Today’s students are so used to communicating through text messages, emojis, and 140-character Twitter posts that email has lost its relevance. Texts and social media are valid tools but students’ inability to communicate properly via email is a problem for our #FutureReady goals.
We need to build an email culture in our schools that models the proper use of email. We already teach students to write and create, and to share that learning digitally. Let’s now teach them to use email properly, including:
- Checking email regularly;
- Conveying a clear message;
- Using appropriate language and grammar;
- Being professional, avoiding slang and emoticons; and,
- Communicating with an authentic voice.
Email is a vital form of communication for today’s students, both in school and for college-and-career readiness. Let’s make sure they’re prepared.
Adam Schoenbart is a high-school English teacher, technology coach, Google for Education Certified Trainer, and EdD candidate. He is one of the National School Board Association’s “20 to Watch” Educational Technology Leaders and an ASCD Emerging Leader for 2016. Adam co-created The Education Calendar, a crowdsourced map and calendar of education events worldwide. He teaches in New York and blogs about teaching and educational technology at aschoenbart.com. Follow him on Twitter.
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