放下手机，聊聊吧

文/Paul+Barnwell+译/祝莉丽

Recently I stood in front of my class， observing an all-too-familiar scene. Most of my students were covertly—or so they thought—pecking1） away at their smartphones under their desks， checking their Facebook feeds and texts.

As I called their attention， students heads slowly lifted， their eyes reluctantly glancing forward. I then cheerfully explained that their next project would practice a skill they all desperately needed： holding a conversation.

Several students looked perplexed. Others fidgeted2） in their seats， waiting for me to stop watching the class so they could return to their phones. Finally， one student raised his hand. “How is this going to work？” he asked.

My junior English class had spent time researching different education issues. We had held whole-class discussions surrounding school reform issues and also practiced one-on-one discussions. Next， they would create podcasts in small groups， demonstrating their ability to communicate about the topics—the project represented a culminating assessment of their ability to speak about the issues in real time.

Even with plenty of practice， the task proved daunting to students. I watched trial runs of their podcasts frequently fall silent. Unless the student facilitator asked a question， most kids were unable to converse effectively. Instead of chiming in3） or following up on comments， they conducted rigid interviews. They shuffled papers and looked down at their hands. Some even reached for their phones—an automatic impulse and the last thing they should be doing.

As I watched my class struggle， I came to realize that conversational competence might be the single-most overlooked skill we fail to teach students. Kids spend hours each day engaging with ideas and one another through screens—but rarely do they have an opportunity to truly hone4） their interpersonal communication skills. Admittedly， teenage awkwardness and nerves5） play a role in difficult conversations. But students reliance on screens for communication is detracting6）—and distracting—from their engagement in real-time talk.

It might sound like a funny question， but we need to ask ourselves： Is there any 21st-century skill more important than being able to sustain confident， coherent conversation？

When students apply for colleges and jobs， they wont conduct interviews through their smartphones. When they negotiate pay raises and discuss projects with employers， they should exude7） a thoughtful presence8） and demonstrate the ability to think on their feet9） （or at least without Google）. When they face significant life decisions， they must be able to think things through and converse with their partners. If the majority of their conversations are based on fragments pin-balled back and forth through a screen， how will they develop the ability to truly communicate in person？

Its no surprise to any teacher or parent that teenagers rely heavily on cell phones for communication. According to the Pew Research Center10）， one in three teens sends over 100 text messages a day. More than half of teens use texting to communicate daily with friends， versus only 33 percent who regularly talk face to face. Cell phone use is rampant at most schools （mine included）， despite attempts to restrict or even integrate it into the curriculum.

But in our zealous rush to meet 21st-century demands—emailing assignments， customizing projects for tablets and laptops， and allowing students to BYOD （Bring Your Own Device）—we arent asking students to think and communicate in real time. Online discussion boards and Twitter are useful tools for exchanging ideas. But they often encourage a “read， reflect， forget about it” response that doesnt truly engage students in extended critical thinking or conversation. All too often Ive seen students simply post one （required） response to the prompt11） and then let the discussion go dead.

Sherry Turkle， a psychologist， MIT professor， and the author of Alone Together： Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Ourselves， has dedicated her career to researching peoples relationships with technology. Much of her writing has shaped my skepticism for tech-overload and its impact on conversation. In a New York Times column Turkle wrote， “Face-to-face conversation unfolds slowly. It teaches patience. When we communicate on our digital devices， we learn different habits … we start to expect faster answers. To get these， we ask one another simpler questions. We dumb down12） our communications， even on the most important matters.”

Could it be that the push for screen use in schools is watering down13） the questions and thinking we require of students？ For me， using classroom discussion boards has increased participation and given a voice to many students normally reluctant to speak in class. On the other hand， I wonder if my frequent reliance on digital participation is too easy on students. As Turkle writes， “We are tempted to think that our little ‘sips of online connection add up to a big gulp of real conversation. But they dont.”

Instead， what if we focused on sharpening students ability to move back and forth between the digital and real world？ An ironic benefit of technology is that we can leverage digital devices to capture and teach the art of conversation. All smartphones are recording devices； why not use those to record and assess students conversation skills？ Ive noticed that students take critical conversations， debates， and discussions more seriously when recorded. We can use technology to encourage students to strike a balance14） between digital literacies and interpersonal conversation.

The next time you interact with a teenager， try to have a conversation with him or her about a challenging topic. Ask him to explain his views. Push her to go further in her answers. Hopefully， you wont get the response Turkle did when interviewing a 16-year-old boy about how technology has impacted his communication： “Someday， someday， but certainly not now， Id like to learn how to have a conversation.”

前不久，我站在我上课的班级前面，观察着一幕再熟悉不过的场景。我的学生们大多都偷偷摸摸地——或者说他们是这样认为的——在课桌下不停地点滑着自己的智能手机，查看Facebook上推送的消息和手机短信。

在我提醒学生们注意时，他们慢慢地抬起头，眼睛不情愿地向前瞥了一下。然后我兴高采烈地解释道，他们的下一个活动是要练习一项他们都极为需要的技能：进行交谈。

有些学生看起来很困惑。其他人则在座位上坐立不安，等着我不再紧盯着全班，这样他们就又可以看自己的手机了。终于，一名学生举起了手。“这项活动要如何开展啊？”他问道。

我这门高三的英语课花时间研究过各种教育问题。我们曾围绕学校改革问题进行全班讨论，也练习过一对一的讨论。接下来，学生们将按小组创建播客，展现他们就各个话题进行交流的能力——这项活动将作为最终评估，以检验学生实时谈论问题的能力。

