Discourse Communities

## Discourse Communities <img src="https://glennritchey.net/teaching/assets/discoursecommap.jpg"> **Course**: ENC 1101 **Instructor**: Glenn S. Ritchey III Today we're exploring how writers navigate different communities and use language strategically to participate, resist, and create change. ### What you'll do 1. Work through two focused discussions with your group 2. Share your findings with the class **Which schedule are you on?** [[Monday/Wednesday section →->MW-Groups]] [[Wednesday/Friday section →->WF-Groups]] *Need help navigating?* Here is how to [[How to use this Twine->Instructions-Node]].

## How to Use This Twine ### Navigation Click blue links to move between pages; including to return to previous pages. ### Working in Groups Find your group number, follow your pathway (Discussion 1 → Discussion 2 → Shareout Prep), and take notes in your shared Google Doc. ### Discussions Read prompts carefully, discuss with your group, and record key insights. Times are guidelines — quality matters more than finishing. ### Reference Nodes These provide extra context on key concepts. Use them when you need a refresher or want to go deeper. [[← Back to start->Start]]

## Group Assignments [[Group 1: Understanding Discourse Communities →->Group1-Opening]] [[Group 2: Genres and Specialized Language →->Group2-Opening]] [[Group 3: Translanguaging and Code-Meshing →->Group3-Opening]] [[Group 4: Power and Access →->Group4-Opening]] [[Group 5: Literacy Sponsorship →->Group5-Opening]]

## Discourse Communities: The Big Picture You already navigate multiple discourse communities every day—from texting your friends to emailing professors to posting on social media. Each community has different expectations for how you communicate. **Key Concept**: Discourse Community — a group of people who share goals, methods of communication, genres, and specialized language (lexis) **Today's Question**: How do writers navigate the language expectations of different discourse communities, and when can (or should) we challenge those expectations? *Your group will explore this from a specific angle. The deeper context lives in your group's pathway.* [[← Back to MW Groups->MW-Groups]] [[← Back to WF Groups->WF-Groups]]

## Group 1: Understanding Discourse Communities Your group explores Melzer's six characteristics of discourse communities and applies them to communities you belong to. *Why this matters*: Before you can strategically navigate or challenge a discourse community's expectations, you need to understand what makes it a discourse community in the first place. ### Your Pathway 1. **Discussion 1**: What are the six characteristics of a discourse community? 2. **Discussion 2**: How do these characteristics apply to communities you belong to? 3. **Shareout Prep**: Organize your findings to share with the class. #### Navigation [[Whole-class framing (review)->Framing]] [[Start Discussion 1 →->Group1-Discussion-1]] #### Reference [[Swales' Six Characteristics->Group1-Reference]]

## Group 1 — Discussion 1: Swales' Six Characteristics **Goal**: Understand and explain the six characteristics that define a discourse community ### Context John Swales argues that discourse communities have six key features. Melzer uses his acoustic guitar jam group as an example to show how these features work in practice. Understanding these characteristics helps you identify discourse communities and analyze how they function. **The six characteristics**: 1. Broadly agreed-upon common goals 2. Mechanisms of intercommunication 3. Use of communication to provide information and feedback 4. One or more genres that help achieve community goals 5. A specific lexis (specialized language) 6. A threshold level of expert members ### Questions Work through these individually. Simply write down your responses in any way you find relevant: think free-writing, or just bulleting out ideas. Prepare to talk through your responses with your group. **1. In your own words, what does each characteristic mean?** Go through all six and make sure everyone understands them. Use Melzer's guitar jam example if helpful. **2. Why does Swales say "guitar players" is NOT a discourse community?** What's the difference between a broad category of people and an actual discourse community? **3. Pick one characteristic that seems most important to you.** Why is that characteristic crucial for a community to function? [[Reference: Swales' Six Characteristics->Group1-Reference]] #### *Ready to move on? Head to Discussion 2.* [[← Back to pathway->Group1-Opening]] | [[Continue to Discussion 2 →->Group1-Discussion-2]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="600" data-passage="Group1-Discussion-1"> </div>

