Phone texting 'helps pupils to spell'

[Gavin]

Children who regularly use the abbreviated language of text messages are actually improving their ability to spell correctly, research suggests.

A study of eight- to 12-year-olds found that rather than damaging reading and writing, "text speak" is associated with strong literacy skills.

Researchers say text language uses word play and requires an awareness of how sounds relate to written English.

This link between texting and literacy has proved a surprise, say researchers.

So when pupils replace or remove sounds, letters or syllables - such as "l8r" for "later" or "hmwrk" for "homework" - it requires an understanding of what the original word should be.

Using initials and abbreviations and understanding phonetics and rhymes are part of texting - but they are also part of successful reading and spelling development, they say.

This is an interim report, based on a year-long study of 63 pupils in England, with the final report expected next year, but so far researchers have not found a negative association between using text abbreviations and literacy skills.
The use of text language "was actually driving the development of phonological awareness and reading skill in children", said Dr Wood.

[Mr. Smithers]

That's very interesting. They make a good point about "l8r" and "hmwrk".

[Zephyr]

As logical as that sounds, I still have my doubts.

As an English teacher's aide in highschool, I graded a lot of papers and spelling quizzes.
Surprisingly, I came across a lot of 'leighter' (later), 'cum' (come), 'yoo' or 'u' (you) and a lot of confusion with simple homophones.

Text talk is just very unprofessional, in my opinion, and it makes people look stupid when they use it outside of texting and IMing, which is more common than you think. Then again, this is a grammar Nazi you're talking to here :P

But hey, if the studies are showing otherwise, who am I to argue?

[Mental]

I doubt it. Text talking gives most people I know bad habits. In school I knew people who would actually use words like cum (come) or wat (what) or wen (when) in their essays, etc. Not neccesarily because they can't spell, but they had bad habits.

[Sage]

This is one of the times when I can, without doubt, say that the 'researchers' are full of shit.

[Gavin]

Hmmm..I still have mixed feelings about this..

Don't you think it would be still bad anyway if they couldn't use abbreviated words and end up getting their spelling wrong..atleast short texted words are helping them some way

[ShatteredWings]

lol bt thn y we lurn 'korekt' spelin if we dnt need it?
just the foniks nd all

Painful, but yes I'm making a point. The problem is people don't BOTHER to learn the proper spellings of anything

[Antares]

I call BS.
They are automatically corrected and don't learn.
Its like spell check. You don't know why you're wrong but it is the computer and it is always right so all you do is just keep pressing next and not pay attention.

Same with cell phones.
The emphasis on spelling is decreasing and its quite sad.

[The Joker]

I know a kid who actually thinks circle is "surkl".

Text chat does NOT help spelling.

[woody92]

I know a kid who actually thinks circle is "surkl".

Text chat does NOT help spelling.

I agree I think that it makes it worse because you shorten the words to such an extent that sometimes you cnat even reconise the words!
Then you get used to writting like it and then it just gets worse as you get older!

[JackOfClubs]

Thanks to T9 predictive text, I pretty much always actually spell out the whole word. And I don't care if I go into extra pages, I have unlimited texting :) (Funny how Chrome doesn't recognize "texting" as a word :P)

[mrmcdonaldduck]

txt tlk hlps spllin? thts bullshit imo cause lke u dnt use vwls n shit

our generation may just be the last to have to learn proper spelling because of a lack of education on spelling and grammar.

i'll beleive this study when they can prove that people who use text talk are better at spelling then people who never use it and always spell out the full word, in a literacy test

[Perseus]

I'm calling shananigans...

Txt tlk does not improve your spelling...
It makes you look like a fool.

[Brighter.Tomorrow]

Texting..Doesn't improve your spelling unless you use t9, but texting has been shown to improve talking skill because you become more out going, learning what to say.

[2D]

Eh, I don't know what to think.

I think that it's all to do with your childhood. You hear and see proper spelling, pronunciation, and grammar and you will pick up on it.

[Giles]

I think that's a load of shit.
In school like 2 weeks ago or something, we had to peer assess everyone in the rooms work. I saw about 90 'u''s and many, many more 'cum'.