Yet Another Study Shows Txting Improves Kids' Spelling
from the ok,-are-we-done-yet? dept
While it still seems like the common belief is that “txt spk” and other sorts of abbreviated elements of the English language harm kids’ ability to write properly, we’ve seen study after study after study after study after study after study has found exactly the opposite. They’ve found that most kids can tell the difference, and do understand what’s proper and what’s not. On top of that, heavy texters tend to be better spellers, because they’re much more used to writing — even if they tend to abbreviate the language when communicating via technology.
So it almost seems superfluous to mention that yet another one of these studies has come out and it, too, has found that those who regularly use txt spk have very strong literacy skills. But what’s annoying is that both the researchers and the BBC act as if this was a “surprise.” It’s as if no one bothered to check to see if similar research had been done before, and found the many, many, many studies all saying the same exact thing.
Filed Under: kids, spelling, students, studies, texting, txt speak
Comments on “Yet Another Study Shows Txting Improves Kids' Spelling”
Credit where credit's due
I’m impressed the BBC acknowledged the report at all.
I text loads
and my spelings great!
Re: I text loads
oh boy!
Re: I text loads
OMFG! ROFL!
I text loads
I can’t say as much for your grammar . . . and you missed an apostrophe back there, Champ.
Re: I text loads
YOUR WRONG! Your the one missing apostrophe’s. Its really very simple. Theirs nothing too it. But the affect of you’re bad grammer shows they’re are …
And now I’m laughing too hard to keep going, sorry.
what?
Technology may actually help kids?
na-na-na I CAN’T HEAR YOU!
Manipulated results
You could easily manipulate results by ensuring that the word lose is not on the test. I am certain it is the most (unintentionally) misspelled word on teh (intentional) internet. Seeing lose spelled loose is the bee in my bonnet. =)
Re: Manipulated results
I have to agree with you there – with the erroneous use of ‘affect’ and ‘effect’ coming a very close second…
Re: Re: Manipulated results
I don’t see how texting could effect my spelling or gramar
Empirical results say otherwise
I work at a university and among the emails and letters that flow across my desk, I’ve noticed a definite trend in poorly spelled communications (too much reliance on spellcheck?) by students – many of whom feel that text-speak is appropriate in official notifications.
Re: Empirical results say otherwise
Your empirical results don’t say anything about improvement or degradation. All you can say is that students with poor English skills use text-speak.
You immediately assume that text-speak is the source of the problem, without even bothering to consider your students’ writing skills in general. Unless you can bring out some examples of their work showing a degradation into chatroom abbreviations, you’re simply guessing at the solution before you’ve even identified the problem.
Yes, those who are ardent users of text messaging and those who are not tend to have similar spelling skills. Of course, neither group for the most part has mastered the relatively simple art of spelling correctly. A simple reading of written reports submitted for grading in JHS and HS courses makes this only too clear.
Then again, neither group for the most part has mastered grammar, paragraphs, punctuation, sentence structure, parts of speech, etc. Doubt me? Try reading papers submitted by students in even so-called “advanced placement” courses.
Similar in MMORPG's?
My eight year old doesn’t txt but will play MMORPGs as much as he is allowed. A major component of the ones he plays is communicating with other players. I know he uses txt talk there however he seems to get the difference as his English grades are excellent.
As a Scoutmaster, I get to see a lot of material written by the Scouts. And I’ll tell you, access to and use of technology is not the determining factor here. The largest difference I’ve seen regarding these kids’ use of language is the involvement of the parents. Having parents who are involved in their child’s activities, with the Troop, with school, leads to much better vocabulary and grammar.
| th1nk th3 w0rld i5 fre4king 0ut ov3r a pr3tty p3tty find|ng.