Past and Present of the Verbs to Read and to Write: Essays on Literacy. Emilia Ferreiro. Translated by Mark Fried. Toronto, ON: Groundwood, 2003. 80 pp., cloth, $25.00. ISBN 0-88899-556-3. Subject Headings: Literacy. Literacy-Political aspects. Professional. Review by Deborah Begoray. **** /4

excerpt:

“Equivalence in difference” is probably the best way of characterizing the central issue in education for the immediate future, and very particularly the central issue in basic literacy.

All too seldom do we get the opportunity to read the work of a highly respected literacy educator from Mexico (or, indeed, from anywhere beyond the English speaking world). Whether this is because we are not diligent enough in seeking them out, or whether Canadian and American publishers do not promote their work is an issue for another time. Suffice to say that Ferreiro’s work is worth a reader’s time. She is not only highly respected in her own country but has had books published in English, Italian, Spanish and Portugese for distribution across the world. In 1994, she was awarded Brazil’s Libertador de la Humanidad award. She is only the third person to receive it, the other two are Nelson Mandela and Paolo Freire!

     That being said, some readers might wonder about the target audience of such a book. I would respond that it is for everyone who wants to think about the broader issues of literacy education. After all, two of the talks represented in this volume were first made public to audiences of publishers at trade shows: the 26th Congress of the International Publishers Union in Buenos Aires, 2000 and the 2nd Inter American Congress of Publishers, in Mexico City, 1997. Ferreiro does not pander to a stereotypical view of market driven business people but instead engages them in thinking about literacy as a democratic concern of interest to citizens of a free society. The third talk was originally given to the 15th World Congress of the International Reading Association in Buenos Aires in 1994. Readers will not notice any difference in tone or tack!

     Past and Present of the Verbs to Read and to Write: Essays on Literacy is a slim volume of 77 pages. It includes an introduction by the author and three talks entitled “Reading and Writing in a Changing World,” “Past and Future of the Verb ‘to Read,’” and “Diversity and Literacy: From Celebration to Awareness.” The common thread is encapsulated in the quotation which begins this review. Ferreiro believes that certain truths underline all literacy education: things which are not the same may still be equal, and this diversity is as important in literacy education as biodiversity is to the health of the Earth.

     “Reading and Writing in a Changing World” discusses the history of reading and books. It then addresses, with writing samples, the problem of the divide between children who are surrounded with books, reading and helpful learning environments and those who are struggling with impoverished surroundings. I find myself wondering how the audience of publishers must have sat up straighter in their seats when, at the end of a long conference day, they attended such an address. Ferreiro here speaks eloquently of the changes we are all facing and of the new media of ebooks, without romanticizing the books of the past or valorizing technology in the future.

     “Past and Future of the Verb ‘to Read’” has the same general themes and the same general audience of publishers. Ferreiro once again delves into history and then confronts the problems which she believes are ignored by far too many; for example, the “illiteracy among teachers and their students, their incapacity to move from book (singular) to books (plural), not to mention from there on to computer networks and other assorted marvels” (p. 39). Once again, she challenges the publishers by asking “will we let ourselves get carried away by the vortex of competitiveness and profitability, even though the very idea of participatory democracy perishes in the process?” She then uses examples of print text from both children and from historical documents to lend specificity to her argument.

     “Diversity and Literacy: from Celebration to Awareness” begins once again with history including the story of Columbus and the aboriginal translators who accompanied him on his voyages. Ferreiro then proceeds to celebrate the diversity of literacy as informed by many disciplines, encompassing many spoken and written languages, and serving many viewpoints and purposes. She links this ideal directly to research and hence to practices in schools. She encourages her audience to rethink schooling and to embrace diversity as richness which “creates contexts for communication between differences and despite differences.” Diversity here carries a pedagogical advantage for those brave enough to take up its challenge.

     Reading Past and Present of the Verbs to Read and to Write is an adventure. Readers will find themselves informed about the past and present, challenged to think about the realities of education in other countries and contexts, and incited to themselves become social activists in their own literacy education practices. I highly recommend reading all of these essays and then acting on them!

Highly Recommended.

Deborah L. Begoray is the Chair of the Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction in the Faculty of Education at the University of Victoria, Victoria, BC.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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