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Vygotsky, L. "Zone of Proximal Development: A New Approach" and "The Prehistory of Written Language." Mind in Society, edited by M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman, Harvard University Press, 1978

Freire, Paulo. "Banking Concept of Education." Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 30th Anniversary Edition, introduction by Donaldo Macedo, Continuum, 2000

"Translanguaging, coloniality, and english classrooms: An exploration of two bicoastal urban classrooms", Research in the Teaching of English, De Los Ríos, CV and Seltzer, K, Volume 52, August 01 2017.

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In reflecting upon my literacy journey, my experiences are rich in lessons from my beloved grandmother, the mentorship I provided to my sister, and the transformative education I received in high school.
My grandmother's wisdom laid the foundation, teaching me values and skills that prepared me for school. In turn, I became a guiding force for my sister, embodying Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, where I bridged the gap between her potential and her achievements, much like the bridge my grandmother provided for me.

My high school years further shaped my literacy narrative, introducing me to the problem-posing model of education. This approach encouraged critical thinking, fostering a space where students became co-creators of knowledge rather than mere recipients. It was here that I truly began to understand the power of active engagement in one's own learning journey, a realization that has profoundly influenced my worldview and personal identity.

As a proud Lebanese student, the concept of translanguaging resonates deeply with me. It's more than just a linguistic practice. It's a proof to my ability to navigate between cultures, languages, and identities. Translanguaging celebrates the fluidity and adaptability of my linguistic heritage, allowing me to express myself authentically and fully.

In conclusion, my literacy autobiography is not just a chronicle of my experiences with language and learning. It's a testament to the people, practices, and pedagogies that have shaped me. From the intimate lessons with family to the broader educational philosophies I've encountered, each chapter has contributed to the person I am today: a reflective learner, a proud mentor, and a beacon of my Lebanese heritage.

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Dear Reader,

Welcome to my Literacy Autobiography, a personal journey through the pages of my life. I invite you to join me on a voyage of self-discovery, exploring key moments, cherished memories, and transformative experiences that have shaped my relationship with literacy.

From the first moment we learn our first alphabet letter to the times we delve into complex novels, each of us has a unique story to tell about our connection with literacy. Here's mine!

It's through the art of storytelling and sharing that we bridge the gap between our individual experiences and connect with the wider world.

Together, let's explore the chapters of my autobiography, where each page turned is an opportunity to connect, reflect and celebrate the magic of literacy.

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I'm going to tell you about how it first started.
My Literacy starts with my identity. As a proud Lebanese, growing up in a Middle Eastern family, my roots were not merely a part of who I am, they were the very soil from which my literacy would flourish.

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Within my cozy family home, my literacy journey began with the loving guidance of my grandmother, Teta Eugene. She was a nurse and a pedagogue. Her wisdom extended far beyond textbooks. Under her nurturing care, I learned the art of cooking, of painting, gardening, handcrafting... To this day, I attribute a significant part of my education to her unwavering influence.

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My parents, too, played crucial roles in shaping my character. My mother, who excelled academically, taught me values of diligence, organization, and politeness. Her guidance became the foundation upon which I will excel academically as a remarkable, unique student.

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My father, on the other hand, taught me emotional intelligence and effective communication. He showed me how to make people laugh, how to find joy in the smallest of moments, how to be grateful, and how to cherish the bonds of family. His lessons etched deep within me, shaping my literacy and outlook on life. He was an amazing father, who without noticing it, put me on a pedestal of knowledge compared to my peers. My Dad taught me how to love.

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The birth of my younger sister was a remarkable turning point in my life. At the tender age of six, I suddenly found myself with a feeling of responsibility of educating her. Our age difference made it so that my relationship with her was different than the one with my other sister who is only two years younger than me.

I embraced the role of being the best big sister I could be. I took care of her, braided her hair, ensured she ate and bathed, and often told her that she needed to be "une fille modele" which means a "model" girl, setting an example for others to follow. We laugh about it today, along with a bunch of "remember when's" of moments I enlightened her about life. I taught her everything Teta Eugene passed to me. It's an experience that affected the both of us and until today, my little sister thanks me for it.

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Teta Eugene was also the owner of a nursery/day care for children called Jenny's. It might not be the case in the United States but in Lebanon it is very common to send your child there before primary school to learn basic things like discipline and early reading, communication and motor skills. This really affected my performance in my first years of school, as it was an easy transition to the start of my academic life.

