Should students be able to spell before being allowed to use a word processor?
Viewpoint 1
Those who demand that students spell before word processing assume they will solely use it as a crutch. Maybe a better question is should you be able to spell before using the spell checker. Both a word processor and a spell checker can be a teaching tool, just like a dictionary, thesaurus, etc. There is a time to use it for assistance and a time to rely on your own skills. The key is to develop the skills, and spell checkers can diminish that effort level required to practice and master those skills. It is important to learn how to spell outside of using a computer. It is still necessary, even in our advanced society. The dictionary did not make the need to spell accurately obsolete, and neither should the computer. So...should people still learn how to spell? Yes.
Viewpoint 2
Using a word processor is a huge technological advance for the human race and we would be doing students a disservice if we did not allow them to see how words are correctly spelled. By trying and doing we learn how to write better compositionally, and through trying to spell correctly without being judged on our spelling helps us become better writers. When we teach and learn with the aid of a word processor, we do not have to focus on being correct or incorrect; rather we focus on developing skills, and we focus on the process of learning to write rather than on if we are correct or incorrect in our spelling. By trying it out we learn how to do it correctly. If we focus on only right and wrong answers, we can stunt or retard educational development by focusing too much on the pressures of being right or wrong rather than on the life long process learning.
Does using non-standard spelling (technological shorthand) affect students’ writing skills?
Viewpoint 1
Yes. Students should spend their time developing their skills and writing accurately in order to practice correct writing forms. Less time spent working towards improving skills reduces the opportunities to master the format.
Viewpoint 2
No. Students understand the context of when it is appropriate to the “digital shorthand” mode of communication. They can turn it on and off and use the proper form in the proper setting.
Comments (1)
Anonymous said
at 8:28 am on Dec 15, 2007
haha...if I can turn it on and off at will, why not students? Students are capable of speaking fluently in multiple languages (more often we see this in countries that are closer together geographically). If they can speak fluently in multiple languages there is no reason to think they are incapable of turning technical shorthand on and off.
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