Reading 101

Plugging in...


Frequently I find that I am teaching reading skills when working with computer users, be they novice or knowledgable. A niggly email spellchecker in AOL was causing a client much angst. Every time they typed in a date such as 9/08, the spell checker stopped on the number and waited for instructions before proceeding. AOL's spellchecker doesn't have many options to change, and no option is available to tell it to skip numbers.

The Tutor tried to re-create the problem, but couldn't so the Tutor watched what the client was typing and how AOL reacted. The problem and solution rose as clearly as the sun does every day. In the spellchecker window, where AOL stopped on the date 9/08, an error message clearly instructed the READER to type a date using the following format: 09/08/2008. By omitting the 4-digit year, the spellchecker couldn't decide if it was a fraction or a date AND it stated so.

Who cares, one might ask, why AOL needs to distinguish between a fraction and a date? It's not doing anything mathematical for gosh sakes - it's an EMAIL message!! But the answer was there, right on the screen, each and every time the client typed a date in their email. The client didn't see it. Reading 101 - case in point.


ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it ON the screen, is it plugged in, is it turned on?


Unplugged