In a recent article on The Good Men Project, author Warren Blumenfeld asked:
Do people today need a high level of writing skills to succeed in our ever-changing world?
Blumenfeld brings up multiple intelligences theory and notes that assessment on standardized tests is focused on logical mathematical intelligence and linguistic intelligence. He acknowledges that students suffer when other intelligences are not recognized. However, he also laments that writing skills are increasingly undervalued by educators with some allowing their students to write in bullet points rather than full sentences, and even to use texting contractions and emojis in their papers. He suggests it is time for educators to go back to basics to develop their students’ linguistic intelligence.
with the virtual explosion of media platforms, which has exponentially expanded printed materials and forums for expression, users’ writing skills seem to have degraded to shorthand code that none but other users can comprehend. Are these users the new privileged elite, or, rather, are they the new masses being left behind by the truly skilled writers?
I still believe that my responsibility is to prepare the best educated, aware, and articulate critical thinkers that I possibly can. And I still believe that writing skills are one component – a very important component – in this responsibility
If educators can find a multimodal approach using oral, auditory, and kinesthetic forms of teaching and expression to develop their students’ multiple intelligences at the same, so much the better.
Read the full article here https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/writing-on-writing/.
Photo by Santi Vedríon Unsplash