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Knowing how to log on to the Web is vastly different than knowing how to tap the wealth of information available in Cyberspace. As teens move toward the workplaces of today, a solid grounding in basic skills such as reading and writing is something they will turn to time and again in order to learn, unlearn and relearn.
Whether hosting a MySpace.com page on the Web or "texting" via cell phone, today's teens have perfected the ability to socialize with communication technology.
Welcome to language arts, 21st century teen style.
Although it might seem like being adept with such tools might give teens a leg up as they move toward secondary education and the adult work
world—where computer applications and other media play increasingly prominent
roles—this may not be the case.
"Today's students are very gadget savvy, but not necessarily information and media savvy," says David Parry, a writer on the topic of 21st century literacy and a teacher of English at SUNY Albany. Parry, and others who research literacy, say that simply knowing how to log on to the Web is one
thing—knowing how to find and use the information the Web offers is something completely different.
Too, knowing how to download ringtones is not necessarily a skill that employers value most in the people they hire.
Today's employers, in most every job and profession, say they value workers who:
- know where and with which tools they'll find the information they need;
- can carefully analyze data;
- are problem solvers; and
- can communicate information clearly and well, sometimes across cultures and geographic borders.
In order to be successful in today's increasingly technological world and workplaces, teens need a tool kit they can dip into that includes both high-tech "gadget" skills, as well as tried and true basics such as reading and writing. Although our means of learning may be changing, these old-school basics are still as important as ever.
Honing teens' 21st century communication skills
"In today's knowledge-based society, our students need to be expert readers, writers, and thinkers to compete and succeed in the global economy."
- Literacy, Adolescents and Reading for the 21st Century, a report by the Alliance for Excellent Education.
With "talking" eBooks, spell check, abbreviated "text-speak" and emoticons (the smiley faces that add feeling and life to e-mail) at their disposal, teens may wonder why they need to apply themselves when it comes to practicing reading and writing. Here are some examples of why these basics matter:
· Whether with paper books or e-zines, reading remains one of the main ways we learn new information.
Throughout the high school years, and as they move into the adult world, teens will rely more and more on non-fiction electronic sources of information (Newspapers, magazines and Web sites and blogs) for news and information. For this reason, today's teens and young adults also need to become informed consumers-to analyze and think critically about all of the information they read. This is a skill David Parry teaches his college students at the beginning of each semester.
"As students spend more and more time navigating complex streams of print and digital information, they need to know that no single source holds all the answers," says Parry.
· Writing remains the way we spread the word.
Throughout history, written words have inspired, informed, entertained and moved others to action. From Web sites to Wikis (Web-based sites that allow people in different classrooms, workspaces and parts of the world to work together on written projects and presentations), technology is expanding the ways teens communicate with classmates and teachers, as well as collaborate on projects. Lacking face-to-face contact, the writing used in these forums needs to clearly suggest what the writer is saying or asking for.
· Different situations require different writing styles/languages. High school teachers report that more and more their students lapse into the informal and abbreviated "text-speak" of their social world when completing school work or important writing tasks.
"Writing in different modes is much like learning a different language," says Parry. "The key is to know your audience and then structure your writing accordingly."
For example, a college application or cover letter needs to be written standard English language and with a formal tone (no LOL in the salutation, please!) in order to catch a college acceptance officer's eye.
Texting on tests: The times they are a changin'
Last year, New Zealand high school students were allowed to use "text-speak," the cell phone text messaging language, on their national exams.
Although it may only be a matter of time before New York students join their New Zealand peers, success with most of today's high school studies (for tests, reading text books, producing written work and presentations) relies on a solid knowledge of standard English language and strong reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
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