Does text messaging harm students' writing skills?

Educators need to stop hyperventilating about whether text messaging is good or bad. The same discussion was going on a hundred years ago about horseless carriages. The discussion was pointless then and it's pointless now. Smart phones and text messaging are here to stay. Can't beat 'm.. join 'm.... http://getseconds.com is a good way to come up to speed and start connecting with your students instead of complaining about all their text messaging.

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Continuous Read More ... Funny Jokes.

I've been studying this topic for one of my classes. I believe students are able to code-switch between informal, texting language and formal, essay-appropriate language, though I do believe they need some kind of instruction to reinforce this ability.

I think text messaging inspires creativity to play with language. Isn't it a good thing to make language and writing more fun?

i do believe they can separate the way they write their essay or text-message!

I came across this site searching for teachers' opinion on whether texting has improved or impaired their students' writing skills. I was hoping to site a comment in favor of texting for my English paper, but as a college student and English major, I am appalled by the abundance of grammatical error found in some of the comments left by teachers and I find it very hard to believe that all of these were "typos."

As for my opinion on "text speak," there is an obvious solution to this modern case of diglossia- teach our children early code-switching. It isn't that our youth can't decipher the difference of when to use short-hand- it's that they haven't been taught when. Generally, teachers get so caught up in saying that a student's work is "right" or "wrong" that they forget that the purest form of art is individual. While I firmly support the laws of grammar and syntax, I personally believe that texting and instant messaging adds to our culture and language instead of diminishing them.

btw, 19/f/sc, n i <3 2txt all da time. ttul

I've taught writing for years. Strong writers seem to shift seamlessly between text-speak and standard English grammar in their writing, and can keep them separate and straight. Weaker writers seem further weakened by the amount of time they spend typing without punctuation or correct spelling. They let their email style seep into their formal papers, and have a harder time acquiring the basic skills.

I liken text messaging to the old shorthand. No one thought that hurt the user's writing ability. I think auto correct has had a worse impact on student writing.

While I can appreciate the need for correct grammar and for delivering an intelligent point of view about any given topic, I think our expectations have to change. There is a time for teaching "writing skills" but also a growing need to recognize the value of expression and communicating capably with the general public. Text abbreviations probably shouldn't show up in essays and papers, but all in all, the omission of unnecessary words and even creative spelling, could very well be the direction in which our language(s) is going.

I belive texting has an effect in your life as a child gets older but not on the childs writing skills. Take me for example Im 16 years old and I <3 to text. Yes,I do have problems with my handss but not on my writing skills.