My Story with Literacy

Reading and writing, but also comprehending it at the same time is extremely essential for everyday life, no matter the circumstance. My mom made sure I knew that starting at a young age. In our old apartment, she had posters everywhere containing letters and words. Every day and night, she'd ask me,"What letter is that,” or “What does that word say?" She also had so many bookshelves and cartons of books, so every night she'd read me a book and tell me to repeat what she was saying. I felt encouraged because she'd always be patient and take me step by step. Once I started reading, I loved to do it. I remember the exact moment I learned to read for the first time. I was four years old waiting for my mom at bed time. I grabbed a new book she bought. She was taking a long time to come to the room, so I opened the book and started sounding out words. When she came to the room, I told her I was going to read that night and that’s exactly what I did. After that, I read the books to go to sleep every single night. Once I started elementary school, my mom and I always went to our local library and checked out books after books and I’d read every single one of them. I was very confident in my skills that I would always volunteer in reading exercises.

As soon as I could read, it was like a boost of confidence. At that moment, it was the first time I felt literate. It was always something my mom would do or teach me part by part, but to read a full sentence with no help made me feel like a champion. After that, we started to practice comprehension. Now that’s where the issue came, I can read what I’m seeing, but was I understanding what I was reading? I could understand some parts, but it was my biggest weakness. I would pass my spelling tests, but I struggled at the comprehension portions. After a lot of practice with my mom and teachers, I wasn’t excellent at it, but I was way better. At times, I still struggle to this day with understanding what I’m reading and that frustrates me because I see a grade and know I could do better. When I read, it sometimes just feels like words on a paper and then I go and reread it a bunch of times to try to interpret it as much as I can. Literate activities I used to enjoy were educational TV shows such as Blues Clues, Sesame Street, Sid the Science Kid, etc. I also enjoyed basic colorful books, as long as they had color, I would read it. Growing up, I was more into Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Dork Diaries because it was always advertised during the book-fair at my elementary school and I always got the newest book. Although I would get those books, I would also go to the library most of the school week and get a new chapter book that intrigued me the most. A big role model behind all of that was my mom, she definitely pushed me in all topics, but reading and comprehension were big ones.

   

    In all honesty, technology plays a big role in my relationship with literacy now. Before, I didn’t have the latest phone or tablet, and my source of entertainment was reading. I would love to say I read all the time, but I don’t. There’s the rare occasion where I’ll see a book I own and I choose to reread, but unless I am required to read something new, the chances of me doing so are low. I plan to change that about myself because the amount of time I spend on my phone binge watching TV shows, I could use that to broaden my knowledge. It’s not that I dislike reading, but I get too lazy. Half the time, I like to at least listen to podcasts. I don’t listen to specific ones all the time, but I like to listen to motivational speaking or advice on finance. Like I’ve said multiple times, my mom has and will always be my biggest support system in literacy. She is always asking me why I don’t read as much as I used to, but this year I will make it my goal to go to the library and find a few books that interest me.