The Edutopia Poll
by Sara Ring
"IYO txtng = NME or NBD?" Translation: "In your opinion, is text messaging the enemy, or no big deal?" As more and more students immerse themselves in Textspeak over their cell phones and computers, educators worry that their writing skills are suffering. After all, the short-message format routinely sacrifices grammar, syntax, and punctuation for the sake of slang and brevity. There is concern that students who frequently express themselves in abbreviations and smiley faces may lose the capacity for more nuanced, grammatically correct writing. But other educators see little evidence that the language of texting is having a negative impact on students' schoolwork. In fact, some are even glad that students are communicating so frequently through writing and are creating their own language, albeit one with a nontraditional vocabulary. Is the prevalence of text messaging something to worry about? WDYT?
Texting in schools
Submitted by Brandy (not verified) on May 8, 2008 - 09:43.
I have been doing a research paper for my high school and according to my research, crazes like texting and e-mails only affect students who don't know how to use the "switch" corretly. Studies have shown that some kids can differentiate between the playground, or texting speech and a more formal speech for school, or when speaking to adults. I feel that cell phones only affect the students who rush their work and don't use broader vocabulary.
Text messaging
Submitted by C. Lee (not verified) on May 4, 2008 - 22:02.
I believe our students are not able to spell correctly and use grammar correctly with the rise of text messaging.
I think it would help to make it clear what is the appropriate way to write when they are writing in school versus writing a text to their friends.
Common Abbreviations
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on April 28, 2008 - 11:05.
etc.
Dr.
M.D.
B.A / B.S.
RSVP
ASAP
mm/kg/yd./mi.
RPM
These are all common abbreviations used (even in academic, formal writing). We have no problem using these, but someone who writes "idk" or "b/c" is incorrect. It just doesn't make sense.
In a different direction, many of the above commentions mention how poorly middle school students write. No one has mentioned the role of standardized testing in the decimation of the American education system. Maybe those prior teachers had to spend too much time teaching the test in order to keep our wonderful government from pulling their funding that they didn't have time to teach grammar properly. Perhaps saying that text messaing is ruining the education system and student writing is an oversimplification much like textmessaging has been criticized for.
texting hurts grammar
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on April 24, 2008 - 07:49.
I am a college student who texts very often. It is basically the only way I communicate with friends anymore. I hate talking on the phone because texting is so much easier. However I have seen even in my own writing its messes up my grammar, especially things like apostrophes. Most students don't know the difference between lets and let's...or is there one? Texting is an awesome form of communication and it really speeds up my life, but teachers are going to be fighting correct grammar and usage for years to come because of it. Of course this is nothing new....several years ago the buzz topic was fighting ebonics. Teachers either rise to the task or quit. Rise to the task!
Text Messaging
Submitted by Ph.D C. Salmerson (not verified) on April 24, 2008 - 07:01.
I find text messaging or texting very innapropriate and ill in the sense that it is very unscholarly and may soon lead to the end of what is today known as FORMAL ENGLISH!!!
Does text messaging harm students' writing skills?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on April 7, 2008 - 07:57.
YOU ARE WRONG PAULA!
SPELL and GRAMMAR checkers DO NOT catch everything, and to profess this is to deny the truth. Spell checkers cannot pick up on inferred meaning:
For hours.}
Four hours.} (All the words are spelled correctly in all three, but what did the writer intend?)
Fore hours.}
Students need to be exposed to rhetoric as early as the 8th grade and hopefully by the 10th. Rhetoric is a lost art. Grammar is all but extinct (read some of our student work).
To graduate here, students only need write a 3 paragraph essay. This is appalling to say the least!
Nothing beats a good proofreading
Submitted by Steve (not verified) on April 17, 2008 - 15:19.
All things aside, nothing ever beats a good proofread the day after a paper is written. Many mistakes are not caught in spell and grammar checks, though they are helpful, but the only way to make sure the writing is correct is to proofread after you have walked away for a while, 12 hours usually works for me. That would mean that procrastination is out of the question.
Grammar is certainly not extinct, as I teach it 5 days a week. Grammar has simply been adjusted to suit the needs of those texting. Graduation requirements are not the same as college entrance requirements anyhow. 3 paragraphs, expertly done, are far more powerful then 30 paragraphs done poorly. Quality over quantity I say.
Does text messaging harm students' writing skills?
Submitted by Paula (not verified) on March 31, 2008 - 15:08.
I was recently involved in a needs assessment survey that was sent to students in our K-8 school and was very disappointed in the writing skills of participants.
Can this be attributed directly to texting? I doubt it, but I do think that in this age of technology the mainstays of education are being overlooked. Math isn't important because everyone has calculators on their computers and phones, spelling and grammar aren't important because when you've finished typing, spell/grammar checker will correct everything. Handwriting hard to read? Never mind, use a computer instead.
On a positive note, texting gives students a greater abiity to take comprehensive notes during lessons using the abbreviations they use on their phones...
No doubt I've made some typos in this comment, but it's not because I text...
Text messaging
Submitted by jim kilkenny (not verified) on March 28, 2008 - 06:50.
We are a society that denigrates history. Hey, dudes, Cool cats, Bad ones, is it plain or a pain to you to note that youth have always invented language? I think they (we) do (did) it to have a way of speaking that the older generation can't get in to and subvert. Kids really hate being subverted by us oldsters. They want space and if a new language gives them space to grow and experience on their own, so be it. I see no problem with text messaging, as long as we keep teaching report writing, essays and stories. Then a little language play is always appropriate--or is it essential?
Text messaging
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on April 17, 2008 - 08:16.
another language for us younger ppl is great. it keeps us independent of the older generations way of talking. it is appropriate and essential. i think texting is cool, not that i do it, but it is OUR thing, not YOUR thing.
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