Write an essay of at least 300 words on the following topic:

Some people think that the increasing use of computers and mobile phones for communication
has a negative effect on young people’s reading and writing skills.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Name: Tran Thien Tri

As modern gadgets such as computers or mobile phones are becoming an

increasingly integral part of people’s lives, there is a growing concern that young
people’s reliance on these digital devices to communicate could lead to a decline in
their literacy skills. From my vantage point, I partially disagree with this assertion
as although the over-dependence on computers or mobile phones may lead to
subpar literacy abilities, shrewd uses of these tools can grant the young access to a
treasure trove of written materials and useful programmes, which can facilitate the
proper development of reading and writing skills.
On one hand, it is believed that young people’s tendency to communicate using
digital devices can have adverse effects on their literacy skills. To begin with,
conversations between friends on computers and mobile phones freely employ the
use of colloquial language, which may be fine in casual exchanges but not in
formal literature. To illustrate, young people frequently utilize acronyms or
abbreviations such as “LOL” or “BRB”. As a result, this may become a habit that
can impede their ability to write in a formal manner, ultimately leading to the
deterioration of their writing proficiency. Furthermore, it is argued that the
abundance of distractions online can detract from the time and attention that could
otherwise be spent on improving one’s literacy competency.
On the other hand, proponents of the beneficial impacts of computers and mobile
phones on people’s literacy ability. First of all, with modern gadgets, advanced
writing tools are at young people’s disposal to assist in improving their writing
skills. Many word processors and writing apps available online possess many
useful features such as autocorrect functions or overall structure evaluation that can
help to enhance the quality of youth’s formal writing. For example, TextWizard, a
writing assistant app, enables users to identify and correct mistakes in grammar or
spelling and modify sentence structure, overall organization and even tone
according to suggestions, thereby drastically improving the accuracy and legibility
of their writing. Moreover, computers and mobile phones provide easy access to
manifold written literature. To be more specific, the Internet offers young people a
vast array of reading materials, including e-books, online journals and news
articles, thereby exposing them to diverse writing styles and differing perspectives,
fostering their reading comprehension ability as a result.
In conclusion, although the detrimental effects of over-relying on digital devices
can not be overlooked, I still hold the belief that with the prevalence of helpful
tools and materials online, using computers and mobile phones can substantially
augment young people’s literacy skills.
(423 words)