My experice of being an linguistic

When I was a child, I was kept given the concept that English is an extremely important tool, which can be treated as the key to keep up with the pace of the 21st century. It seems that in my childhood period, the importance of English education has already been well realized in China, as we can see various English teaching institutions were being hold and gaining tremendously profits every year. Children are force to taking that kind of extra-curricular courses since parents are always hoping their child to “win in the start line”.

English has become a required course as soon as I enter middle school, thus if counted, I have already learned English for about 8 years. However, it is not until the time when I come to US did I truly realized the real meaning and importance of owning that skill. Recall the time I was in middle school and high school, for me, the only propose of learning English is just to cope with the exams and gain good grade.

However, for me, English has now become a daily necessity. But thinking my life here, the importance of English is not only the tool which help me live in this foreign country, and what is  more important, it has largely enhance my horizon of seeing this world! By owing the English literacy, I found amazingly that I have gain the ability to get access to information and materials from over the world, instead of only China. Now I could know things from hugely increased sources, and the ability to read English based website and newspaper make it possible to get access to the most authority talk and thought by people. I was surprised to find there can be totally different point of view even when describing the same event between Chinese article and the rest of the world.

Basically, being a linguistic is a great experience since not only I could gain another tool of communicate, but it is also a great enhancement of informatics source and give me the chance to know this world better.

Connection between technology and literacy

Along with social development, our way of communicate has largely enhanced by the improvement of technology, as well as literacy enrichment.  it seems that the technology and literacy has nature connection, instead of developing independently, they always shape and promote each other. 

Recalling to ancient time when literacy is depend on paper-based read and write, the transmission of knowledge is mainly rely on book, which require tons of time to read, and write. People in that age seems living a quite monotonous life, their world is far less colorful than the one we enjoying. Thinking of our own daily life, you will see how great technology has shaped literacy as well as our life. No longer will we struggling in the library in finding a certain book, just by clicking your mouse,the whole world of  information associated will indicated on your computer screen. New developed technology, such as multimedia, has largely enhanced the type of literacy, to make it visualize, interesting, created and also entertainment. The prevalent of internet has changed the way we communicate. Modern people, especially our generation, is  likely to talk on internet, write on internet  instead of in realistic society. 

On the other hand, literacy also gives the direction for technology development. Since the purpose of technology is to satisfy what people need and lead them to live a better life. It must have nature connection with literacy, which almost associate with every element to living in this world. We need our creative idea to be expressed properly, then there comes multimedia technology, we need spiritual relax, then there comes technology innovation like camera, instrument, etc. 

To be brief, the connection of technology and literacy is so close, and they could not simply developed independently without each other.

Proposal of Assignment#4

Finally, it is time to decide the topic of  assignment#4. Actually, I indeed have some thought about it, and I would like to give a brief introduction to my plan here.

I have a friend studying film direct in Germany, she is kind of person love express herself by creative style of arts, such as making a DV record, taking photographs... Remember the first time when I learned the concept of literacy, whose definition is not confined to "the ability to read and write" but can treated as all kinds of assets associate to communicate and understand, she is the person first come into my mind . Isn't her style of life a good example of new way of literacy? Since everytime she make photograph or DV record, she put her own thought and understanding of life in it, which make them special and even become a kind of art. That's her way to communicate and understand of the world!

Recently she went to Greece alone for a short trip. For Greece is famous for its mysterious culture and history, she wanted to gain inspiration  and also get to know about  people living there. During the trip, she made tons of pictures and wrote some words under it in recording some experiences and thought. This gives me the idea that I can use her story in my assignment#4. To be specific, I will copy some of her trip pictures and make them connected ,  adding some words to make it a whole story. These are all Based on the content of literacy blog associate to "picture" I have write before.

As for the genre, I think I will use comic life. Although I am not familiar with this software now, I will certainly take time to learn it.