Local Literacies
Reading and Writing in One Community
1st Edition
Published on 12. March 2012
336 pages
978-1-136-44834-8 (ISBN)
Description
Local Literacies is a unique detailed study of the role of reading and writing in people's everyday lives. By concentrating on a selection of people in a particular community in Lancaster, England, the authors analyse how they use literacy in their day-to-day lives. It follows four people in detail examining how they use local media, their participation in public life, the role of literacy in family activities and in leisure pursuits. Links are made between everyday learning and education. The study is based on an ethnographic approach to studying everyday activities and is framed in the theory of literacy as a social practice.
This Routledge Linguistics Classic includes a new foreword by Deborah Brandt and a new framing chapter, in which David Barton and Mary Hamilton look at the connections between local and global activities, interfaces with institutional literacies, and the growing significance of digital literacies in everyday life.
A seminal text, Local Literacies provides an explicit usable methodology for both teachers and researchers, and clear theorising around a set of six propositions. Clearly written and engaging, this is a deeply absorbing study and is essential reading for all those involved in literacy and literacy education.
This Routledge Linguistics Classic includes a new foreword by Deborah Brandt and a new framing chapter, in which David Barton and Mary Hamilton look at the connections between local and global activities, interfaces with institutional literacies, and the growing significance of digital literacies in everyday life.
A seminal text, Local Literacies provides an explicit usable methodology for both teachers and researchers, and clear theorising around a set of six propositions. Clearly written and engaging, this is a deeply absorbing study and is essential reading for all those involved in literacy and literacy education.
Reviews / Votes
'Local Literacies presents complex ideas, mixing debates from linguistics, social history and cultural studies; yet it is written with enviable clarity ... Anyone interested in literacy education needs to read this book.' - Jane Mace, South Bank University, UK'A rare achievement. A holistic study of local literacies in one community which is both accessible and engagingly written. A book I would happily recommend to academics, practitioners, parents, teachers, community workers and the general public. Barton and Hamilton raise many questions, move debates about literacy forward, and reveal a broad understanding of the sheer complexity of literacies in ordinary people's lives. A stimulating and respectful book.' - Sarah Padmore, UK
'One of the best books on literacy I have read in my career. I can see myself going back to this book again and again, learning more each time I read it ... You can't leave the book without new insights about the nature of literacy in people's lives.' - David Bloome, Vanderbilt University, USA
A rich ambitious book that explores insightfully how we govern ways the written and read word works for us. Barton and Hamilton disclose the heart of our vernacular literacies - close up framings of our time, space, relationship and transformational points in our lives.' - Shirley Brice Heath, Stanford University, USA
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
File size
20,47 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-136-44834-8 (9781136448348)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
02/2012
1st Edition
Routledge
€231.50
Shipment within 15-20 days
Book
02/2012
1st Edition
Routledge
€83.20
Shipment within 15-20 days
Persons
David Barton is Professor of Language and Literacy and Director of the Literacy Research Centre at Lancaster University, UK. He is series editor of the Literacies series (Routledge) and author and co-editor of numerous titles including Literacy, Lives and Learning (2007, Routledge).
Mary Hamilton is Professor of Adult Learning and Literacy and Associate Director of the Literacy Research Centre at Lancaster University, UK. She is the author of Literacy and the Politics of Representation (forthcoming, Routledge).
Mary Hamilton is Professor of Adult Learning and Literacy and Associate Director of the Literacy Research Centre at Lancaster University, UK. She is the author of Literacy and the Politics of Representation (forthcoming, Routledge).
Content
Foreword by David Bloome. Preface. Part I 1. Understanding Literacy as Social Practice 2. Locating Literacies in Time and Space: (1) A history of literacy in Lancaster 3. Locating Literacies in Time and Space: (2) Lancaster Today 4. Ethnography in Practice Part II 5. How They Have Fared in Education: Harry's Literacy Practices 6. Getting Things Done in the Community: Shirley's Literacy Practices 7. Living a Local Life: June's Literacy Practices 8. Leisure and Pleasure: Cliff's Literacy Practices Part III 9. Everyday Literacies: (1) The Range of Practices 10. Everyday Literacies: (2)the Patterning of Practices 11. Home, Learning and Education 12. The Web of Literacies in Local Organisations 13. Becoming Expert: Literacy and Sense-making 14. Vernacular Literacies 15. Afterword
