Is the ability to read and write more important today than in the past? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. v.2

There is a common belief that a rapid increase in usage of electronic devices as the means of conversation provides children with significant drawbacks in terms of literacy. I completely disagree with this opinion because new technological mediums have an unmatched ability to stimulate learning due to their inherent properties such as vivid visualization and interacts. The main reason for my disagreement is that traditional mediums have a very limited ability to catch young person’s attention. In contrast, rich media formats are available in any gadget, and this makes it rather effortless to draw kid’s attention to any training task where they are instructed to read or to write something. For example, since it became a widespread practice among Finland schools to use laptops and tablets as a main learning tool, the overall literacy level has increased by 30%. Another case against the given notion is a built-in interactive mechanic of display devices. Unlike paper books, computers and smartphones allow user to interact with a content in an amusing and entertaining way; hence, even a completely boring text could be transformed into a fascinating reading experience by adding to it simple game mechanics such as goals and rewards. For instance, an online service named LinguaLeo managed to acquire a few million of clients by applying an idea of gaming to a process of learning English language. In conclusion, I totally do not agree that those children who use electronic means of communication will suffer any issues with reading and writing skills. Given this situation, it seems that we could predict a much more common usage of screen devices in the educational process.