Avoid Slang Slipping Into Students’ Schoolwork

Plz practice your writing B4 U head bak 2 school. C U in a few wkz.
Millions of children (and adults!) use language like this to chat with friends, make weekend plans and stay in touch with out-of-town relatives via e-mail and Instant Messaging (IM). As students head back to school, it’s important that this informal writing style of shortened words, improper grammar, lack of punctuation and use of “emoticons” such as smiley faces, does not follow them back to the classroom.

“As more state proficiency and college entrance exams like the SAT include writing components, it’s important that students be able to communicate as clearly as possible through their writing,” said Richard E. Bavaria Ph.D., vice president of education for Sylvan Learning Center. “Formal writing on important exams likes these must be grammatically correct, with full words and sentences, and none of the slang and shortcuts we all find acceptable in e-mail and IM.”

To avoid IM and e-mail style language making its way into schoolwork, the experts at Sylvan Learning Center offer parents the following tips to help children boost their effective writing skills:

* Talk to children about using different writing styles to communicate with different audiences. Describe the importance of personalizing messages and why it’s important that students know their audience. While it’s okay to close a letter with “C ya” to a friend in an IM, it is not okay to include this slang in homework assignments. Remind them that formality is required in school.

* Have fun with writing. Provide children with enjoyable ways to practice their writing. Involve your child with writing grocery lists, thank you notes, dates on calendars and messages. Or play games like Blurt!, TriBond and MadGab that help build language and vocabulary skills.

* Review schoolwork for IM and email style language. Encourage your children to write properly and take the time to carefully review assignments several times before submitting to the teacher. Review your child’s homework to make sure they aren’t using shortcuts or slang.

* Talk with children to establish ground rules for using IM and e-mail. Work with your child to develop a plan for using IM and e-mail to make sure other responsibilities such as completing homework and chores are met before going online to chat with friends. Discuss time limits with your children and make sure they are kept. Consider putting your family rules in writing and posting them near the computer.

* Create a writing zone. Whether writing on a computer or with a notebook and pencil, it’s important that your child has a well-organized place to write. Set up an area in your home for writing -- a desk or table with a flat surface and good lighting. Make sure the area is free from potential distractions and that writing tools, including a dictionary, paper and pens, are at your child’s fingertips.

* Encourage your child to read. Read with your child at least 15 minutes per day -- or one hour per week -- since reading will help teach them about sentence structure, grammar and vocabulary. Reading and writing support each other and good readers become good writers. The more your child does of each, the better she will be at both.

Sylvan offers parents a variety of tools to help children practice and have fun with writing, including a free online writing journal, complete with suggested topics and decorative pages, at www.educate.com/activities. For additional information on sharpening children’s writing skills visit www.educate.com/tips or call (800) 31-SUCCESS.