NathanSmith ProfessorDebaratiDutta ENGL1101040 October14,2013 Guofangsaspectsofliteracyintheworkplace GuofangcompartmentalizestheaspectsofYangslearningintoasetofspecificfactors, whichhereferencesmanytimesthroughouthiswork,butthefactorsheidentifiescaneasilybe appliedtosituationsmanywouldconcludetobeverydissimilartothoseofYang.Theaspectshe identifiesasliteracyopportunity,literacyinstruction,cooperation,andsocioemotionalquality actuallyencompassalargespectrumofliteracybasedexperiences,andassuchcanberelated tomanydifferentindividuals.Forme,IcanrelateGuofangsfactorstomyliteracyatwork becauseliteracyasawholeisveryimportantinmyspecificworkenvironment. Literacyopportunitiesappearinawidearrayofforms,butcangenerallybedefinedas anyexposuretoreadingorwriting,eveninthenonconventionalsense.

Inmyworkforthe AmericanRedCross,Iwasinitiallyexposedtoalargedealofinformationaboutgivingblood,and theprocessestypicallyinvolvedingivingblood.Whilesomeoftheinformationwasnecessary formetolearn,otherinformationsuchasdonorinformationwassimplyreadilyavailableandI eventuallypickeduponduetorepeatedexposuretotheinformation.Inthissituation,myliteracy cameaboutasaconsequenceofliteracyopportunity,asopposedtoliteracyinstruction.For example,blooddonorshaveasetofrequiredreadingwhichvolunteersarenottypicallyrequired toknowthoroughly,but,afterhavingbeenexposedtothisinformationrepeatedly,Ihaveafirm understandingofthecontentinitsentirety.Additionally,whendealingwithpeopleinadaytoday basis,Idevelopedasenseforunderstandingdifferentpeopleinthecontextoftheircurrent situationthathasallowedmetobetterunderstandthemindsetofothersthismaynotbeseen

asaliteracyinthetypicalsense,butismoreofasocialtypeofliteracy.

Sometimes,literacyisnecessaryinmyworkplaceinordertoprovidedonorswith informationthatisnecessaryforthemtodonateinthissituation,theinformationwasexplicitly laidoutbeforemebysomeonewhoalreadyhadexperienceandknowledgeoftheinformation.In situationssuchasthese,obtainmentofliteracyvialiteracyinstructionisthemainforcedriving thedevelopmentofliteracy.Tobemorespecific,theprocessofcheckingindonorsand referencingthemtoparticularareaswasoriginallyaforeignprocesstome,butbecamefamiliar tomeaftersomeonethatalreadypossessedexperiencedoingsoinstructedmeonhowtocarry outtheduty.Thus,Iwasinstructedinhowtodealwith,andorganizeblooddonors,asopposed tojustlearningonmyown.Whilemostoftheguidanceobtainedatmyworkplacewasunder directguidance,itisimportanttonotethattherewasindirectguidancetowardslearningeach specificprocessofferedatbloodcentersinordertobetterinformdonorsinquiringaboutthe processesassuch,thistypeoflearningwouldhavecomponentsofinstructionandopportunity. Sincesomeformsofliteracyinstructionareimplied,thatistheyarenotforceduponan individual,thereisroomfortheindividualtohavechoiceinthelearningprocessthisisreferred toasliteracycooperationbyGuofang,orthewillingnessofanindividualtoparticipateina literacybasedevent.Atmyworkplace,oftentimestherewillbesupplementalinformationthatis availableviapamphletsandhandouts.Thisinformationispresent,butrequirestheactive participationofanindividualtoobtainanyinformationfromthesource.Inthisway,healthliteracy obtainedfromthepamphletrequirescooperationoftheindividualalongwiththatofthesponsor,

ortheonethatmadethepamphletavailableforreading. WhileIhaveapersonaldesiretolearnmoreintheworkplace,someofthepressure comesfromsourcesoutsideofmyimmediateperson,includingmyfamilyandpeers.Guofang definestheseinfluencesassocioemotionalqualityofliteracybecausethesepeopleinlifeshape yourmindsetforlearningandobtainingnewliteracies.Atwork,mypeersholdamajorinfluence onwhatIchoosetobebecomeliteratein,mostlydrivingmetobeliterateinmoresubjectareas inordertohaveawiderscopeofknowledgewithwhichtodiscussandaidothersin. Overall,theaspectsofliteracyidentifiedbyGuofangarepresentinmyeverydaylifeat work,butIfeelasthoughtherearemoreaspectstoliteracyinvolvinginterpersonalliteracythat arenotgenerallycoveredinGuofangsviewsonliteracy.Although,Guofangsviewsonliteracy wereinsightfulandhelpedprovidemewithanalysisofliteracyinmyworkplace.