Writing used to be strictly an in-school activity. Now, kids do 40 percent of their writing outside of school. Called “life writing,” young adults’ social writing spans texts, tweets, social media, and blogs -- and all of it’s making kids more literate.
Via Nik Peachey
Fits in well with discussions on the role of technology affecting writing in NAPLAN.
"Life writing" should be given it's due. While it is often short and sweet, it should count as one part of literacy development. The English teacher in me what's to say it doesn't effect classroom writing assignments, but the techie within knows that any practice expressing your ideas to other counts. Learning both styles will produce a competent, educated person.
That's why we need to bring social writing into school.