The Future of Literacy

In this day of declining writing skills, reading scores, and leisure reading, some say that our very literacy is in danger. Certainly the contrarians seem to have valid concerns. Our young people text constantly instead of write, and do much of their communicating online. Will their generation see the demise of literacy as we have known it?

The "cup half full" folks think not. The progressives see a future of more information, using new delivery methods and a more descriptive language. Let's take a look at both of these points of view to see what we might project.

Technology means change. Change is not naturally welcomed by our human nature. One must override the fear of change meaning worse, versus simply different and potentially better.

Here's what I believe. Communication is at the very heart of who we are as people. We laugh, we cry, we are moved by it. That very aspect of our chemistry will ensure our literacy. What form it takes and how it's accomplished may be another thing. And if we are open to differences in the WAY we communicate, we should be fine. The very emergence of different languages and ways of communicating will be exciting.

Basic reading and writing will endure as will the book. It is too engrained in who we are as well as providing a wonderful delivery method that has been built into who we are for centuries.

As with most things, our literacy and how it's displayed and used will not be an all or nothing matter. It will evolve as we will with it. And it will not be boring; in fact, it could be stimulating and even fun.