## Group 1 — Discussion 2: Applying the Characteristics **Goal**: Use Swales' characteristics to analyze a discourse community you belong to. ### From Understanding to Application You understand the six characteristics. Now test them by applying them to a real community. ### Questions **1. Choose a discourse community you're all part of or familiar with** This could be: a campus club, online community, work environment, gaming group, family group chat, major/department, etc. **2. Apply all six characteristics to your chosen community** - What are the shared goals? - How do members communicate? - What genres does the community use? - What specialized language (lexis) do members use? - Who are the expert members? **3. What happens if someone doesn't know the lexis or genres?** How does the community help new members learn? Or does it exclude them? ### Quick Draft (if time allows) Choose one: - **Option A**: Draft a paragraph analyzing one discourse community you belong to using Swales' characteristics - **Option B**: Explain which characteristic is hardest for new members to learn in a specific community - **Option C**: Compare how two different discourse communities use the same characteristic differently [[Reference: Swales' Six Characteristics->Group1-Reference]] #### *Time to prepare your shareout.* [[← Back to pathway->Group1-Opening]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="600" data-passage="Group1-Discussion-2"> [[Time to prepare your shareout→->Group1-Shareout-Prep]] </div>

## Group 1 — Shareout Prep Prepare a **2-3 minute** presentation for the class. ### What to Share **1. Key Insight** (1 min): What's the most important thing you learned about how discourse communities work? **2. Specific Example** (1 min): ONE concrete example from a discourse community you analyzed using Swales' characteristics. **3. Application** (30 sec): One thing the class can take away about navigating discourse communities in their own writing. ### Get Organized - Who's presenting which part? - What specific example are you using? - What's your takeaway for the class? *Keep it tight — 2-3 minutes. Specifics over generalities.* #### *Ready to share with the class.* [[← Back to pathway->Group1-Opening]] | [[Ready for synthesis →->Collective-Synthesis]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="240" data-passage="Group1-Shareout-Prep"> </div>

## Reference: Swales' Six Characteristics **What it is**: A framework for identifying and analyzing discourse communities **Why it matters for your writing**: Every time you write, you're writing for a specific discourse community with specific expectations. Understanding these characteristics helps you figure out what those expectations are. ### The Six Characteristics 1. **Broadly agreed-upon common goals** — Members share purposes 2. **Mechanisms of intercommunication** — Ways members talk to each other 3. **Use of communication to provide information/feedback** — Members actively share knowledge 4. **Genres that help achieve goals** — Specific types of communication the community uses 5. **Specific lexis** — Specialized vocabulary or language 6. **Threshold of expert members** — Experienced people who maintain standards ### Example Melzer's guitar jam group has shared goals (learn songs, have fun), uses Meetup.com to communicate, shares chord sheets as a genre, uses musician's vocabulary (capo, minor pentatonic scale), and has experienced players who teach beginners. ### How to Apply This When entering a new discourse community (like a college major), identify these six characteristics to understand how the community works and what's expected of you. [[← Back to pathway->Group1-Opening]]

## Group 2: Genres and Specialized Language Your group explores how discourse communities use specific genres and specialized language (lexis) to achieve their goals. *Why this matters*: Genres and lexis are two of the most visible ways discourse communities communicate. Understanding how they work helps you adapt your writing to different contexts. ### Your Pathway 1. **Discussion 1**: How do genres and lexis function in discourse communities? 2. **Discussion 2**: How do you navigate genre and lexis expectations in your own communities? 3. **Shareout Prep**: Organize your findings to share with the class. #### Navigation [[Whole-class framing (review)->Framing]] [[Start Discussion 1 →->Group2-Discussion-1]] #### Reference* [[Genres and Lexis->Group2-Reference]]

