Cultural Literacy According To E.d. Hirsch :: Education Literacy Educational Essays

According to E.D. Hirsch, to be culturally literate is to receive the basic data to thrive in the modern world. It is the grasp on the backgroundinformation that writers and speakers assume their audience already has. Inhis al-Quran, ethnical Literacy What Every American Needs to Know, Hirsch setsforth 5,000 essential words and phrases of which from each one person should be experienceable. The dip ranges from idioms to mythology, from science to fairytales. Why has this list prompted a notable debate on our countrys educationalstandards? E.D. Hirsch believes that the literacy of American plenty has beenrapidly declining. The long range remedy for restoring and improving Americanliteracy moldiness be to institute a policy of imparting super acidality information in ourschools. In short, according to Hirsch - the answer to our problem lies withinthe list.Hirschs book explains the importance of the engage of a higher level of nationalliteracy. His chief(prenominal) argument is that cultural literacy is required for effectivecommunication and the cooperation of many people... communion is whatHirsch sees is essential for success in todays society. Communication is thekey to equality in America. With increased cultural literacy, an egalitariansociety is eventually possible. One common body of knowledge for everyone willbe the glue that holds society together.Hirsch likewise points out the senselessness of concepts such as multi-culturalismand multi-lingualism. He acknowledges the importance of the legion(predicate) culturesand ethnicities of which United States is comprised. Hirsch mentions thehyphenated American the Italo-American, the Polish-American, the Afro-American, the Asian-American and so forth. He points out that he is in favorof each minoritys protection, nurture, and respect however, he strongly feelsthat people need to decide what American means on the other emplacement of thehyphen...what national value and traditions really belong to nat ional culturalliteracy. American cultural literacy should be based on our traditions --morality of tolerance and benevolence, the Golden Rule, communal cooperation, selflessness and freedom. It is in this way that Hirsch argues those in oppositionof cultural literacy. Many opponents chief Hirschs view by questioning whowould decide this common body of knowledge for everyone. People debate what isincludedin the list on the basis of multiculturism. They ask, is theknowledge evenly important to every citizen of the United States no matter whatrace, gender or religion? Hirsch responds by putting the emphasis on the otherside of the hyphen - the American side.When reading Hirschs book, I strongly agreed with his commodious picture of culturalliteracy and agree that it is important to establish a common body of knowledge