I could not agree more with the views expressed by Mr Janadas Devan in his article last Sunday, 'Give students the write skills'.

His arguments are most compelling.

The crux of the problem among our students, as far as the English language is concerned, is not their oral skills, but their writing skills.

If students can write well, speaking well would almost be a logical corollary.

Proficient writing skills are an asset to students not only in their studies, but also in their future work performance and even in their personal lives.

The need to write has not diminished in the 21st century. On the contrary, the proliferation of e-mail as an important communication tool has meant that we now write more than ever before.

And reading is the panacea for poor communication skills in the English language, both oral and written.

Alvin Choo

This article was first published in The Straits Times.