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February 12, 2007
y jony cant read
ORLANDO, Florida (AP) -- Middle school teacher Julia Austin is noticing a new generation of errors creeping into her pupils' essays.Chatting on instant messaging programs is all about speed, so it's not surprising that a whole new shorthand is used to communicate. It is disturbing, though, that students can't seem to separate the virtual world from the real world, where proper english is still required.Sure, they still commit the classic blunders -- like the commonly used "ain't." But an increasing number of Austin's eighth-graders also submit classwork containing "b4," "ur," "2" and "wata" -- words that may confuse adults but are part of the teens' everyday lives.
What's even more disturbing is the fact that some "teachers" are all too willing to accept the bad grammar.
Some educators, like David Warlick, 54, of Raleigh, North Carolina, see the young burgeoning band of instant messengers as a phenomenon that should be celebrated. Teachers should credit their students with inventing a new language ideal for communicating in a high-tech world, said Warlick, who has authored three books on technology in the classroom.Cripes. Mr. Warlick, u r teh suxxor!! Warlick seems to have forgotten that the job of a teacher is to teach. His trendy scholarship may make him popular with students who are content to remain subliterate, but he's not doing those students any favors.
The ability to communicate effectively is one of the most important skills people should learn. Those who can write clearly and speak well are more likely to succeed in a career than those who can not. Learning the skills necessary to be an effective communicator is not always pleasant. When I was in junior high, I spent many weekends defining vocabulary words and using them in sentences so Lillian Luehrs wouldn't yell at me on Monday. It was not fun, but the skills I learned in that class have enabled me to make a decent living with the written word.
There is certainly a place for internet shorthand, but I would encourage everyone to learn how to speak and write in proper english. Trust me. It will pay off.
Posted by slublog at February 12, 2007 12:00 AM
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Comments
U R Teh Hater!!1!
Posted by: harrison at February 11, 2007 11:59 PM
WTF is "wata"?
Posted by: brett at February 12, 2007 01:45 PM
I have no idea.
Posted by: Slublog at February 12, 2007 01:50 PM
Urban Dictionary just says "water", but that can't be right.. Oh well. Just another sign I'm getting old, I guess.
Posted by: brett at February 12, 2007 01:52 PM
This is good news...my children will both have their pick of careers in twenty years. All they need to do is be average as their peers get dumber and dumber.
Posted by: adam h at February 12, 2007 06:45 PM