Posted on 02/21/2014 5:24:09 PM PST by Zeneta
Why Cant College Students Write Anymore?
Is it just me, or are student competencies like basic writing skills in serious peril today? Granted, I am about a decade in to my teaching career, but even within this fairly short span, I have noticed a startling decline in the quality of written work turned in by my students, regardless of which institution (community college, private, four year school) the papers are coming from.
Its not just that students arent demonstrating critical thinking skills in their writing, basic competencies like proper syntax, spelling, and even proper structure like paragraph indentation and how to cite sources are being done very poorly. Teachers have been reporting anecdotally that even compared to five years ago, many are seeing declines in vocabulary, grammar, writing, and analysis (e.g. Westin, 2013; Bloomberg News, 2012). Moreover, on an international scale, our standards in literacy is similarly on the decline (McGuire, 2014).
There are only so many times you can correct a their that is meant to denote there before wondering, when was the last time this college students writing abilities were actually assessed? As a psychology professor, I am starting to feel like an English instructor, because so much of my feedback on these papers is focusing on such basic writing skills, that the coherency or theoretical merit behind the content is getting lost in the shuffle.
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http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-first-impression/201402/why-can-t-college-students-write-anymore
(Excerpt) Read more at psychologytoday.com ...
Other kids that I've had the opportunity to teach also do.
If they are old enough, they have seen me recovering from severe injuries.
Only the oldest were around when I was at the last war. Which was perfectly safe, for me, anyway.
They know what I'll live for. I am mindful that I am their example to follow or not.
/johnny
They want the right questions.
My apologies, but I'm not following you.
When my daughter got a guitar and taught herself to play. She refused lessons and insisted on teaching herself.
The first song she learned and played was “Mother” by Pink Floyd.
She played and sung this song to annoy her “Mother”.
/johnny
Look Mommy what I’ve learned.
Isn’t great !!
Never mind I’m cutting you down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0HrrR9QDQU
Aren’t I great ?
Do you miss your daughter?
/johnny
“I will have succeeded when the 2 year old can chant my bread recipe. She’ll learn to understand it after I’m dead and gone.”
johnny,
i know some 2 year olds.
would you share your bread chant?
thank you.
They do write, with one thumb and an index finger on their iPhones:
“Dude’s, you no how looooong it tacks to rite a complete sentence on your smart fon? Cut slack and chill!”
Now hire them!
Swallow ?
Not at all.
My daughter and I have a great understanding of life.
And music and our culture.
Her “Mother” is or was a very controlling person. My daughter recognized this at a very early age, like 10. Objectively she understood what was going on. Her mother was cheating on me as I was paying the bills. $5,000 a month Amex bills and more.
No, I don’t miss my daughter.
I do miss the years that I may have had a greater influence.
But I am thankful that she is a 22 year old virgin. You have no clue.
You are right, of course. Maybe those of us who can't help picking up these glaring errors should adopt a whole different mindset. There's a good chance that said posters may be more caring, more giving, more productive, etc. than the grammar police.
Anyway, I don't mean to preach---it also rubs me the wrong way!
Shallow.
My bad.
/johnny
No, they are wastrels that should be horsewhipped.
/johnny
Perhaps.......then again, those of us who don't want to see our mother tongue bastardized into a gutter language, just may be the more caring ones.
Hard core conservative Christian.
/johnny
The taste of the young or the old.
truth be told,
pushing limits is nothing new
just found a place
to forgive the youth
Until they discover Truth.
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