NIE Home | Sponsors | E FAQs | Order Form | Contact Us |
![]()
Common Core State Standard
SL.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: An essay of a current news event is provided for discussion to encourage participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the article. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event within the news, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support. FOR THE WEEK OF AUG. 22, 2011 Dictionary update shows how English evolves to include woot, noob and upcycle![]() ![]() Look for any of the words mentioned or other examples of evolving language in news content.
![]() Now see if you spot slang or inside jargon, perhaps quoted in a sports report or business article.
![]() Discuss journalism's role in updating everyday language. What should reporters and editors consider when using informal or unfamiliar words?
You may need a new dictionary this new school year. About 400 words are added to one popular reference, the Oxford Concise English Dictionary, illustrating changes in everyday language. It's no shock that many technology-related words are among 12th edition newcomers. They include sexting, retweeting and cyberbullying, along with noob (properly spelled n00b) That shorthand for newbie is an unflattering term for a newcomer to a forum, game or trend. Another fresh entry is woot (or w00t), an online way to say hooray. "The expression woot began in America, but was picked up very quickly by people in Britain as a result of the Internet breaking down international boundaries," says Angus Stevenson, editor of the dictionary. The book from Oxford University Press in England also adds updated definitions of familiar words. Thought a cougar was just an ornery wild cat? By now you probably know it's also "an older woman seeking a sexual relationship with a younger man."
Here's another: Textspeak is defined as any writing with lots of abbreviations, initials and emoticons, just as in text messages.
Front Page Talking Points is written by
Felix Grabowski and Alan Stamm for NIEonline.com, Copyright 2025
Front Page Talking Points Archive►Courts try to halt rushed removals of alleged gang members, testing presidential powers ►U.S. Education Department shrinks as the president tries to 'move education back to the states' ►Batter up: Odd-looking 'torpedo bat' apparently can help players smash home runs ►Top U.S. officials mistakenly leaked Yemen attack phone chat messages before jets and missiles flew ►Trump stirs drama with talk of wanting Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal ►Measles outbreaks bring reminders of need for childhood vaccines ►White House media policy changes spark lawsuit by AP and concerns about presidential access ►'America has turned:' Trump veers away from backing Ukraine in war against Russian invaders |
Step onto any school campus and you'll feel its energy. Each school is turbocharged with the power of young minds, bodies, hearts and spirits.
Here on the Western Slope, young citizens are honing and testing their skills to take on a rapidly changing world. Largely thanks to technology, they are in the midst of the most profound seismic shift the world has ever seen.
Perhaps no time in our history has it been more important to know what our youth are thinking, feeling and expressing.
The Sentinel is proud to spotlight some of their endeavors. Read on to see how some thoroughly modern students are helping learners of all ages connect with notable figures of the past.
Now you can register online to start getting replica e-editions in your classroom.
Even small donations make a big difference in a child's education.
If you are interested in becoming a Partner In Education, please call 970-256-4299 or e-mail nie@GJSentinel.com