Texting refers to the use of abbreviations and other techniques to craft SMS and instant messages. "Txtspk" does not follow standard grammar or spelling conventions. It is popular because of the proliferation of cellphones and instant messaging (IM). For example, in South Africa (SA), MXit is a popular mobile instant messaging service that claims 10-million registered users -- many under the age of 18 -- who send more than 250-million text messages daily.

For a number of years teachers and parents have blamed texting for two ills: the corruption of language and a degradation in spelling. Complaints of textisms creeping into schoolwork are common. Is it possible that the "modern scourge" of texting can have any positive influence on learners' language development?

Taking texting seriously

A 2007 study of American teens found that through their texting, blogging and emailing they are reading and writing more than any other generation. Texting is not going to go away; we have to explore the opportunities for cellphone-assisted literacy development, as well as understand the risks.

According to researchers at the University of Coventry, despite the popular view that texting is responsible for linguistic deterioration, the true "impact of children's use of textisms on their reading and writing development is not well understood" -- largely because of a lack of empirical research.

Research on texting

To fill the research gap the Coventry researchers, led by Dr Bev Plester, explored the relationship in 10- to 12-year-old children in the United Kingdom between the use of textisms and school literacy attainment. They found no association between overall textism use and the children's spelling scores. (Based on earlier studies, there is little evidence that using text language damages pre-teen standard English ability.) But there was a strong association between textism use and phonological awareness (for example, "2nite" sounds the same as "tonight").

Although spelt incorrectly in a conventional sense, many textisms are phonologically acceptable forms of written English. Decades of research have demonstrated a consistent association between different forms of phonological awareness and reading attainment.

Further research by the Coventry team showed that the previously observed positive associations between literacy and textism use are attributable to textism use driving reading attainment. In other words it is not simply the case that good readers are good texters.

Using texting for teaching

David Crystal, honorary professor of linguistics at the University of Wales, believes that sending frequent texts can actually help children to read and write because of the abbreviations used. The 160-character constraint of an SMS and the brevity of the IM text style requires learners to write economically, inventively and playfully -- all good practice when learning to read and write.

Some language teachers refuse to ban cellphones and texting. Below are examples from American teachers of how you can use texting for good in the classroom.