Kids Can't Write Anymore
 

Kids Can't Write Anymore, Fear The New SAT

Overhype Contributed by Mike on Monday, June 28th, 2004 @ 06:17PM
from the give-'em-a-keyboard dept.
Here's one for all those teachers freaking out when their students hand in a paper written in "txt". Now, those same kids are blaming current school programs for not teaching them how to write properly. The problem is that the new SAT exam includes a written component -- and they do mean written. Students will be expected to pick up a paper and a pencil for the first time in years and actually jot down the essay answer in their very own chicken scratch. Tragically, many of these kids claim they have been using keyboards and keypads for so long, the idea of writing with a pencil scares them silly. They're afraid their handwriting will be so bad that they'll get a bad score. The schools respond that they still teach good penmanship, and seem to think that the kids are just whining excessively. Of course, considering the rest of the exam has been entirely computerized for years, why not just give the kids a keyboard and let them type their essay responses (or, since the kids these days are so into text messaging -- let them text their essays)?

Damn, this is wrong :(


http://techdirt.com/articles/20040628/1817215.shtml

I dont see what the big deal about handwriting is anyways.. its slow, its annoying to correct mistakes with etc..

Just because people have always done something some way isn't a good enough reason to keep doing it imho.

What about kids getting dependant on technology ?

The ones who control technology control information.

If you can't write in the old sense, you're powerless in the event when technolgy becomes unavailable. Think of the coming polarshift, or terrorist attacks with mag-ray bombs.

Kids need to learn how to write, to get succesful in life.

Visit Africa, I did.

Wot da fakk d0 u m34n?

:1orglaugh

heh, that reminds me of when I was taking notes about how a guy wanted his website to look.
I have not used a pencil in years and everything I wrote was fucking ugly, nobody except me could read my notes. :1orglaugh

I'm sure if shit happened they could grind out a couple pages with a pen and pencil. It's just not necessary.

I mean if I had to.. I could walk the 30 KM to my girlfriend's house.. but I drive it. Does that mean I am too dependant on technology?

I could wash my clothes in the sink too.. but I prefer to have hands that aren't all cutup and callused.. oh and some spare time would be nice too.

You are in the wrong business if you are a luddite.

>I'm sure if shit happened they could grind out a couple pages >with a pen and pencil. It's just not necessary.

Nope. You can't learn how to write in just a few days.

>I mean if I had to.. I could walk the 30 KM to my girlfriend's >house.. but I drive it. Does that mean I am too dependant on >technology?

You can't walk the 30 KM without proper training.

You'd kill yourself, just like the Greek guy who ran from Sparta to Marathon and dropped dead in Marathon.

>I could wash my clothes in the sink too.. but I prefer to have >hands that aren't all cutup and callused.. oh and some spare >time would be nice too.

We are run by the clock and laziness. It's just faster to use a car.


>You are in the wrong business if you are a luddite.

You are a moron if you think the whole world has the same comfort and choices as you have.

You're right if you speak for yourself.

:1orglaugh

when I was a teen my mother read a sci-fi book where kids didn't physically know how to use a pencil because they had grown up using a computer. That always stuck in my head because I had a feeling it wasn't too far from the truth.

They could compromise and give them a graphics tablet or touch screen with a stylus! :Graucho

I just got something like this from a surfer:

how do i get a chance 2 c wat u hav 2 offer? by dat i mine, how can i get a pick at a video?

:helpme

hoked on fonix wurked fo me!

What about the kids who don't know the difference between your and you're. Hell, I see adults make that mistake at least 50 times a day here on GFY. If I didn't know the difference, I'd still be using those fat crayons and a "Big Chief" writing tablet.

I don't think that is far from the truth at all. I used a computer in school to do essays and then went right to work in a computer environment and my writing is horrible now. Nobody can really read it, I am sure if I took the time to slowly write it out it would be okay, but since I am always in a hurry it looks like shit.

The only writing I used to do for a long time was write to my grandfather, now I type it out.