Post 20: In the two short essays I have given you, the idea of text messaging in education is addressed. What do you think about this? Do you agree/disagree with the authors?

I have mixed feelings on the texting language.  I text. I text often. It is my primary mode of communication with over half of the people I am in regular contact with.  I find it simple and convenient.  I can communicate with people without interrupting my daily routines. 

One of the articles we read made mention to people not wearing the same clothes out on a Saturday night as they would while doing yard work.  This is a perfect example of how I feel. 

I think it is important for children to learn Standard English.  I think the structure of the language should be upheld. Children are going to talk to their friends in slang.  Children are going to text.  They are going to post on Facebook.  They are going to shorten words.  The rule for all of these things is: there is a time and a place for everything. 

I do not speak to my mother the way I speak to my friends.  I do not speak the same way around my infant as I do my coworkers. 

I think learning situational literacy should be part of school curriculum.  As technology changes, so will the way we interact with words.  Our literacy is changing now just as it has throughout history.  Teachers simply need to teacher students how to interact with words.  Some are only appropriate in certain settings.  

Technology is awesome for learning today.  Computers make information available exceptionally fast with exceptional clarity.  Learning can be interactive and individualized in computer games.  Technology does shape how we learn and what we learn. 

I believe it is wonderful and we should embrace it.  Our world is ever changing, and being able to roll with the punches is important.  We just need to learn when it is okay to use slang and when it is important to be eloquent with our language.