An International Writing Perspective :: Essays Papers

An International Writing Perspective Introduction: â€Å"Writing has become one of the most neglected skills in the business world, yet one of the most important to productivity,† states Lin Grensing of the Associated Press; Mrs. Gensing based these findings on surveys with US executives (Hansen). If this conclusion is valid, then a key question follows -- Why are so many universities producing mediocre writers, considering that an individual who writes effectively will stand out in the work force? This question has been the subject of a long debate focusing not only on the importance of writing but the method needed to implement a solution. There are numerous concerns about student writing, and therefore many people have turned to different areas of education for the answer to improving students’ writing. One question, which deals with this subject is, â€Å"How do American students compare with international students, and are there any differences in the educational systems with respect to writing emphasis?† Th is â€Å"International Perspective,† the topic of this paper, is a comparison among cultures, students, schools, and their writing. There are hundreds of countries in the world, each with their own educational system in place. Although most countries view writing as a necessity for students, only a handful have begun the initiative of requiring writing in a university setting. Therefore, this paper will compare writing characteristics of countries with similar economic and cultural positions as the United States, including Canada, Britain, and Australia. Furthermore, this paper will identify the degree to which writing plays a role in each countries educational system and will develop an understanding of how countries view writing as a method to adequately prepare graduates for the business world. Summary: There are many studies around the world, comparing the writing abilities of high school students among countries. In many cases, the United States continuously ranks far below its competitors, including the most recent rankings presented in 2002 by the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF), who has ranked the United States 18th out of 24 countries when comparing the percent of 15 year-olds falling below key educational benchmarks; Canada, Australia, and Britain all ranked in the top 7 (CNN.com). During the 1999-2000 school year, American students tested in grades 4, 8, and 12 scored below minimum criteria set by the National Assessment and Governing Board. This board outlines the essential basic skills deemed minimal to meet academic standards, including writing proficiency. It was found that students who learned certain forms of writing, such as â€Å"process writing,† performed better on the exam, since they were taught how to analyze their ideas (Nations Report).