construct my own understanding of the metaphor), I'm beginning to understand the usefulness of ecology as a description of what is really happening when we use the terms literacy, literate, illiteracy, and illiterate. Interestingly, I was surprised to learn that the terms, in their current usage, are relatively new and continually evolving. I think I may have been under the impression that 'literacy' has been in similar pedagogical use since my grandparents' school days (which was in the early part of last century).

I'm recognizing that literacy is a concept that can't be described as a skill set or a portion of a larger system, rather it is connected to elements throughout the system. I particularly like Barton's description on page 31, "...the structure and patterns in a community are a product of processes at the level of the individual."

So, what does the 'ecosystem' of literacy look like? This is the understanding that I'm constructing.

Finally, a favorite line from this text so far:
"[Metaphors] are like the tips of icebergs..." (p. 17)

Always On, Initial Thoughts

I'm eager to finish this book for two reasons. First, I'm interested in Baron's analysis of how being 'always on' is slowly affecting our language usage as a society as technologies emerge and are adpoted, or domesticated. Second, I am eager for an answer to the question: should texting and IMing be considered a form of speech?

The book prompted an interesting discussion the other night with my mother, who teaches 2nd grade. As her son, I could anticipate her response before I raised the subject, and I wasn't surprised by her verdict. In her experience, being 'always on' is eroding our reading and writing abilities. For me, the jury is still out. While I agree with my mother that our language is changing (or adapting?) to new technologies, I don't think it necessarily means that the changes are detrimental to our language. Furthermore, if some practices are detrimental to our language systems, it definitely does not have to be the case.

Finally, my opinion of texting and instant messaging is that, yes, they are akin to speech, albeit a modified form. As a student of augmentative and alternative communication for individuals with speech difficulties, I immedietly recognize text and instant messages as forms of speech. While I'll continue to develop this idea over the course of the semester, my main reason for this belief is in the transient nature of these messages. Although they can create a log of a discussion, when they are not used for that function, they merely transfer content (which can be information, asking a question, commenting, or social niceties) for immediate use.