Reading and writing have been investigated from different perspectives. Depending on the perspective adopted, while some aspects of the phenomena have become visible others have been ignored. From a behaviouristic perspective, reading and writing have been looked upon merely as easily-measurable skills. From a cognitive perspective, however, it is the pupil’s understanding of the alphabetic code and linguistic awareness that have been at the forefront.

From a socio-cultural viewpoint, focus has been directed towards how people learn and participate in different literacies in their social lives, how literacy practices are developed in different contexts, and the nature of the connection between literacy and power.

In this paper I want to explore the phenomenological aspects of reading and writing. What do we see when we consider our embodied existence? Merleau-Ponty believes that man is an indivisible whole; thus the mind can’t be understood without the body, nor the body without the mind. What, then, are the consequences for our understanding of reading and writing when, in addition to aspects of skill, meta-cognition and learning in practice, account is also

taken of the fact that we are lived bodies, situated in time and space?

The method I employ is a philosophical exploration. I illustrate my discussion with anecdotes from an on-going class-room study and narratives from an earlier interview study.