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My journey through literacy took an exciting turn when I entered school. I have studied at the Grand-Lycée-Franco-Libanais for 15 years of my life.

At home, Arabic and French flowed effortlessly as we conversed with family members. However, it was at school that I truly began to embrace both languages academically. My school was a unique blend of French and Lebanese cultures, where we had the privilege of learning in both languages. While Arabic was primarily reserved for subjects like History and Geography and Arabic as a language subject, French became the language of instruction for all other subjects like Math, Biology, sciences... French as a language in addition to History and Geography too!

My initiation into the world of English came a bit later, when I was in third grade. After mastering French and Arabic, English seemed like a manageable addition. My early exposure to music when I was a kid (thanks Dad), where I paid meticulous attention to lyrics, gave me a head start and helped me pick up some words. I also cultivated daily habits like setting my iPhone's language to English and watching Netflix series with English subtitles. These seemingly small actions played a crucial role in accelerating my English language skills, and put me on a pedestal compared to my peers. Especially in a school where English was not really taken seriously, by the students, teachers and administration...

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What made my school truly exceptional was the educators. The teachers at my school were not just instructors, they were mentors, confidants, and, in many cases, lifelong friends. They had a knack for making learning interesting and engaging. Their dedication to fostering meaningful connections with students was evident in every interaction.

In the nurturing atmosphere of the GLFL (French-Lebanese School), I slowly but surely became the teachers' favorite student. This wasn't due to any preferential treatment but rather a result of my genuine enthusiasm for learning and our shared passion for languages. Some of my teachers became my best friends, and to this day, we remain in close contact.

Growing up in this vibrant and diverse learning environment did more than just enrich my linguistic abilities. It instilled in me a boundless curiosity and the resilience needed to face life's challenges head-on. While the academic rigor sometimes brought stress, it also gave me the determination to tackle any obstacles that came my way. The close-knit relationships with my teachers, who doubled as mentors, provided a support system that nurtured my growth not just as a student but as an individual.

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What I truly appreciated in most of my classes in high school, is the "problem-posing" model of education which Paulo Freire talks about in his Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
My favorite teachers were always focused on making learning exciting. (that's why they were my favorites)
It was always about making learning a dynamic and fun experience rather than a static repetitive one. They would always come up with new ideas to make the subject engaging, whether it's Math or Philosophy. I really appreciate them for that.

On the other hand... some classes (it was rare) were following the "banking-model" of education...

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"Education thus becomes an act of depositing, in which the students are the depositories and the teacher is the depositor. Instead of communicating, the teacher issues communiques and makes deposits which the students patiently receive, memorize and repeat"
~Paulo Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed)

This is one con of the French system (worldwide): a LOT of memorization is required to pass your exams and classes in general. We (the students) are like boxes waiting to be filled with information we are going to forget... probably one day after our exam and not be able to fully acquire the concepts.

However, this was only the case in some subjects, and the teacher always tried to make it interesting (they didn't always succeed but they tried!).

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"Through dialogue, the teacher-of-the-students and the students-of-the-teacher cease to exist and a new term emerges: teacher-student with students-teachers. The teacher is no longer merely the-one-who-teachers, but one who is himself taught in dialogue with the students, who in turn while being taught also teach. They become jointly responsible for a process in which all grow".
~Paulo Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed)

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The teachers were students and the students were teachers. In one way or another, we were all learning from each other in a single classroom. The GLFL therefore offered me a true "problem-posing education", where every person was allowed to share a piece of themselves and thrive. I am grateful for my school. It's still a big part of who I am now.

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GLFL embodied the principles of critical pedagogy: it encouraged dialogue, inquiry, and collaboration. By critical, I mean that we were always invited to challenge established beliefs and assumptions and always speak and open our minds. I am really grateful for this because it was not the case for all schools in Lebanon.

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My favorite Arabic teacher and me.
Mr. Chadi El-Khoury changed my view on literacy by teaching all his students how to think with an open mind, participate like your life depends on it, and challenge society's assumptions. By studying old Arab Philosophy texts with a modern approach to delicate subject, I learned from Mr. Chadi how to move away from conservative stereotypes and analyze everything critically. This was all very unexpected in a (half) Lebanese school.

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In the hallways of the GLFL, my literacy flourished as I navigated the diverse languages, cultures, and close teacher-student bonds. The unique blend of the French and Arabic cultures at the GLFL set the stage for my journey into the world of literacy, and it continues to shape the person I am today.