## Group 2 — Discussion 1: Genres and Lexis in Action **Goal**: Understand how genres and specialized language function in discourse communities ### Context Discourse communities use specific genres—recurring types of communication—to get work done. They also develop specialized vocabulary (lexis) that helps members communicate efficiently but can exclude outsiders. Melzer's guitar jam group shares chord sheets (a genre) and uses terms like "capo" and "minor pentatonic scale" (lexis). Academic discourse communities use genres like research articles, conference presentations, and lab reports, with specialized terminology from their fields. **Key insight**: Genres and lexis aren't just about being formal or technical—they're about participating effectively in a community's shared work. ### Questions Work through these together. Take notes in your shared doc. **1. What's the difference between a genre and just "a type of writing"?** How do genres help discourse communities achieve their goals? **2. Pick a discourse community you know well. What are its key genres?** What makes those genres different from similar types of communication in other contexts? **3. How does specialized language (lexis) work in that community?** What terms do insiders use that outsiders wouldn't understand? Why do they use those specific terms instead of simpler language? [[Reference: Genres and Lexis->Group2-Reference]] #### *Ready to move on? Head to Discussion 2.* [[← Back to pathway->Group2-Opening]] | [[Continue to Discussion 2 →->Group2-Discussion-2]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="600" data-passage="Group2-Discussion-1"> </div>

## Group 2 — Discussion 2: Navigating Genre and Lexis Expectations **Goal**: Apply your understanding of genres and lexis to your own writing contexts ### Questions **1. Think about a time you had to learn a new genre or specialized language.** What community were you trying to join? How did you learn the expected genres and lexis? **2. What's at stake when you don't know the genre conventions or lexis?** Can you still participate in the community? What do you risk? **3. For your Multimodal Literacy Narrative, which discourse community's genres and lexis will you analyze?** How will you explain the specialized language or genre conventions to readers who don't belong to that community? ### Quick Draft (if time allows) Choose one: - **Option A**: Draft a paragraph explaining a specialized term from your discourse community to an outsider - **Option B**: Describe the genre conventions of one type of communication in your chosen community - **Option C**: Analyze why a particular genre or piece of lexis exists in your community—what purpose does it serve? [[Reference: Genres and Lexis->Group2-Reference]] #### *Time to prepare your shareout.* [[← Back to pathway->Group2-Opening]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="600" data-passage="Group2-Discussion-2"> [[Time to prepare your shareout →->Group2-Shareout-Prep]] </div>

## Group 2 — Shareout Prep Prepare a **2-3 minute** presentation. ### What to Share **1. Key Insight** (1 min): What's important about how genres and lexis work in discourse communities? **2. Specific Example** (1 min): ONE concrete example of a genre or specialized term from a discourse community you analyzed. **3. Application** (30 sec): One thing the class should remember when analyzing genres and lexis in their own communities. ### Get Organized - Who's presenting which part? - What specific example are you using? - What's your takeaway for the class? #### *Ready to share with the class.* [[← Back to pathway->Group2-Opening]] | [[Ready for synthesis →->Collective-Synthesis]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="240" data-passage="Group2-Shareout-Prep"> </div>

## Reference: Genres and Lexis **What it is**: Two key characteristics of discourse communities **Why it matters for your writing**: Understanding genres and lexis helps you adapt to new writing contexts and analyze how communities use language. ### Key Points - **Genres**: Recurring types of communication that help communities achieve goals (e.g., lab reports, memes, chord sheets, meeting agendas) - **Lexis**: Specialized vocabulary that insiders use (e.g., "capo" for guitarists, "discourse community" for rhetoric scholars, "tank" for gamers) - **Function**: Both genres and lexis help members communicate efficiently and signal membership ### Example Academic writing has genres like research articles (with specific sections: abstract, methods, results, discussion) and lexis like "discourse community," "rhetorical situation," "exigence." You couldn't participate effectively in academic conversations without knowing these. ### How to Apply This When you enter a new discourse community, pay attention to what genres people use and what specialized terms they employ. Learn the conventions to participate effectively—or choose to break them strategically when you have a good reason. --- [[← Back to pathway->Group2-Opening]]

