James Paul Gee discusses literacy and the concept of Discourse, in his piece “Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction.” Discourse is the ability to be a part of the world and integrate oneself into society by partaking in different experiences, beliefs, values, and acts. Discourse isn’t something that can just be taught by one person for another to learn, it is something that has to be obtained by interacting with others and gaining experience through various social interactions. As Gee states, there are multiple types of Discourses, with Primary Discourse and Secondary discourse being explained most thoroughly. Primary Discourse is Discourse that is earned by interacting with our families and growing up alongside them- this impacts the way that we, each individual, view the world and everyone and everything in it. Secondary Discourse is acquired by interacting with friends, people from work, people from school, and practically anybody outside of our families that can impact the way that we view things and develop our values.
Now that I’ve explained what Discourse is, what some of the types of Discourse are, and how they work, I want to delve into what literacy is according to Gee and how it works. Literacy is a being that takes time to understand and fully comprehend due to the complexity of its nature. As Gee stated in his piece, a person may be able to speak English but not have the advanced abilities to write or read it properly while understanding the intricacy of its nature. In turn, a person may be able to read a piece of literature or write something progressive but not have the ability to formulate a valid, verbal response to somebody else. Just because somebody is able to accomplish an amazing piece of work or speak English in an intricate manner, does not mean that they can do both. Language simply does not equal grammar.
Whilst literacy is something that can be taught and learned by a person over time, discourse is something that can just be taught, it’s something that comes through years of experience and interactions with others, something that molds over time. Discourse revolves around being socially interactive, taking part in discussions, and listening to what others have to say, whether it be friends, family, or acquaintances. It’s important for each individual to understand what Discourse is and how it works so that each person can form their own identity.
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