Writing Goodly: The Decline of Linguistic Skill

Few would argue with the statement that writing skills are in state of decline. It is readily apparent that something needs to be done to resolve the issues that are preventing students from grasping the fundamentals of composition. However, there is a divergence of opinion when it comes to determining the cause of the nation’s writing ails. Many blame technology, giving cell phones and television particular attention. Others give technology a more indirect blame, claiming that email, instant messaging, and cell phones have robbed students of a desire to learn proper writing skills. While these ideas may bear some truth, the root of the problem lies within the instruction of writing, which to a large extent is ineffective. The writing problems faced by students and adults alike are the direct result of ineffective methods of instruction in composition.

As the product of a faulty education, many professional adults write at an inadequate level. Dr. Craig Hogan, the head of a school for business writing, receives hoards of emails daily from business executives desperately seeking a solution to problematic business communication. Email is rapidly replacing the telephone as the mainstay of business communication, and employees are required to write more than in previous years. However, many employees are simply not up to standard. A study conducted by the National Commission on Writing concluded that more than thirty percent of employees write at an unacceptable level (“Corporate”). These poor writers place a huge financial burden on corporate America. Companies are spending billions annually as a result of poor writing. In fact, an entire industry has formed that offers remedial training to both employees and employers, even CEOs (“...

... middle of paper ...

...ereby equipping students to write at the university and the professional level (Deiterich).

Works Cited

Casey, Chris. “As ‘slanguage’ rises in high-tech age, students’ writing skills decline.” Greeley Tribune (2007): Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Web. 1 Mar. 2010.

Dieterich, Daniel. “The Decline in Student’s Writing Skills: An ERIC/RCS Interview.” College English 38.5 (1977): 466-472. JSTOR. Web. 7 Fed 2010.

Dillon, Sam. “What Corporate America Can’t Build: A Sentence” New York Times 7 Dec. 2004. Web. 24 Jan 2010.

Dillon, Sam. “SAT Scores Show Slight Decline in Reading and Writing.” New York Times 25 Aug. 2009. Web. 7 Feb 2010.

Fleitz, Elizabeth. “Profits Over Process: AP English and the Decline of Writing Instruction.” CEA Forum 36.1 (2007). Web. 24 Jan 2010.

Kling, Arnold. “Collegiate Writing.” Library of Economics and Liberty 26 Dec. 2006. Web. 7 Feb 2010.