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Title Exploring the Intersection of Formal Literacy and Self: A Critical Social Analysis of Written Discourse Among Public and Private Schools

Author(s) Sana Adnan

Abstract The present research explores the intersection of formal literacy and self-identity, its construction and representation through written discourse among students of grades 5th and 8th belonging to Public and Private schools in Multan, a District of Punjab, Pakistan. The present research employs CSA (Critical Social Analysis) that amalgamates functions of language by Roman Jakobson, 3D models of Fairclough for discourse analysis, and socio-cultural theory by Lev. Vygotsky. The introduction carries a context literacy, historical evolution of formal literacy, and its importance in personal and professional growth. And the division of formal literacy based on their educational institutional background. The difference between formal literacy (that encompasses reading, writing, communicative skills) is found in the present group among both institutional groups, which distinguishes on the basis of different acquisitions via formal education and its intersection with self-identity that involves the understanding of an individual’s emotions, behaviours, and thoughts. Formal literacy is acquired through education, and education helps to construct Self-Identity through personal growth and representation of self. All this is done through language. The absence of formal literacy can lead to many issues related to personal, professional growth, societal growth, and growth as a human being. So, language through formal literacy helps to cope with all these issues. The present research aims to explore the formal literacy impact on the construction and representation of students’ self-identity through written discourse in the form of essays on “Self”. The methodology carries a qualitative descriptive approach employing a 3D model, functions of language, and socio-cultural theory by using written essays by students in the 5th and 8th grades as a source of primary data. A sampling technique of stratified sampling provides the foundation to choose participants from public and private schools, and critical social analysis with comparative observation is applied to analyze the written essays. The results contribute valuable insights into distinctions among the Institutions of formal literacy. The students of Government schools construct nondynamic, cohesive self-identities, and students of non-government schools construct a dynamic and individualistic self-identity. Their self-identity representation vary from each other. Government school students represent strong, internalized, cohesive thoughts; on the other hand, non-government school students represent broad, critical, innovative, and accepting practical self-identity. The present research not only expands its understanding towards the intersection of formal literacy and self-identity but also provides recommendations for policymakers to fill the gap between both groups.

Type Thesis/Dissertation

Faculty Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Department English (Multan Campus)

Language English

Publication Date 2025-06-12

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