Written task introduction

Letter To The Editor

Currently, I’ve noticed extravagant changes in the standard English used in school and university campuses. As a school principle in Abu Dhabi, I have been receiving many complaints from teachers in every profession about the ‘slang’ language English students are using in their formal test papers. Therefore, I have also heard the same repeated comments are being brought up in an article from your newspaper company ‘daily mail’ published on the 24^th of March 2014 by Laura Clark, called: “Twtr? It’s majorly bad! Leading head teacher condemns ‘text speak’ for eroding schoolchildren’s language skills.”

Your article argues that the media is influencing all the average school children negatively since they are using the ‘fingered language’ in class hours with teachers, other peers and even on tests. I completely agree with all your arguments stated since figured language ‘text speech’ is driving emergent complexity since children are finding it difficult to code switch between formal and in-formal language.

The question that comes to mind is that “Does the use of ‘text speak’ mean children don’t know how to write correctly, to spell and to argue coherently?” Well from what I have learnt as a principle, hence the justification that came along in this article I think that, yea it actually does because this generation needs to understand when it is appropriate to write the correct response to a question on their tests and when to us the slang English. You stated that all youngsters are becoming careless in their schoolwork due to the text message slang and because of spending a lot of time on media. I agree with every word definite since words have meaning, and the words that children use now a days easily get misunderstood and most importantly texting facilitates cultural appropriation.

From my experiences, language has been evolving since 63 A.D, thus near 1917 all people where used to speaking in formal English which was the standard English they needed to speak in so that communication is easier. Today, texting came up with a whole new language that has developed with it, so I wonder how the future generations are actually going to be texting each other and what type of languages they will develop to keep this involvement going on.

I am requesting that this article is republished worldwide so that parents and the children/teenagers themselves can see the complexity and consequences of using ‘text speak’ in formal situations.

Expecting prompt action to change this language crisis ,

School Principle