Rampant texting among teenagers is a growing concern for parents and teachers. So is the rapid growth of text slang in schoolwork. As Marissa Harshman reported in a Sunday Columbian story, local teachers are seeing more examples of OMG, LOL and other 21st-century shortcuts in students’ written work.
We see this as a learning opportunity for all three factions: students, parents and teachers. But before elaborating on those opportunities, let us admit upfront that we’ve got a dog in this fight. Proper use of the written word is the bulwark of journalism. Granted, deadline pressures and journalists who are humans and not robots often cause writing mistakes to creep onto the pages of any newspaper. But promulgating proper use of the written word is as important today as it was at the dawn of the age of the printing press.
Teachers and journalists are correct to maintain a consistent, non-negotiable stance on the rules of writing. Occasionally, society surrenders to the inexorable flood of a fad. For example, few people these days other than teachers and journalists seem to worry about such terms as “He could care less,” when in fact the speaker or writer means the exact opposite, that he could not care less.
Anyway, here’s our advice to each of the three factions:
Students
Face it, you’ll simply have to follow the rules of writing in schoolwork. Older folks aren’t going to give up this fight, nor, we suspect, will you when your kids are in school.
It’s bad enough to see penmanship declining in importance, but to expect adults to abandon the rules of writing is a fool’s errand.
Look at it this way: You’re simply becoming bilingual. Consider the words of Mike Kleiner, a social studies teacher at Battle Ground’s Chief Umtuch Middle School: “You tell (students), ‘Look, there’s a context for everything. You don’t walk into my room swearing like you do with your friends. You don’t text in your papers.’” Fair enough?
Also, we think you’re up for the competition that comes with finding a good-paying job. Kleiner is always emphasizing professional communication. “You want to look smarter than your competitor. Misspelling isn’t going to cut it,” he said. So, text away. But in class, give yourself every opportunity to make a good grade.
Parents
Accept it: Texting is not going away. The secret to surviving as a parent is fair and reasonable monitoring. After your kids run up against their teachers’ non-negotiable stance prohibiting text slang in schoolwork, they probably don’t need to confront the same resolute resistance at home. Talk to them about texting. Then talk to them about writing properly. Then praise your kids for their emerging bilingualism.
Just as many of today’s parents were able to master shorthand and proper writing — and just as some of them even learned Morse code — so should they allow their children to adopt multiple forms of communication.
Teachers
This is quite simple: Teachers, don’t abandon this cause. We’re depending on you. Yes, you should understand the world in which students live. As Heritage High School junior Nate Mitchell said, “The initial thing I want to write is what I would text. People spend more time texting, so what comes to mind first is what you would text. But people know the right way.” And in class, parents want teachers to insist on the right way.
That’s the key to making this multiple-communications strategy work: each of the three factions’ understanding the needs of the other two groups.
