Essay written by steve mousidis   It is essential that everyone is capable of reading, writing, and communicating in an articulate and   Unfortunately, many American students lack the necessary skills needed for  effective communication. It is contradictory that there are so many illiterate students in this current  age that many define as 'the age of the information superhighway.'   It seems as though many of America's students are unaware of the importance of communication  and literacy. Clear and effective language use is a most important and practical utility; it is the  vehicle we use to convey information. An 'information superhighway' without vehicles is futile.  Without effective language utilization, it is impossible to convey thoughts, emotions, and feelings.  Students must have the capacity to absorb and convey information to, at least a minimal level. The  meters of literacy magnitude are standardized tests Diane Ravitch writes of "poor verbal scores"  and "de-emphasis on careful reading and writing" in Forbes magazine. Standardized test scores are  not showing strong enough verbal skills. The latter is an indicator that more emphasis should be  placed on language skill development at an earlier period in the education process.   Language is the basis of any education. Whether one wishes to pursue a study in literature or  science, language arts are indispensable. It is impossible for one to present a lab report or to  comprehend a calculus text if he/she is unable to achieve literary discipline. Those who are able to  dynamically utilize their literary skills have a plethora of information available to them. They can  employ such resources as libraries and the Internet. Therefore, it is essential that, to take advantage  of all available resources, one must have a solid foundation consisting of literary knowledge.  The most fundamental form of communication is speech. After one's methods of speech...