In the writing portion of the National Assessment of Education Progress, girls scored better than boys, as did those students whose teachers required them to use word processing and editing on computers for their assignments. BUT, the results were not glowing, because out of all of the eighth and twelfth graders who took these tests, only 27 percent scored at, or above, the proficient level. Even more disturbing was that at the twelfth grade level, only 9 percent of blacks and 12 percent of Latinos were at or above the proficient level. Most students tested were unable to write “well-organized stories with strong details, precise word choices, and varied sentences.” The results suggest that there needs to be a focus on writing skills beyond the basics and that, with greater use of word processing, students will understand how this tech tool can help them improve their writing.
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