New Literacies

Literacy has definitely changed over the years. With more and more people having new technology available to them (text messaging, instant messaging, games, cell phones, PDA and the like); our ways of reading and writing have changed. Let’s look at text messaging. Kids are getting cell phones at younger ages and they are texting all the time. In a text, people use acronyms and break down words into syllables. For example, here are some words that change when we text- l8r (later), TTFN (Ta Ta for now), BTW (By the Way), HIG (How’s it Going) and OMG (Oh My God) to name a few. Check out http://www.netlingo.com/emailsh.cfm for more fun acronyms. Kids are more into cell phone use and blogging then we ever were in our youth.
People also take part in Myspace, facebook and eHarmoney to name a few websites. These sites promote blogging and make use of broken language. Some times people do not even type, they state their emotions by inserting smilies! Younger and younger children are making use of internet and all the changes that come with it. They are able to speak and express themselves in new and different ways.
For example, in the high school I once attended, they now make it mandatory for incoming students to have a laptop and be proficient in Word programs and publishing programs. When I was there, everything was done on pencil and paper. I know when I was working in a public grammar school l3 years ago; computer and internet practices were taught starting in first grade!
I embrace these new literacy’s. They still teach children to speak and sound out letters. It puts a creative twist on the English language. Its creative and children still learn the correct ways to speak and write in school. It’s more like children are learning a language for themselves. Even adults caught onto the craze and are aware of the new ways of writing and communicating. In a fast past world, we shorten our words and need faster ways of communicating. I think we just need to accept it and make sure children learn the correct English language when in school.