The End of Composition and How We Get There

hi yall i hv 2 do ths blog b4 i go 2bd 2nite sup w u im sick of hmwk but tuff

As most of you know, Rob Hudson has weighed in on the question of communication ethics. He asks whether we can read his text-messagesque e-mails on the ICON LISTSERV and whether it alters our opinions of him. This throw-down, of course, follows the string of commentary about a student's Writing Concern. Clearly, we are not of one mind.

Of course I can read Rob's e-mails, and I am reasonably certain that just about anyone who bothers to review this blog can read my first "paragraph." My questions to you are "do you want to?" and "is that form of communication universally appropriate?" If I were to answer my own questions, I would say "it depends" and "no." For instance, I have no objection to reading text-speak if it comes from my son, who is on a 15-minute classroom break, or from Rob, who is typing furiously with his thumbs while simultaneously dousing seven technical "fires." If it comes from a student lodging a grade appeal, however, I am far less receptive. An plea for a higher English grade should be written in clear, grammatically-correct English. Period.

In a way, we are all chameleons: we adapt our attire, our behavior, and our language to suit current context. "Me" in church isn't exactly the same as "me" at Cricket's...and neither of those is "me" in the classroom. "Me" in the classroom is further shaped by which side of the table I'm occupying, so to speak. In much the same way, our writing adapts (or should adapt) to a given context. Even if I consider only correspondence, my writing style depends upon my audience; and I'm willing to bet yours does, too. The same is true of academic work: stuff I post on this blog differs substantially from the papers I submit in Dr. Hawkins's class, as well it should. Hey, I'm just writing across the curriculm.

I've made my position quite clear in class meetings, but I'll say it again: the end of composition pedagogy should be enhanced abilities to read critically, to write effectively, and to adapt one's writing style to suit particular purposes. How do we get there? By modeling it. As some of my classmates have noted, our acquaintances adjust their grammar when speaking to us--because they know "what we do." Those students who have received my gentle nudges about e-mail etiquette continue to e-mail me...they simply adapt their styles. I haven't closed the door on their communications; I've merely laid some ground rules. Isn't that my job?

It is evident to me that many teenagers are unable to extract relevant information from assignment descriptions (let alone the reading assignments themselves) and that they have difficulty communicating their many truly great ideas. Will they learn these skills all by themselves? I seriously doubt it. If they leave TTU without having developed these skills, will they fare as well as classmates who have mastered critical reading and writing? I doubt that, too. The young adult using "text-speak" to communicate with prospective employers may find himself or herself on the wrong side of the hiring decision. Why? Because said prospective employers may decide that said young adult is too uneducated--or too lazy--to be a good employee. The young adult who communicates more professionally while job hunting and then text-messages his or her buddies "gt jb!!! my crib 2nite-byob!" has successfully evaluated two very different environments and has written across real-world curricula. Bravo, Contestant No. 2!

Cathy