Literacy in American lives / Deborah Brandt.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Brandt, Deborah, 1951- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Literacy--United States--History--20th century.

Literacy.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xi, 258 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2001.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book traces the changing conditions of literacy learning over the past century as they were felt in the lives of Americans born between 1895 and 1985. The book demonstrates what sharply rising standards for literacy have meant to successive generations of Americans and how they have responded to rapid changes in the meaning and methods of literacy learning in their society. Drawing on more than 80 life histories of Americans from all walks of life, the book addresses critical questions facing public education at the twenty-first century: What role does economic change play in creating inequality in access and reward for literacy? What is the human impact of the economy's growing reliance on the literacy skills of workers? This book gets beyond the usual laments about the crisis in literacy to offer an often surprising look into the ways that literacy is lived in America.

Contents:

Cover; Half-title; Title; Copyright; Dedication; CONTENTS; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS; INTRODUCTION; 1 LITERACY, OPPORTUNITY, AND ECONOMIC CHANGE; 2 LITERACY AND ILLITERACY IN DOCUMENTARY AMERICA; 3 ACCUMULATING LITERACY; 4 THE POWER OF ITŽ; 5 THE SACRED AND THE PROFANE; 6 THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION; CONCLUSION; Appendix INTERVIEW SCRIPT; NOTES; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes biblographical references (p. 235-247) and index.

ISBN:

1-107-12085-3

0-511-15395-3

0-511-81023-7

0-511-30225-8

0-511-04638-3

0-511-17424-1

1-280-43265-9

0-521-00306-7

OCLC:

437063070