My Literacy Skills

Visual Literacy:

These are the emotions that I associate with these colors:

Red – Anger, boldness

Orange – Uneasiness, inorder

Yellow – Smooth, free

Green – Natural, expensive

Blue – Refreshing, safe

Indigo – Professional, credible

Violet – Luxurious, confusion

Black – Heavy, intense

White – Clean, new

Grey – Neutral, hard

Brown – Dirty, strong

Pink – Soft, innocent

Most of the time, I prefer colored pictures and movies, because for me, color is a major factor in making a message impactful. Imagine a puddle of dark, thick fluid. This can either be blood, oil, chocolate, or syrup, depending on the color. An impactful message can also be conveyed through the use of the absence of colors. For example, if you want a sad picture to look more dramatic, making it black and white would do the trick. Colors are very important in photos and movies, which is why I like looking at colored images more than black-and-white ones.I don’t really watch either TV or movies, but if given the chance, I’d rather watch TV. TV series characters have a way of building a relationship with the audience as each episode goes by. This makes the story even more interesting since you get to see the lives of the characters in different perspectives. A TV series that I like to watch is “Bones”. In the series, not only do you get to see their professional life, but also do you get to see what happens between and outside their investigations, making these characters more human and relatable.

<3

I don’t read comics, but I read books. I prefer reading books without illustration because for me, the illustrations limit your mind to what you can see, rather than just use your imagination to perceive what you are reading. Though this is so, there are also times when illustrations are necessary, especially in made-up worlds with objects that are difficult to visualize. An example of this is Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland. With the illustrations, it would not be hard for you to imagine what the strange plants, animals, and other creatures in Wonderland looked like. 

Cultural Literacy

This is how I treat people from these social groups:

Women/girls – I treat women and girls with sensitivity and special consideration because I don’t want them to be offended by what I say or do. Whenever they look like they need help, I offer to do some things for them.

Older people – I always see a person older than me as someone whom I should respect at all times. I know that they have had more experiences than me and probably know more than me, whoever they are.

Foreigners – I treat foreigners here in the Philippines the same way I treat other Filipinos. When I see them in public, I do not follow them with my eyes, but rather, I act like they’re just locals, as well.

PWDs – I treat people with disabilities with consideration and care. I know that these people have more set of needs aside from what everyone else has. At most times, I try my best to adjust to them to make them more comfortable and not stare at them whenever possible.

LGBTs – I treat people from the LGBT community as normal people, as well, because whatever gender they are, they are still human beings.

Different religion – When it comes to people having a different religion as mine, I respect their opinions and views. I would ask them about their beliefs so that what I would do and say would not hurt the other person’s feelings.

To sum it all up, I treat everyone in these social groups with respect and consideration, whoever they are, because we are all equal, and no one is greater than the other. I have learned this through personal experiences and through what people in authority have taught me. Nobody wants to be mistreated, disrespected, or unconsidered, so I treat people how I want them to treat me.

Yay, equality!

Without going the philosophical route, let me tell you how society should treat these social groups:

Women/girls – CHIVALRY IS NOT DEAD. That’s for sure. Men should treat women as they have back in the 20th century, because women should be respected by men, as much as women should respect men. Guys should open doors, offer seats, and do other acts of chivalry because even if times are changing, our values should not.

Older people – Older people, no matter the age, should be treated with respect and reverence because whoever they are and whatever they do, they can always offer helpful advice.

Foreigners – Locals should give foreigners the hospitality and kindness that they need for people from other countries want to feel loved and accepted in the place that they are in. But despite the acceptance, we also have to teach them the language, culture, and daily activities that happen in the country, so that they would easily adjust to what would come their way.

PWDs – People with disabilities often have difficulty coping with the people around them, so why not try to make them comfortable? Giving consideration to their needs, as well as treating them like friends, would immediately bring them at ease and teach society that they are not that different after all.

LGBTs – Talking to people from this social group would give society an idea of what they are experiencing and feeling. Society should learn to be open-minded and understanding towards these people because whatever the gender, they are still humans.

Different religion – Having different religions doesn’t mean a fight has to occur. When people have a different faith than you, it is best to respect their decision and not shove your beliefs right up to their faces. You would not want them to do this to you, as well.

In short, we should treat everyone kindly and respectfully. I think this is so because in this way, we would get to feel comfortable and accepted through simple acts of kindness. Nothing is wrong with sacrificing just a little time to help someone out, so why not do it?

Some literacy skills that I know I lack in—and I know I do—are applications literacy, cultural literacy, and most importantly, news literacy. It’s not that I don’t care, but I am just not really capable of learning everything about them and remembering it at all times. My friends educate me, and I am always willing to learn about these; I try my best to be able to use these literacy skills effectively.

Aside from the ones mentioned above, there are a few literacy skills that I would like to learn. One of which is software literacy. I would like to learn how to edit photos on my laptop, as well as video and audio. I don’t really think that it would be that essential for me, but it would be nice if I knew how to use these special types of software. I would spend my free time making my own projects and not be as bored as I was before.