Like most parents, I have always thought that texting is eroding the spelling ability of children, what with all that text-speak and those shortcuts that it entails. However, a recent UK study on Education News says the opposite is true, that texting makes for better spellers.
Link between increasing spelling and grammar skills and text-speak
The study, which was conducted by Coventry University and the University of Tasmania and published in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology, reveals that there is a link between increasing spelling and grammar skills and text-speak, which often entails abbreviating words and leaving out capital letters and punctuation.
According to Clare Wood, professor of psychology in education at Coventry University, texting can in fact improve phonics skills and give children a better understanding of how sounds and print relate to one another.
Personally, I still feel a bit uncomfortable about text abbreviations and all those misspellings that my kid sends me on a regular basis. Hopefully, this topic gets explored some more in future studies until it becomes a clear and undeniable scientific truth.
To read the article in full, click here.
