Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - D1120066
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED337778 AUTHOR: Hoffman, Amy
TITLE: Multi-Cultural Literacy in the Composition
Classroom:
Report on a Pilot Project.
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1991
NOTE: 10 p.; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the
Conference on College Composition and Communication (42nd,
Boston, MA, March 21-23, 1991).
ABSTRACT: At the root of the writing problems of most
college students is a lack of critical thinking. Students
find analyzing an article or essay, writing a review, or
arguing persuasively difficult and unpleasant because they
have little practice in identifying and evaluating
assumptions and reasoning. One solution to this problem,
developed by a college instructor, was a course on "multi
cultural literacy," which sought not only to improve
students' ability to reason, but also to encourage
humanitarian values. In this course, students were also
introduced to current debates about the canon, the meaning
of cultural differences and the possibility of cultural
"literacy." The goal was not to teach students to agree
with the teacher, but to encourage their curiosity,
creativity, open-mindedness, and critical questioning. The
first step of the course was to introduce the controversy
over "cultural literacy." Next, students worked on an oral
history, and in class, did some basic exercises in
"consciousness raising." In addition, students reported to
the class on periodicals targeted at particular ethnic
groups, or on stories and films about race, gender, class
mobility, etc. Finally, after examining the implications of
racial and cultural difference in society, the students
wrote a paper exploring the definition, history, and
implications of an aspect of cultural literacy. Although
the class was not altogether successful, it provided ideas
for a revised version of the course which will address
questions of white identity and institutional racism, and
hopefully reduce students' feelings of guilt and
defensiveness. (PRA)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Higher-Education; Persuasive-Discourse;
Undergraduate-Students
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Freshman-Composition; *Multicultural
Education; *Oral-History; *Racial-Bias
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