Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, teachers and counselors are just a few of the many people who affect the lives of students. A name for this group of people who affect students, especially when it pertains to literacy learning, is sponsors. As Deborah Brandt puts it “sponsors deliver the ideological freight that must be borne for access to what they have” (557). This means that whether it is support and encouragement or even access to materials, sponsors shape how sponsees see and view aspects of life and learning. Most sponsors are what are called facilitators which are those who encourage and give materials to further a learners literacy. While facilitating sponsors help a learner, there are some sponsors who withhold from a learner. Though they differ in their roles facilitators and withholders are still sponsors who effect a learner’s literacy, albeit in different ways.
