How Is Writing Learned?

        Writing is definitely something that is learned. Though we learn to write in school, we also learn to write from our family, our babysitters, the television shows we watched, the books we read, the signs we saw, etc. If someone didn't have access to the aforementioned literacy sponsors, their writing would be inhibited. "A World Without Print" by Victoria Purcell-Gates explores this concept, and shows just how important it is to have people who can teach you how to read and write.
       "A World Without Print" follows an illiterate family who have subsequently adapted to life in a literate world. The fact that they are all illiterate proves that reading and writing are learned activities that are either taught or not taught to those you know. The mom, Jenny, is unable to teach her son, Donny, to read and write because she is unable to do so herself. Another example of writing as a learned activity from "A World Without Print" is Victoria Purcell-Gates, the author as well as researcher professor in literacy education, helping Jenny and Donny learn basic literacy skills. Jenny sought help from Purcell-Gates to teach her how to read. One exercise Purcell-Gates had Jenny do was to have her write down the words she could read off of the household items she had; she was only able to read and write down seven of them, explaining that she only could do it from memory. Purcell-Gates also helped Jenny's son Donny learn to read and write. She taught him about postcards and letters, and encouraged him to write a book with instructions on how to make a kite.