How is text messaging affecting the way English is taught?

Question

It's almost a challenge to read some of the questions and answers at this site because so many can't spell or punctuate. I can't help but think it has to be a problem teaching proper English. It seems that people is really spelled ppl. I can't say much because I have grandchildren who are doing this, too. English was my favorite subject in school and college and I cringe when I come across someone who does a lot of text messaging. It's obvious by all the abreviations and misspellings. How do you get the students to use proper spelling, grammer and punctuation?

Good luck to you.

Answer 1

Text messaging doesn't affect the way English is taught, but it affects the way it is written. I teach ESL to Grade 6 and they use it all the time. Kids are so used to texting that they incorporate it into the texts they write for school work. They also spell phonetically from theier first language. Sadly, they don't see a diffference between texting and writing a proper paper. It's easier and faster to write that way. And you are right - it is a challenge to read anything written that way.

I give lists of common words or themed words, and they have to spell them correctly. I also teach grammar and punctuation because no one uses it properly anymore. I want my students to get a sense of those elements of the language because, without them, one cannot communicate properly. It isn't easy, but I try.

Answer 2

As an English teacher I just see it as a different dialect of English. It has a very useful purpose in the world of texting. However, standard English must be taught to the students. This is true of any student who is stuck in a non-standard dialect. You take the dialect away, you show appreciation for it, but you add the new dialect. At the college level, I don't see much texting if any put into academic papers so this is essentially not a problem.

Answer 3

The reason text-spelling is used is so that 'minutes' on the phone will not be eaten up. It is faster to write ppl and ne (for people and any) and the language is understood.

I suggest that we 'oldsters' stop wingeing about it, TEACH that there are proper places for text-eze and correct English usage/spelling, and grade/mark papers accordingly.

We have all heard that English spelling is hard for a non-native speaker. Perhaps a lesson will be learned from the text-eze peeps (now that is NOT text-eze!), and we can upgrade our spelling so that it becomes standartised and easier.

In my dreams!!

Answer 4

I don't think text messaging is affecting the way in which English is taught, but it is certainly affecting the way in which English is being used. I agree wholeheartedly that some of the abbreviations and misspellings on this site make it almost impossible to decipher the message. But I don't believe that is a result of the way the students have been taught. Just that it doesn't seem to have occurred to them to apply what they have learned to the English they use outside the classroom.

Answer 5

Q: Will cell-phone technology continue to increase in ubiquity?
A: Strong yes.

Predictions of miniaturization made within the last decade not only by Bill Gates but also observers of Japanese electronics research and development indicate that the next possible revolution is the epitome in terms of electronics as described by an acolyte of Educause that, “cell phones will be the Swiss Army knives of the next century”(Livingston, 2004).

Q: Will design modifications functionalize mobility in education? A: Strong yes.

Termed “m-learning” new frameworks for sharing virtual data are increasingly available globally at any connection hub in space and time which the American National Science Foundation has termed, “cyberinfrastructure.” An emergent trend called “learning swarms” or the ability to distribute cooperative operations effectively through which learning participants are able to fade and disperse into routine lifestyles and then converge suddenly by prearranged synchronizations and share information on particular targets is already in practice at institutions such as MIT, Dartmouth University and American University (Alexander, 2004: 32). According to the Korean Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Energy online education has developed exponentially to meet current high demands among a student public who often define their sense of style and fashion through mobile technology. E-learning in its basic form grew by 10% year on year in 2006 where private and corporate sectors exceeded public demand with incremental increases of 63% in the number of companies delivering online educational services since 2005. Additional growth in employment provided 19.1% increases in workforce (Yonhap News, 2007). The majority of higher education institutions being private reflects a continued increase in internet learning which should provoke a similar emergent trend in transition to m-learning within two to three years which support cell-phones superseding a need for lap top computers especially if full-sized light projected and data sensitive keyboards and displays become commonplace (The Horizon Report, 2007: 15).

Answer 6

Students need to be taught that people will judge them on their punctuation and spelling. It is easy to get in the habit of lower case and misspellings. Teachers need to stress that college applications, letters, and job applications need to appear correctly or they will be judged as uneducated.

Answer 7

ok well this is what my teacher does she counts off for spelling she doesnt count off like if you try to spell it but if you but like wanna or wacha doin and stuff like that good luck