## Group 3: Translanguaging and Code-Meshing Your group explores Tremain's argument for translanguaging and code-meshing as alternatives to code-switching. *Why this matters*: Understanding different approaches to language helps you make strategic choices about how you navigate discourse community expectations—and when you might challenge them. ### Your Pathway 1. **Discussion 1**: What are translanguaging and code-meshing, and how do they differ from code-switching? 2. **Discussion 2**: When and how might you use these approaches in your own writing? 3. **Shareout Prep**: Organize your findings to share with the class. #### Navigation [[Whole-class framing (review)->Framing]] [[Start Discussion 1 →->Group3-Discussion-1]] #### Reference [[Code-Switching vs. Code-Meshing->Group3-Reference]]

## Group 3 — Discussion 1: Understanding Translanguaging and Code-Meshing **Goal**: Understand what translanguaging and code-meshing mean and how they differ from code-switching ### Context Tremain distinguishes between three approaches to navigating language expectations: **Code-switching**: Alternating between languages or language varieties depending on context (e.g., speaking "standard English" at school, speaking African American English at home) **Translanguaging**: Drawing fluidly on all your language resources without treating them as separate systems **Code-meshing**: Intentionally blending languages or language varieties in a single piece of writing, rather than switching between them Tremain argues that code-meshing and translanguaging resist the idea that there's one "correct" way to use language. They challenge the assumption that standard English is inherently better than other varieties. ### Questions Work through these together. Take notes in your shared doc. **1. In your own words, what's the difference between code-switching and code-meshing?** Use an example to illustrate the difference. **2. Why does Tremain argue that code-switching can be harmful?** What does she say is problematic about constantly switching between language varieties? **3. What's risky about code-meshing in academic or professional contexts?** What might you gain? What might you lose? [[Reference: Code-Switching vs. Code-Meshing->Group3-Reference]] #### *Ready to move on? Head to Discussion 2.* [[← Back to pathway->Group3-Opening]] | [[Continue to Discussion 2 →->Group3-Discussion-2]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="600" data-passage="Group3-Discussion-1"> </div>

## Group 3 — Discussion 2: Applying Code-Meshing **Goal**: Consider when and how you might use translanguaging or code-meshing in your own writing ### Questions **1. Think about your own language practices across different contexts.** Do you code-switch? How does it feel when you do? Does it ever feel like you're censoring part of yourself? **2. Where might code-meshing work in academic writing? Where might it not?** What determines whether it's an effective rhetorical choice? **3. For your Multimodal Literacy Narrative, how might you approach language choices?** Will you code-switch, code-mesh, or something else? Why? ### Quick Draft (if time allows) Choose one: - **Option A**: Draft a paragraph about a personal experience using code-meshing—intentionally blend different language varieties - **Option B**: Revise a previous piece of writing to incorporate code-meshing where you originally code-switched - **Option C**: Explain when you think code-meshing is worth the risk and when it might not be [[Reference: Code-Switching vs. Code-Meshing->Group3-Reference]] #### *Time to prepare your shareout.* [[← Back to pathway->Group3-Opening]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="600" data-passage="Group3-Discussion-2"> [[Time to prepare your shareout →->Group3-Shareout-Prep]] </div>

## Group 3 — Shareout Prep Prepare a **2-3 minute** presentation. ### What to Share **1. Key Insight** (1 min): What's the key difference between code-switching and code-meshing, and why does it matter? **2. Specific Example** (1 min): ONE example of when code-meshing might be an effective rhetorical choice. **3. Application** (30 sec): One thing writers should consider when deciding whether to code-switch or code-mesh. ### Get Organized - Who's presenting which part? - What specific example are you using? - What's your takeaway for the class? #### *Ready to share with the class.* [[← Back to pathway->Group3-Opening]] | [[Ready for synthesis →->Collective-Synthesis]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="240" data-passage="Group3-Shareout-Prep"> </div>

