A commentary on literacy narratives as sponsors of literacy

Abstract

This brief commentary first clarifies Brandt's concept of sponsors of literacy in light of the way the concept has been taken up in writing studies. Then it treats Brandt's methods for handling accounts of literacy learning in comparison with other ways of analyzing biographical material. Finally it takes up Lawrence's argument about literacy narratives as sponsors of literacy.

Keywords:

• language
• culture and literacy
• educational theory
• narrative methods

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Deborah Brandt

Deborah Brandt is a professor emerita of English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research interest is in how changing standards for literacy are experienced by everyday people. She is the author most recently of The Rise Of Writing: Redefining Mass Literacy (Cambridge University Press, 2015).