The great American writing block

the long version

Language in America. What today inhibits the writing of citizens, scholars, and students? Americans, long vigorous and inventive in speech, object to the act of writing. Two out of three abilities expected from education -- reading and writing -- disintegrate as some insidious influence, thought by many to be television, captures succeeding generations of children. Many grade schools and high schools no longer encourage self-expression or sentences. Finding entering freshmen unable to write clearly and coherently, colleges teach grammar and development of thought in a salvage operation called Remedial Writing. But even college graduates come into the job market unable to write, fearful of writing. - p. 1.