## Reference: Code-Switching vs. Code-Meshing **What it is**: Two different approaches to navigating language expectations across discourse communities **Why it matters for your writing**: Understanding these approaches helps you make strategic choices about how to use language in different contexts. ### Key Points - **Code-switching**: Alternating between language varieties depending on context - **Code-meshing**: Intentionally blending language varieties in a single text - **Translanguaging**: Drawing fluidly on all linguistic resources without treating them as separate ### Example Code-switching: Writing "I am going to the store" in an email to a professor but texting your friend "ima go to the store" Code-meshing: Writing an academic essay that intentionally incorporates African American English, Spanish, or other language varieties alongside standard English ### How to Apply This Code-meshing is a rhetorical choice. Consider your audience, purpose, and what's at stake. Sometimes code-meshing is an effective way to resist linguistic prejudice and honor your full language repertoire. Sometimes code-switching is the strategic choice. Both are valid—it depends on your goals and what you're willing to risk. --- [[← Back to pathway->Group3-Opening]]

## Group 4: Power and Access Your group explores the relationship between language, power, and access to discourse communities. *Why this matters*: Understanding who gets to set language standards and who gets excluded helps you recognize and challenge linguistic prejudice. ### Your Pathway 1. **Discussion 1**: How do language expectations create barriers to discourse communities? 2. **Discussion 2**: How can writers navigate or challenge these barriers? 3. **Shareout Prep**: Organize your findings to share with the class. #### Navigation [[Whole-class framing (review)->Framing]] [[Start Discussion 1 →->Group4-Discussion-1]] #### Reference [[Language and Power->Group4-Reference]]

## Group 4 — Discussion 1: Language as Gatekeeping **Goal**: Understand how language expectations can exclude people from discourse communities ### Context Tremain argues that "standard English" isn't inherently better or clearer than other language varieties—it's just the language variety used by people with institutional power. When discourse communities require standard English, they're creating barriers for people who grew up speaking other varieties. This matters because access to discourse communities often determines access to opportunities, resources, and power. If you can't use the "right" language, you might be excluded from academic communities, professional communities, or civic communities—even if you have valuable knowledge and skills. **Key question**: Who decides what counts as "correct" language, and who benefits from those decisions? ### Questions Work through these together. Take notes in your shared doc. **1. What does Tremain mean when she says standard English is "the language of people with institutional power"?** How did standard English become "standard"? **2. Give an example of how language expectations can exclude someone from a discourse community.** This could be from your own experience or from what you've observed. **3. What's the difference between language variety and language quality?** Can someone be a "good" writer in a non-standard variety of English? [[Reference: Language and Power->Group4-Reference]] #### *Ready to move on? Head to Discussion 2.* [[← Back to pathway->Group4-Opening]] | [[Continue to Discussion 2 →->Group4-Discussion-2]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="600" data-passage="Group4-Discussion-1"> </div>

## Group 4 — Discussion 2: Navigating and Challenging Language Barriers **Goal**: Consider strategies for navigating or challenging language-based exclusion ### Questions **1. What are the options for someone whose home language variety doesn't match a discourse community's expectations?** What are the costs and benefits of each approach? **2. When is it worth conforming to standard English expectations? When is it worth resisting?** What factors should influence that decision? **3. How might you address language and power in your Multimodal Literacy Narrative?** What language choices will you make, and what do those choices communicate about your relationship to power and access? ### Quick Draft (if time allows) Choose one: - **Option A**: Draft a paragraph about a time you felt excluded or judged based on how you spoke or wrote - **Option B**: Explain a situation where code-meshing might challenge linguistic prejudice - **Option C**: Analyze the power dynamics in a specific discourse community's language expectations [[Reference: Language and Power->Group4-Reference]] [[← Back to pathway->Group4-Opening]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="600" data-passage="Group4-Discussion-2"> [[Time to prepare your shareout →->Group4-Shareout-Prep]] </div>

