Bio-Cultural-Historical Approaches

to the Study of Literacy

A Video Conference Seminar Series

with 

Michael Cole

University of California, San Diego

Robert J. Glushko Distinguished Visiting Scholar

in Cognitive Science, 2006-2007

In my previous lectures I have argued to an approach to cognitive science that views mind as the emergent outcome of four different "streams of history." Phylogeny, cultural history, ontogeny, and microgenesis. The purpose of this four part series of seminars is to concretize this general perspective with respect to the human ability to read and write.

The format of these four sessions will differ radically from those of the prior two. 

• First of all, we will meet via Internet video rather than face to face. We have tested the quality of the connection and it the high quality should enable serious discussion. 
• Second, instead of me simply standing and lecturing, this will be a reciprocal set of exchanges in which Berkeley participants will be expected to do some reading and will be given targeted contributions to make. I plan primarily to the orchestrator of the ensuing discussion, but will have prepared carefully with supplementary materials. 

The workshop will meet on four Mondays distributed throughout the semester, from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, in Dwinelle Hall, Room 4.

Students can receive one (1) unit of course credit by registering for Cognitive Science 198 (undergraduates) or Cognitive Science 237B (graduate students and undergraduates who have completed all requirements for the major).

For further information, please contact Prof. Cole or John F. Kihlstrom.

January 22

The Cultural-Historical Origins of Literacy

Schmandt-Besserat, Denise. (1978) The earliest precursors to writing.  Scientific American, 238, 50-59. 

Havelock, E. (1982). The pre-Greek syllabaries and The Greek Alphabet.  In E. Havelock, The literate revolution in Greece and its cultural consequences (pp. 60-88). Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Goody, J. (1977). Domestication of the Savage Mind (Chs. 1, 2, & 4).  Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Click here for a PDF of the Power Point Presentation.

February 12

Cross-Cultural Research on the Consequences of Literacy

Greenfield, (1972). Oral or written language: The consequences for cognitive development in Africa, the United States and England Language and Speech, 1972, 15 (2), 169-178.

Scribner & Cole, Literacy without schooling: Testing for intellectual effects, pp. 448-461.
Harvard Educational Review, 1978, 48, 4, p. 448-461.

Goody, J. (1987). The interface between the written and the oral (Chapter 12: Dialogue with S. Scribner and M. Cole). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

March 12

Applying Theory in Practice

Burns, M.S., Griffin, P., & Snow, C.E. (Eds.).  (1999).  Starting out right : a guide to promoting children's reading success (selections).  Committee on the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children, Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council.  Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.  
http://books.nap.edu/html/sor/
http://books.nap.edu/catalog/6014.html#toc

Moll, L., Estrada, E. Diaz, E., & Lopes, L. M.: The Organization of Bilingual Lessons: Implications for Schooling.The Quarterly Newsletter of the Laboratory of Comparative Human Cognition, 2(3), 53-35.  URL: http://lchc.ucsd.edu/Histarch/jl80v2n3.PDF

King, C.A., Griffin, P., Diaz, E., & Cole, M.  A Model System Approach to Reading instruction and the diagnosis of reading disabilities (selections).  In R. Glaser (Ed.), Advances in Instructional Technology  URL: http://lchc.ucsd.edu/Pubs/NEWTECHN.pdf.

April 9

The Influence of Literacy on Brain Organization and Function

Ardila, A. (2004). There is not any specific brain area for writing: From cave-paintings to computers. International Journal of Psychology, 39 (1), 61–67.

Polk, T.A., & Hamilton, J.P.(2006). Reading, writing, and arithmetic in the brain: Neural specialization and acquired function.In P.B. Baltes, P.A. Reuter-Lorenz, & F. Rosler (Eds.). Lifespan development and the brain: the perspective of biocultural co-constructivism (pp. 183-199). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
http://www.umich.edu/~tpolk/Polk&Hamilton2006.pdf