The capacity to decode and encode symbols which is usually referred to as literacy has been object of analysis and study beginning with the Greek civilization. Among the principal arguments raised since their time, the “Great Divide” theory, which claims that literacy causes dramatic changes in individuals’ cognitive development, seems to be not only one of the strongest contentions but also the most widely accepted among scholars.
In 1963, “The Consequences of Literacy” by Goody and
Opposition to the “Great Divide” theory, however, has emerged in modern times. Olson (1996), for instance, considered that the analysis of literacy and cognition was unable to specified how exactly one influences the other. The “Great Leap” theory has also been said to be ethnocentric (Heath, 1983; Scribner and Cole, 1981) for it does not seem to account for the development of societies out of the western world.
4 comments:
Ronaldo,
I don't know which of those theories is the right one but when I read your text, I began to think about those different point of view.
In my opinion,literacy is connected with the development of abstract, logical and scientific thinking.when someone is literate has more oppotunities to see things in different ways.For this reason, education is really important.
Hi Rony, Late but sure. I read the article and it's very interesting because it describes the relationship between literacy and cognition, which is useful to have a cultural background in special if we are teaching and learning. What gives the reader the feeling that the article is complete constitutes the fact that you analize first the Greeks, then Watts, next an author called Ong and finally Olson. All of them express their different perspective throughout History . It is like in a timeline. In addition to all this, I read an article in 'if I may say so' where Plato seems to argue in contrast to the use of writing as a new form of technology. I don't know but may be this comment is somewhat connected to your article. Then, if you are so kind enough, I will ask you to pass me to read those articles referring to the 'Great Divide Theory' and 'The Great Leap'. Bye. Nestor
Hi Rony, Late but sure. I read the article and it's very interesting because it describes the relationship between literacy and cognition, which is useful to have a cultural background in special if we are teaching and learning. What gives the reader the feeling that the article is complete constitutes the fact that you analize first the Greeks, then Watts, next an author called Ong and finally Olson. All of them express their different perspective throughout History . It is like in a timeline. In addition to all this, I read an article in 'if I may say so' where Plato seems to argue in contrast to the use of writing as a new form of technology. I don't know but may be this comment is somewhat connected to your article. Then, if you are so kind enough, I will ask you to pass me to read those articles referring to the 'Great Divide Theory' and 'The Great Leap'. Bye. Nestor
Hi Rony!
Interesting post. It is really usefull, for me, to know differet authors and points of view as regards literacy and cognition.
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