Report: Uh, it's like student writing is bad

CNN ^ | 25APR03 | AP

[Gefreiter]

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Ask high school juniors to write a paragraph about a haunted house, and nearly half are unable to do so satisfactorily.

That's because writing has been neglected in school reform, according to a report by the National Commission on Writing in America's Schools and Colleges. So, students finish high school without the ability to write in a sophisticated, precise or engaging fashion, the commission says.

[antidisestablishment]

Don't worry; college doesn't require writing skills either...

[King David]

My 13 year old daughter has read "Atlas Shrugged" and is nearly finished with "The Fountainhead".

Trust me--not all kids nowadays have diminished communications skills, in either reading or writing.

[twigs]

Was this part of the John Fries rebellion in Bucks County? Who was your ancestor?

[mountaineer]

Sadly, the only criteria for most schools seems to be, 1) are they breathing? 2) can they pay for their tuition?

Exactly!

[twigs]

I just discovered Hurston about a month ago. I had to read one of her short stories--"The Gilded Six-Bit" for a class I'm in. Man, can that woman write. And such a sense of humor!

[MattAMiller]

I blame Email and IMs. It's even harmed adult writing. You see a lot of bad writing in IT work, even those these are smart well-educated people. It's just not a highly valued skill anymore, so even the smart and the studious can tend to neglect it.

There's a bit of a danger in reading too much into this. I'm not suggesting that we can all just get by with a bunch of people who can't write coherently but the standards by which a dullard is distinguished from a genius change over time. It's no longer important to be able to do math in your head, so older folks marvel at younger folks who are lost without a calculator.

Now it would be a great idea to reimpose the value of good writing. But to infer from this that we are raising a generation of idiots is taking a bit too far.

[Gefreiter]

MattAMiller,
I think you have a point. People thought (think?!) my generation was composed of dummies, too...I'm 31. Maybe as we age we tend to associate youthful inexperience or naivete with gross ignorance. Hmm.

What I certainly don't like is that folks who may have careers that are in demand, ie certain IT positions, yet cannot string a coherent sentence together on paper.

Folks like that can make a lot of bread, but people who have the skills we are supposed to value (reading, writing, 'rithmetic), like teachers, are often left taking 2-3 jobs to get by. I haven't been able to reconcile that in my head yet.

[antidisestablishment]

Actually, there are some interesting studies that indicate this generation is actually wired differently from previous ones. Growing up in a world of the multidimensional communication has forged new methods of association and substantively changed the workings of cognition.

The jury is still out as to whether this is a good thing or not.

[Anamensis]

Another good African American writer is Gloria Naylor. She writes about black class snobbery in a way that is very funny. I'll never forget the line in Mama Day when the female protagonist says something unpopular at a party and everyone suddenly looks "as if they just found out they were drinking domestic wine." LOL!! I rolled.

[m18436572]

What are "Others parts of speech" ?

[twigs]

Thanks. I'll keep an eye out for her.

[NittanyLion]

I ask him why his writing is so bad and he doesn't even realize there's anything wrong with it. I ask him if his teachers ever do or say anything to correct his mistakes. He said none of his teachers have ever said a thing about it.

Im sure its knot as bad as You think. People say i right badly but eye no their knot write...

In all honesty, the root cause of poor writing is lack of practice. Teachers are reluctant to write lesson plans including said practice because grading written essays is too time consuming. One can't punch holes in an answer key and finish grading essay tests by the end of the testing period.

[1Old Pro]

I hope their series about the hugh reform needed.

[E Rocc]

I picked up most of my writing skills in two classes. They were "Literature of Sports" and "Popular Culture", taught by the same (excellent) teacher in my high school. Some of the stodgier teachers were contemptuous of his methods and the subject matter, but both were highly effective.

I firmly believe that one of the keys to effectively educating teens is picking subjects that hold their interest.

-Eric

[HIDEK6]

Also, are new teachers today, who are a product of this educational system, capable of grading such tests?

Bingo!

[RayBob]

Westmoreland County. I had ancestors involved in both the Raid on Benjamin Well's house and the Drum Hotel.

[HardStarboard]

>>>I really fear for his prospects as he gets into college and beyond. <<<

His teachers need to be made to fear having a job tomorrow!

[Polonius]

Thank you for pointing that out ... I see so many people using "it's" rather than "its" as a possessive pronoun, and it continually irks me.

[Sofa King]

w|-|47 r u 74l|<1ng 4b047? |<1dz gr4mm3r 70d4y r0x0rs!!!!

[RansomOttawa]

Gerunds ROCK!

Indeed. I, too, enjoy the rocking of the gerunds.