## Group 4 — Shareout Prep Prepare a **2-3 minute** presentation. ### What to Share **1. Key Insight** (1 min): What's the relationship between language expectations and power/access? **2. Specific Example** (1 min): ONE example of how language expectations can include or exclude people from a discourse community. **3. Application** (30 sec): One thing writers should remember when navigating language expectations in different contexts. ### Get Organized - Who's presenting which part? - What specific example are you using? - What's your takeaway for the class? #### *Ready to share with the class.* [[← Back to pathway->Group4-Opening]] } [[Ready for synthesis →->Collective-Synthesis]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="240" data-passage="Group4-Shareout-Prep"> </div>

## Reference: Language and Power **What it is**: The relationship between language expectations and access to opportunities/resources **Why it matters for your writing**: Understanding how language creates or limits access helps you make informed choices about when to conform to expectations and when to challenge them. ### Key Points - Standard English isn't inherently "better"—it's the variety spoken by people with institutional power - Language expectations can function as gatekeeping mechanisms that exclude people - Writers face strategic choices about conforming to, negotiating with, or resisting language expectations - What counts as "correct" is determined by power, not by linguistic quality ### Example A college admissions essay that uses African American English vernacular might be judged as "unprofessional" or "incorrect"—not because it's unclear or ineffective, but because it doesn't match the dominant language variety. This creates a barrier for students who grew up speaking AAVE. ### How to Apply This Recognize that language expectations are rhetorical and political, not just grammatical. You can choose to meet those expectations strategically while also understanding that they're not neutral. When you have the power to do so, you can also choose to challenge them—but be aware of what's at stake. --- [[← Back to pathway->Group4-Opening]]

## Group 5: Literacy Sponsorship Your group explores how sponsors—people, institutions, or organizations—shape access to literacy and discourse communities. *Why this matters*: Understanding who sponsors your literacy helps you recognize the forces that have shaped you as a writer and communicator. ### Your Pathway 1. **Discussion 1**: What is literacy sponsorship and how does it work? 2. **Discussion 2**: Who are your literacy sponsors and how have they influenced you? 3. **Shareout Prep**: Organize your findings to share with the class. #### Navigation [[Whole-class framing (review)->Framing]] [[Start Discussion 1 →->Group5-Discussion-1]] #### Reference [[Literacy Sponsors->Group5-Reference]]

## Group 5 — Discussion 1: Understanding Literacy Sponsorship **Goal**: Understand what literacy sponsors are and how they shape access to literacy ### Context Deborah Brandt defines literacy sponsors as "any agents, local or distant, concrete or abstract, who enable, support, teach, model, as well as recruit, regulate, suppress, or withhold literacy—and gain advantage by it in some way." Sponsors can be people (teachers, parents, mentors), institutions (schools, churches, libraries), or organizations (writing programs, literacy nonprofits). They shape what kinds of literacy you develop, which discourse communities you can access, and how you use language. **Key insight**: Sponsors aren't neutral. They have their own interests and agendas, even when they genuinely want to help you. Understanding sponsorship means recognizing both what sponsors give you and what they might limit or control. ### Questions Work through these together. Take notes in your shared doc. **1. What does Brandt mean by saying sponsors "gain advantage" from providing literacy?** What might a sponsor get out of teaching someone to read, write, or communicate? **2. Give examples of literacy sponsors in your own life.** Who taught you to communicate in different ways? What did they teach you—and what might they have limited? **3. How do literacy sponsors relate to discourse communities?** Can sponsors grant or deny access to specific discourse communities? [[Reference: Literacy Sponsors->Group5-Reference]] #### *Ready to move on? Head to Discussion 2.* [[← Back to pathway->Group5-Opening]] | [[Continue to Discussion 2 →->Group5-Discussion-2]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="600" data-passage="Group5-Discussion-1"> </div>

