Literacy refers to competence or ability. You may have heard the term information literacy, which refers to effectiveness in finding and evaluating information, or financial literacy, which refers to understanding the basics of saving, spending, budgeting, and investing money. In a college writing course, you might discuss literacy as an ability to read and write (the word’s original meaning). A literacy narrative gives you an opportunity to reflect on your own reading or writing experiences and to explore this question: How have my experiences shaped who I am as a reader or writer?

An effective literacy narrative often focuses on a single important experience. And an effective thesis statement for a literacy narrative usually relates a main idea or insight about reading or writing that communicates the story’s significance for the writer but also transforms it from a personal story to one with larger, universal interest.

Key features of literacy narratives

Exploring ideas for your literacy narrative

Drafting your literacy narrative

Revising your literacy narrative

Presenting your literacy narrative

Sample student writing: Literacy narrative