Literacy Narrative

Technology and My Life

Throughout the years, technology has become a bigger part of our world and how we communicate with one another. From Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, different blogging websites, emails, and SMS messaging, everyone all around the world relies solely on the ability for technology to pull through on a daily basis. As technology becomes more recognizable, more people are taking advantage of it. We are able to have assignments on websites, and it provides students and opportunity to be more organized and open their mind to the internet.

Technology allows us to research things and understand ideas quicker and easier. I have learned a lot from using the internet, much of which I would not know today without the technology available. Using technology on a daily basis has taught me that some people may rely on it too much, always texting, tweeting, and facebooking. Technology has become a necessity to survive and it is a very unreliable resource.

I have had many experiences in which technology has changed the way I read and write today. One of the most important ones, I believe, is when I began to listen to digital tapes of the Harry Potter series. When I was younger and I had a hard time reading, and didn’t really enjoy doing it. Reading, to me, was a hassle and hard work that I didn’t feel I was able to do. My mom had heard about the Harry Potter series and really wanted to get me to read more, so we decided to go to the library and get the digital tape and the first book, so I could read to myself while I followed along.

When I first starting following along with the recording, I thought the man who was reading the text was extremely annoying and sounded fake. My mom had to explain to me that the narrator was trying to had emotion and character to the book, and that that will help me to better understand the feelings of the characters. I really didn’t enjoy following along with the narrator either because I couldn’t keep up with him very well. My mom insisting on me continuing to read and follow along because she was convinced it would help so I could become a better reader.

After I finished Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, I had really liked the book and wanted to keep reading the series. My mom asked me if I wanted to follow along to the narrator again, and I didn’t really think I needed too, but I thought it was a good idea just in case. As I started to read the second book, I caught myself reading ahead of the narrator and blocking him out completely. I was able to understand the book better, even though I was reading it a lot faster.

I finished the rest of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets without the help of the digital recording and my mom was really shocked at how fast I was able to read. I finished the rest of the series over the next years without ever using the recordings again.

The narrator did a good job of being animated. He helped me to better understand the feelings and emotions of the main characters. As I continued reading the stories, I benefited from that a lot. I was able to put myself in the character’s shoes and try to better understand what was being said and how it was being said. Even now, years later, I am still able to put myself in ever characters shoes.

While I followed along to the narrator, at first I had a very hard time keeping up with him. Even though he didn’t speak that fast, he spoke much quicker than what I was used to. By the time I reached the second book, I was able to keep up with the narrators pace because I was very interested in the book. I soon was going ahead of the narrator and blocking him out completely at my own pace. I finished the rest of the books quickly and was still able to keep up and understand the story.

Technology affected my reading skills in a big way. Before I had read the Harry Potter series, I had no interest in reading and didn’t ever plan to become a big reader. Using the digital recording helped me to better understand character’s emotions, thoughts, and actions. Because of the technology used to help me get started, I am now able to read books quicker, and become more knowledgeable of the book. I have become a vivid reading and enjoy reading a lot now after beginning in such a bad place.