即使学生们曾有过大量的练习，到头来却证明，这项任务对学生来说很艰巨。我观察到，他们试播的播客常常陷入沉寂。除非负责主持的学生提出一个问题，否则大多数孩子都无法进行有效的交谈。他们不会加入谈话或是跟着评论，而是在进行刻板的访谈。他们胡乱翻着材料，低头看着双手。一些人甚至伸手去够手机——一种不由自主的冲动，也是他们最不应该做的一件事。

就在我看着班里的学生费劲挣扎时，我开始意识到谈话能力可能是我们最为忽视且没能教会学生的一项技能。孩子们每天花上几小时来通过屏幕琢磨各种想法，并与彼此沟通——但他们却罕有机会去真正磨炼自己的人际交往能力。诚然，青少年的羞涩和紧张也是造成谈话困难的因素。但是学生们交流时对屏幕的依赖正在减少他们对实时谈话的参与——并分散他们在实时谈话中的注意力。

这个问题也许听起来很好笑，但我们需要扪心自问：在21世纪，还有比能持续自信且连贯的交谈更重要的技能吗？

当学生们申请大学和找工作时，他们不会通过自己的智能手机进行面试。当他们与雇主商讨加薪和讨论项目时，他们应该充分展现出自己见地独到、思维敏捷的一面（或者至少不能使用谷歌）。当他们面临重大的人生抉择时，他们必须能深思熟虑，并和自己的同伴进行交流。如果他们的大部分谈话都是基于屏幕上弹球一样来来回回的只言片语，那他们面对面的实际沟通能力又怎么会得到提高呢？

对任何教师或家长而言，青少年过于依赖手机进行交流不足为奇。根据皮尤研究中心的调查，有三分之一的青少年每天要发送一百多条短信，有一半以上的青少年每天利用短信与朋友进行交流。相比之下，只有33%的人经常面对面地交谈。在大多数学校（包括我所在的学校），使用手机的情况愈演愈烈，尽管学校曾尝试限制使用手机，甚至要将其整合到课程中。

但是，在我们疯狂地竞相满足21世纪需求的过程中——用电子邮件布置作业，提供专属于平板和笔记本电脑的项目，以及允许学生“自带设备”（带来自己的设备）——我们并没有要求学生进行实时的思考和沟通。网上讨论区和推特是交流思想的有力工具。但它们通常鼓励一种“阅读，思考，遗忘”的反应模式，这无法让学生真正地参与到扩展性的批判性思考或交谈中去。有太多的时候我曾看到学生们仅就提示发布一条（必需的）回复，然后就让讨论陷入了僵局。

雪莉·特克是一名心理学家，也是麻省理工学院的教授，著有《孤独相伴：我们为何对科技抱有更多期待而对自己期望较少》一书。在其职业生涯中，特克致力于研究人类和科技之间的关系。她的许多著述使我对过度科技化及其对交谈的影响产生了怀疑态度。特克曾在《纽约时报》的专栏中写道：“面对面的交谈是缓慢开展的。它教会我们要有耐心。当我们在数字设备上交流时，我们养成了不同的习惯……我们开始期待更快的回答。为了得到这样的回答，我们向彼此提出更简单的问题。我们降低了交流的难度，甚至在最重要的问题上也是如此。”

难道说，学校推行使用电子设备的做法在削弱我们要求学生具备的质疑和思考能力？就我而言，使用课堂讨论区提高了学生的参与度，并为许多平时不愿在课上发言的学生提供了表达机会。而另一方面，我怀疑自己频繁依赖数字参与，是不是对学生过于宽容了。正如特克所写的那样：“我们倾向于认为，网络上的点滴联系累积起来，会达到一大段真实对话的效果。但事实并非如此。”

相反，如果我们专注于提高学生们在数字世界和现实世界中来回转换的能力，又会怎样呢？科技具有讽刺意味的一个益处就在于，我们可以利用数字设备来获得和传授谈话的艺术。所有的智能手机都具备录音功能，为什么不利用它们来记录和评估学生们的谈话技巧呢？我已经注意到，在给学生们录音时，他们会更加认真地进行批判性的对话、辩论和探讨。我们可以运用科技去鼓励学生在数字素养和人际沟通能力之间找到平衡。

下次你再和某个青少年互动时，试着就某个具有挑战性的话题与他/她进行交谈。请他阐释自己的观点。促使她进一步深化自己的看法。但愿你不会得到特克在采访一位16岁男孩时所得到的回应。当被问及科技对他的沟通能力有何影响时，那个男孩说：“总有一天，总有一天，但肯定不是现在，我愿意去学习如何进行交谈。”

1. peck [pek] vi. 断断续续地做；一小点一小点地做

2. fidget [?f?d??t] vi. 坐立不安；烦躁

3. chime in：紧接着说；插话（表示赞成）

4. hone [h??n] vt. 磨炼（技能）

5. nerves [n??（r）vz] n. [复]神经紧张；情绪不安

6. detract [d??tr?kt] vi. 减损

7. exude [?ɡ?zju?d] vt. 充分显露

8. presence [?prez（?）ns] n. 风度；风采；仪态

9. think on ones feet：思维敏捷；能随机应变

10. Pew Research Center：皮尤研究中心，美国著名的独立民意调查机构

11. prompt [pr?mpt] n. 提示；提词

12. dumb down：降低……的难度；使……变得更简单、更易于理解

13. water down：削弱，减少……的力量；使打折扣

14. strike a balance：（在争论中）找到折中办法，求得平衡