| An Experience with Language is a collection of genres designed to incorporate modern-day conversational language and slang for the purpose of tempting young adults into partaking in an involvement in reading---from Young Adult literature to the classic canonical texts. After having encountered numerous adolescents who claim to "not read"---a statement implying not that they are illiterate, but rather have little to no interest in reading---I wondered what, exactly, was contributing to this growing, nation-wide apathy towards literature. With a library or bookstore in every town, how is it possible that the percentage of those who read for pleasure has plummeted among all age groups from the mid-twentieth century until today?;With these---and endless other---questions in mind, I began researching the current trends in YA literature to determine the best methods for approaching adolescents; much of the process was spent writing creatively, in form of poetry, short story, and essay, to compose a body of short texts for young adults. I aimed to precisely depict, throughout all of the texts, the voices and vernaculars of the modern American young adult.;The research indicates that the decline in literacy scores among students is directly related to increasing distractibility due to technology; television, video games, music and cell phones require enormously less critical or conceptual thinking skills than reading of any sort. In attempt to offset this disparity, both Late Beginnings and "Pollutin' the Airwaves" integrate those exact distractions---primarily text messages and rap music---to draw readers into material they would have otherwise been reluctant to read. A significant finding from the research proposes that, despite common misconceptions, children who engage in text messaging amongst their peers generally display higher linguistic capabilities than those who do not. This suggests that text messages need not be feared by literate society, but rather utilized as a tool to actively involve readers with the language at hand.;In a culture where technology is paramount, those who previously spent their free time reading now have a horde of "easier" pleasurable activities, and it is not at all surprising that American literacy has suffered as a result; to counteract this, there must be an equally vigilant movement to reengage young adults in both reading and writing. It is my hope that An Experience with Language will serve as a starting point for this and similar discussions; without a solution, the problem of young adult (il)literacy will only expand exponentially over time. |