## Group 5 — Discussion 2: Your Literacy Sponsors **Goal**: Identify and analyze your own literacy sponsors and their influence ### Questions **1. Choose one significant literacy sponsor from your life.** This could be a person, institution, or organization. What did they teach you about communication? What discourse communities did they help you access? **2. What were their interests or agendas?** What did they gain from sponsoring your literacy? (This isn't necessarily negative—sponsors can have genuine and self-interested motives simultaneously.) **3. What did they not teach you, intentionally or unintentionally?** What kinds of literacy or which discourse communities did they not prepare you for? Why might that be? ### Quick Draft (if time allows) Choose one: - **Option A**: Draft a paragraph about a literacy sponsor and how they shaped your relationship with language - **Option B**: Analyze what a particular sponsor taught you versus what they didn't teach you - **Option C**: Explain how a sponsor helped you access (or blocked you from accessing) a specific discourse community [[Reference: Literacy Sponsors->Group5-Reference]] [[← Back to pathway->Group5-Opening]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="600" data-passage="Group5-Discussion-2"> [[Time to prepare your shareout →->Group5-Shareout-Prep]] </div>

## Group 5 — Shareout Prep Prepare a **2-3 minute** presentation. ### What to Share **1. Key Insight** (1 min): What's important about understanding literacy sponsors and their influence? **2. Specific Example** (1 min): ONE concrete example of a literacy sponsor and how they shaped access to literacy or discourse communities. **3. Application** (30 sec): One thing writers should remember when analyzing their own literacy sponsors. ### Get Organized - Who's presenting which part? - What specific example are you using? - What's your takeaway for the class? #### *Ready to share with the class.* [[← Back to pathway->Group5-Opening]] | [[Ready for synthesis →->Collective-Synthesis]] <div class="timed-nav" data-timer="240" data-passage="Group5-Shareout-Prep"> </div>

## Reference: Literacy Sponsors **What it is**: People, institutions, or organizations that enable, support, teach, regulate, or withhold literacy **Why it matters for your writing**: Understanding your literacy sponsors helps you recognize who shaped you as a writer and what their influence was. ### Key Points - Sponsors teach specific kinds of literacy for specific purposes - Sponsors have their own interests and agendas (not necessarily bad, but not neutral) - Sponsors can grant or deny access to discourse communities - Multiple sponsors can teach conflicting or complementary literacies ### Example A high school English teacher sponsors your literacy by teaching you the five-paragraph essay and "standard" grammar. They help you access academic discourse communities, but they might also limit your understanding of what counts as "good writing" or reinforce linguistic prejudice against non-standard varieties. ### How to Apply This When analyzing your literacy development, identify your sponsors and consider what they taught you, what they didn't teach you, what they gained from sponsoring your literacy, and how they shaped your access to different discourse communities. This helps you understand your current relationship with language and writing. --- [[← Back to pathway->Group5-Opening]]

## Bringing It Together Each group shares (2-3 min each): Key insight → Specific example → Takeaway for the class. ### As You Listen - What patterns do you notice across groups? - How do the different perspectives on discourse communities connect? - What contradictions or tensions emerged? ### Synthesis Questions After all groups have shared: - How does understanding discourse communities help you as a writer? - Where do you see connections between Melzer's framework and Tremain's critical perspective on language? - What remains unclear or challenging about navigating discourse community expectations? - How will you apply these concepts to your Multimodal Literacy Narrative? [[Looking Ahead (MW) →->MW-Looking-Ahead]] [[Looking Ahead (WF) →->WF-Looking-Ahead]]

## Looking Ahead **By next class**: - Complete your Multimodal Literacy Narrative draft for peer review - Review the peer review guidelines in Canvas Questions? Concerns? Use Canvas Messages anytime or stop by my office hours (on our home page). [[← Back to start->Start]]

## Looking Ahead **By next class**: - Complete your Multimodal Literacy Narrative draft for peer review - Read the assignment prompt carefully and start planning your approach Questions? Concerns? Use Canvas Messages anytime or stop by my office hours (on our home page). [[← Back to start->Start]]