Search This Blog

"'The Frugal Editor: Do-It-Yourself Editing Secrets for Authors' is a complete course of instruction under one cover." ~ Jim Cox Editor-in-Chief Midwest Book Review


Thursday, February 7, 2013

OMG! Trouble Ahead for Students Who Text Well But Lose Writing Skills


From a recent edition of my SharingwithWriters newsletter where I feature editing tips, publishing news, book marketing ideas and articles, too.  If you'd like me to subscribe you just put that coveted word (SUBSCRIBE) in the subject line and send an e-mail to HoJoNews@aol.com. I'll do it for you. (-:
 
Grammar News: It seems as if texting is ruining kids’ grammar skills. According to a Pennsylvania State study, kids are learning a new language.
 
The bad news is that the language the kids are learning is texting. So, OMG! This worries me a lot because  the grammar skills of most adults are not as good as they should be. What if they deteriorate?
 
We could argue that our language is changing just as it always has. English in motion! But maybe we should also be concerned if we want our kids to pass their SATs They may fail because the study says these same students are unable to “code switch,” a term used by linguists to mean that they can easily figure out and adjust to the old-fashioned way of spelling something or wording it.
 
So, if we sit by blindly, they'll get poor scores on SATs, and they'll also have poor writing skills for their Freshman classes and for the communication required by their first jobs.
 
Some more news—good or bad depending on your viewpoint. Fewer universities are relying on SAT scores as heavily as they once did.

 
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson edits, consults. and speaks on issues of publishing. Find her The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success (How To Do It Frugally series of book for writers). Learn more about her other authors' aids at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/writers_books.htm , where writers will find lists and other helps including Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips on the Resources for Writers page. She blogs on all things publishing (not just editing!) at her Sharing with Writers blog. She tweets writers' resources at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo .

No comments: