Being able to write to a high standard is an important element of progressing in society. Children who are growing up without learning to write fluently and without flaws may be at a disadvantage later in life. Both in professional and personal life, proficient writing skills can serve to make a good first impression, instil and sustain the confidence of others, and generally make progression easier in many areas.
Although the education system in many countries is improving, there still seem to be many children in developed countries who are growing up without a solid grasp of writing in the English language. There are many possible reasons for this.
One factor that could influence a child’s education in writing is lack of parental guidance and support. In particular, for children who aren’t naturally proficient at learning to write, parents who lack interest or even who cannot write themselves, can exacerbate the problem. Conversely, parents who show an interest and involvement in their child’s education are more likely to have a child who does well academically. In fact, some researchers have claimed that parental input their children's education often boosts the child’s confidence and increases the child’s school successes , as well as improving the relationship between parent and child. Additionally, parental involvement can help the parent to cultivate an optimistic outlook towards education and can provide them with a more thorough grasp of the education practice (Brown).
Another possible reason for children failing to learn to write proficiently is the increase in the use of technology. Many young people are now using their cell phones to text and social networking sites on which to chat to their friends. The use of such technology can encourage writing with abbreviations and, often, slang words. This could be contributing to a poor grasp of the English language.
If changes are made to improve young people’s ability to write well, positive changes will be evident in many areas of their lives. For example, people who can write efficiently find written communication much easier, both in their personal and professional lives. As the Mind Tools website points out, “the better your writing skills are, the better the impression you'll make on the people around you.” This can apply in a whole range of situations. At one end of the spectrum, when applying for a job, a covering letter is a employer’s first impression of their potential employee. A poor covering letter will put off a large number of employers straight away, despite how good the individual’s skills may be in other areas. A rather different example might be when using an internet dating site. Many people might be put off by a potential date who cannot express themselves well through writing.
Looking at the problem on a wider scale, if the literacy skills of the nation were to improve, the efficiency of the country may well improve as well. Individuals with strong educations have more options open to them in terms of careers and other areas of life.
Writing is an extremely important skill, both in personal and in professional life. Children growing up without learning to write well are at a distinct disadvantage in many respects. Furthermore, writing can be fun; there are a whole host of reasons for people to improve their writing skills.
Works Cited
Brown, P.C. “Involving Parents in the Education of their Children.” Eric Digests. 2012. Web.
24 April 2012. http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9212/parents.htm
Mind Tools. “Writing Skills.” 2012. Web. 24 April 2012.
http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/WritingSkills.htm
