As a future educator and someone who enjoys the process of writing, I feel that writing and grammar are important skills to have- not because I feel that they are the end-all-be-all marker of someone’s intelligence or professional competence, but because I can see how being familiar with the “rules” of these parts can help both students and employees succeed in their education and career when considering the views of the majority of teachers and employers. Many people view improper spelling or grammar as a sign of a person’s abilities outside of just writing, believing that it impacts the way they approach or perform other tasks. Kyle Wiens is a perfect example of people who feel this way. In his article “I Won’t Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here’s Why,” Wiens discusses why proper grammar usage is essential to him when hiring employees for his companies. Wiens explains that one’s writing and grammatical skills are linked to their abilities and competence in their job, stating that even when someone is otherwise completely qualified for a position at his company, if they are unable to use grammar in its correct form, he is absolutely not willing to hire them. Now, I do not agree with this perspective; however, I understand that a position that revolves around writing should be held by someone who is able to create work that is relatively free of simple grammatical or spelling errors. On the other hand, I believe that Wiens holds a very extremist point of view.
When it comes to writing, I believe there is not only one correct way to do everything. From people who come from differing dialects, languages, and cultures to people who may be naturally less interested in the “proper” spelling, grammar, or writing aspects of English, we all need to be more accepting and understanding that not everything is going to sound perfect to everyone else. This is why I feel that it is most valuable and comfortable when people speak in whatever tone or dialect is most comfortable to them personally. Zachary Martin presents a similar point of view in his article, “African American Language is Good English.”
In this text, Martin states that African American Vernacular English, or AAVE, is not improper or bad English; instead, it is simply a different way of using English to express themselves. This way of writing allows individuals to communicate their ideas in a tone and dialect that is most comfortable to them. It doesn’t make them less credible. Less intelligent. Or bad writers. It simply means that they are writing in a way that better reflects them. Just as someone who may love to use traditional English rules and grammar when writing, someone else may love to write using AAVE. Not one is better than the next, but all should be viewed as equal in value and credibility.
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