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My experience with my grandma's teachings and me educating my little sister before we started school underscore the foundational idea that learning is not confined to formal educational settings. Instead, it is a continuous journey that starts from the earliest moments of a child's life, influenced by their environment, experiences, and interactions.

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As explained in Chapter 2, I know how to speak, read and write three languages: French, Arabic, and my third, English.

Middle-Eastern people are known to be multilingual. They have Arabic as their first or second language. And English, most probably, since it's a language that you need to know nowadays with globalization.

In fact, English is known as a lingua-franca (ELF). This means that it is an international bridge between communities. When I learned how to speak, read and write English, I felt like I was connecting with other populations. We were connected through a language: English.
When traveling, I could speak with tourists. Even today, now that I am in UC Berkeley, surrounded by diverse peoples and backgrounds, I can communicate with them through this language. The only reason me and my teachers and classmates understand each other is because we know English.

Learning English in a school where the language was considered as "extra" and not taken seriously was challenging. I had to be persistent. I still feel like I need to improve my writing because we never learned how to write an English essay in school for example. I learned everything I know about essays in my freshman year here, in COLWRIT R1A. I am currently taking R1B, and feel like my writing skills are better, but of course, I want to master writing in English as much as I master Arabic and French.

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For Lebanese people, we surely know how to understand three languages. Maybe not perfectly, but most of us can understand French and English, and Arabic (of course).

Knowing these three languages as a Lebanese person, gives me the ability to transcend their boundaries. This is called Translanguaging. It's a more fluid and integrated use of languages where the barriers between them are blurred, and where multilingual speakers can use their full linguistic repertoire without strict compartmentalization.

Us Lebanese people are very well suited for translaguaging then!
We blend French, Arabic and English in our sentences everyday. For example, the one we use the most is: "Hi Kifak Ca va?".
In this sentence, we are using English (Hi), Arabic (Kifak) and French (Ca va) which both mean "how are you?", "you doing good?".

This sentence has been adopted by Lebanese people through society over time. Notice how we repeat the "how are you" twice. We don't need to do it, but it was repeated over time and we got used to it. Only Lebanese people can fully understand the meaning of this sentence.

It is actually fascinating to be able to do this. When I moved to UC Berkeley from Lebanon, I noticed that I am really lucky to be one of the rare people who can "tranlaguage" between not two but three languages.
I didn't appreciate this much before, maybe because it is common and normalized inside my Lebanese circle.

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"To adopt translanguaging means taking linguistic fluidity as the norm and building pedagogy from students’ language practices"

De Los Ríos, CV and Seltzer, K, "Translanguaging, coloniality, and english classrooms: An exploration of two bicoastal urban classrooms", Research in the Teaching of English

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Translaguaging therefore insists on the fact that the idea of linguistic fluidity is seen as the "norm" or natural state of language use. Educators should use the natural language practices of their students as a foundation for teaching. Instead of forcing them to fit into traditional, often monolingual educational frameworks, teachers should accept and try to blend these languages together to teach a classroom.

In my high school, teachers used to encourage us to code-switch, which consists of alterning between two or more languages in a conversation. So it's about switching from one distinct language to another rather than blending them together.
By doing so, they are making us forget translanguaging, our "Hi Kifak Cava?" outside of the classroom. This creates a separation or a gap between languages, which we are on the contrary, trying to blur.

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Now, a question I ask myself is how can we integrate translaguaging into the classroom?

Instead of only having separate language classes for the three languages, we can create a trilingualism class, where French, Arabic and English come together with no boundaries. I think it could be really interesting.

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"...That children's learning begins long before they attend school is the starting point of this discussion, any learning a child encounters in school always has a previous history".

Vygotsky, L. "Zone of Proximal Development: A New Approach" and "The Prehistory of Written Language." (Mind in Society)

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Before my sister ever set foot in a classroom, I played a remarkable role in her learning journey. By teaching her various skills, concepts, and values, I became an integral part of her "previous history" of learning. My influence went beyond mere instruction; as her role model, I shaped her perspectives to challenges. The lessons she learned from me, both explicit and implicit, formed a foundation upon which her formal education would build.

==>This brings us to Vygotsky's concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The ZPD refers to the difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner. In your sister's case, I was that skilled partner. Whenever she encountered a challenge just beyond her current abilities, I stepped in to guide and support. This dynamic is at the heart of the Zone of Proximal Development. With my assistance, tasks that were once out of reach for my sister became achievable, allowing her to continuously expand her capabilities.