Oct. 10 is the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL) and Black Press’ Reach-A-Reader Day in Grand Forks.
People will be at various locations in Grand Forks selling newspapers with proceeds going towards programs in the area that will not only help people read but write.
Being able to write is as important as reading.
While the printed word and books are still relevant, there are now other ways to get information with advancements in technology – smart phones, iPads, Smart Boards and the like.
But while text messaging, Facebook posts and Twitter and tweets have allowed for faster ways to disseminate information, it has allowed for a bastardized version of grammar and style.
In the case of Twitter, which has a character limit to messages that are tweeted, many people use abbreviations, emoticons and acronyms to keep from going over the allotment– laugh out loud or LOL, talk to you later or TTYL for instance.
While the use of LOL and emoticons such as ;) to express yourself might be necessary to keep under the character limit or let your friend know you are merely kidding around, people should never forget the importance of writing succinctly.
The ability to read and write effectively will always be relevant regardless of how far technology advances.
Students in high schools or post-secondary institutions won’t score high marks in essays or term papers without proper grammar usage – emoticons or acronyms to explain or express something will not be acceptable.
Filling out a job application properly is also something that will benefit from good written skills and while emoticons and acronyms are understandable in an email to a friend or acquaintance, there are formal emails that may have to be written (to prospective employers for instance) and being articulate can help form a positive first impression.
Getting information out has advanced from the press to the Internet and writing has advanced from quill and ink to pen to keyboard but the arts of reading and writing succinctly has remained the same so those skills should continually be honed.