Technology overwhelms language arts

I enjoyed reading the Scholar-Athlete Awards section of Saturday’s Dispatch. However, upon close examination of the top 21 interviews, I discovered an alarming fact: Out of the top 21 listed, the most mentioned “least favorite subject” was English or language arts. Almost half (10 out of 21) stated that the method we use to communicate in America gave these young people difficulty.

This is a troubling trend that I have noticed in working with high school students in a character-education program for several years. They have problems both with the spoken and written word. Why is this occurring?

I believe the cause is the fascination with the ever-present cellphone. We constantly see people of all ages today walking around with an electronic device growing out of their ear. Individuals sitting at the same restaurant table communicate by iPhone. This seems most prominent with today’s students. What can we do about it?

As with most social problems, at least part of the answer lies in the home life of our young people. It is the responsibility of parents to control the use of electronics and encourage reading and face-to-face conversation. Letter-writing seems to be a lost art.

Also, I think that educators should work harder to motivate students to take an interest in use of the English language. On occasion, I notice a student who stands out because he has an interest in debate or dramatics and must use our language correctly.

We all admire our students (athletes). And they can have all the ability in the world in their chosen field. But it means little if they cannot properly communicate this knowledge.

Don Denton Westerville