essay

Professor Smith

ENGL 1302.8XXXX

18 April 2018

Does Texting Affect Writing?

` It’s taking over our lives. We can do it almost anywhere -- walking to class, waiting in line at the grocery store, or hanging out at home. It’s quick, easy, and convenient. It has become a concern of doctors, parents, and teachers alike. What is it? It’s texting! Text messaging -- or texting, as it’s more commonly called -- is the process of sending and receiving typed messages via a cellular phone. It is a common means of communication among teenagers and is even becoming popular in the business world because it allows quick messages to be sent without people having to commit to a telephone conversation. A person is able to say what is needed, and the other person will receive the information and respond when it’s convenient to do so. In order to more quickly type what they are trying to say, many people use abbreviations instead of words. The language created by these abbreviations is called textspeak. Some people believe that using these abbreviations is hindering the writing abilities of students, and others argue that texting is having a positive effect on writing.

This debate became prominent after some teachers began to believe they were seeing a decline in the writing abilities of their students. Many attributed this perceived decline to the increasing popularity of text messaging and its use of abbreviations. Naomi Baron, a linguistics professor at American University, blames texting for what she sees as the fact that “so much of American society has become sloppy and laissez faire about the mechanics of writing”

(“Should We Worry or LOL?”). Teachers report finding “2” for “to,” “gr8” for “great,” “dat” for “that,” and “wut” for “what,” among other examples of textspeak, in their students’ writing. A Minnesota teacher of the seventh and ninth grades says that she has to spend extra time in class editing papers and must “explicitly” remind her students that it is not acceptable to use text slang and abbreviations in writing (Walsh). Another English teacher believes that text language has become “second nature” to her students (Carey); they are so used to it that they do not even catch themselves doing it. Statistics seem to support these concerns about declining writing skills. A September 2008 article in USA Today entitled “Texting, Testing Destroys Kids’ Writing Style” states that according to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 25% of high school seniors are “proficient” writers. The article quotes Jacquie Ream, a former teacher and author of K.I.S.S.-- Keep It Short and Simple, a Guide for Writing More Effectively. Ream states, “[W]e have a whole generation being raised without communication skills.” She, too, blames the use of acronyms and shorthand in text messages for students’ inability to spell and ultimately to write

well.

There are additional concerns related to the negative effects of texting on writing. Many complain that because texting does not stress the importance of punctuation, students are neglecting it in their formal writing. Teachers say that their students are forgetting

commas, apostrophes, and even capital letters to begin sentences. Another complaint is that text messages lack emotion. Many argue that texts lack feeling because of their tendency to be short, brief, and to the point. Because students are not able to communicate emotion effectively through texts, some teachers worry, they may lose the ability to do so in writing. Jacquie Ream points out that Ream also points out that students struggle to convey emotion in their writing because, as she states, in text messages “emotions are always sideways smiley faces” (“Texting”). Overall, texting inhibits good writing, and it reinforces simplistic writing that may be acceptable for conversation but is not so good for critical thinking or analysis.

In response to these complaints that texting is having a negative impact on student writing, others insist that texting should be viewed as beneficial because it provides students with

motivation to write, practice in specific writing skills, and an opportunity to gain confidence in their writing. For example, Sternberg, Kaplan, and Borck argue that texting is a good way to

motivate students: teens enjoy texting, and if they frequently write through texts, they will be more motivated to write formally. Texting also helps to spark students’ creativity, these authors

argue, because they are always coming up with new ways to express their ideas (417). In addition, because they are engaging in written communication rather than oral speech, texting teens learn how to convey their message to a reader in as few words as possible. In his

book, Txtng: The Gr8 Db8, David Crystal discusses a study that concludes that texting actually helps foster “the ability to summarize and express oneself concisely” in writing (168). One language arts teacher from Minnesota believes that texting helps students develop their own “individual voice” (Walsh). Perfecting such a voice allows the writer to offer personal insights and express feelings that will interest and engage readers.

Supporters of texting also argue that it not only teaches elements of writing but also provides extra practice to those who struggle with the conventions of writing. As Crystal points out, children who struggle with literacy will not choose to use a technology that requires them to do something that is difficult for them. However, if they do choose to text, the experience will

help them “overcome their awkwardness and develop their social and communication skills” (Txtng 171). Shirley Holm, a junior high school teacher, describes texting as a “comfortable form of communication” (Walsh). Teenagers are used to texting, enjoy doing so, and as a result are always writing. Through this experience of writing in ways they enjoy, they can

learn to take pleasure in writing formally. If students are continually writing in some form, they will eventually develop better skills.

Furthermore, those who favor texting explain that with practice comes the confidence and courage to try new things, which some observers believe they are seeing happen with writing

as a result of texting. Teenagers have, for example, created an entirely new language — one that uses abbreviations and symbols instead of words, does not require punctuation, and uses short,

incomplete phrases throughout the entire conversation. It’s a way of speaking that is a language in and of itself. Crystal, among others, sees this “language evolution” as a positive effect of texting; he seems, in fact, fascinated that teenagers are capable of creating such a phenomenon, which he describes as the “latest manifestation of the human ability” (“Texting” 80). David Warlick, a teacher and author of books about technology in the classroom, would agree with Crystal. He believes students should be given credit for “inventing a new language ideal for communicating in a high-tech world” (Carey).

Overall, research suggests that texting actually has a minimal effect on student writing. Students do not believe textspeak is appropriate in formal writing assignments, and they recognize the difference between texting friends and writing formally and know what is appropriate in each situation. Many experts would agree that there is no harm in textspeak, as long as students continue to be taught and reminded that occasions where formal language is expected are not the place for it. As Crystal explains, the purpose of the abbreviations used in text messages is not to replace language but rather to make quick communications shorter and easier, since in a standard text message, the texter is allowed only 160 characters for communication (“Texting” 81). In fact, Dennis Baron, an English and linguistics professor at the University of Illinois, suggests students do not even use abbreviations in their text messages very often: “By the time they get to college, most students . . . have put away such childish things, and many of them had already abandoned such signs of middle-school immaturity in high school” (Golden).

I myself am a frequent texter. I chat with my friends from home every day through texting. I also use texting to communicate with my school friends, perhaps to discuss what time we are going to meet for dinner or to ask quick questions about homework. In the messages I send, I rarely notice myself using abbreviations. The only time I use them is if I do not have time to write out the complete phrase. However, sometimes I find it more time-consuming to try to figure out how to abbreviate something so that my message will still be comprehensible. Since I rarely use abbreviations in my texting, I never use them in my formal writing. I know that they are unacceptable and that it would make me look unintelligent if I included acronyms and symbols instead of proper and formal language.

On the basis of expert research and personal observations, I can confidently state that texting is not interfering with students’ use of standard written English and has no effect on their writing abilities in general. It is interesting to look at the dynamics of the arguments over these issues. Teachers and parents who claim that they are seeing a decline in the writing abilities of their students and children mainly support the negative-impact argument. Other teachers and researchers suggest that texting provides a way for teens to practice writing in a casual setting and thus helps prepare them to write formally. Experts and students themselves, however, report that they see no effect, positive or negative. Anecdotal experiences should not overshadow the actual evidence.

Works Cited

Carey, Bridget. "The Rise of Text, Instant Messaging Vernacular Slips into  Schoolwork." Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2017. Academic Search Complete,  eds.a.ebscohost.com.dcccd.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=cc4f2a17-5d69-460d-899c-70ac459bb3d%40sessionmgr4007&bdata=JnNp.3d#AN=52237043&db=a9h. Accessed 30 Mar. 2018.

Crystal, David. "Texting." ELT Journal, vol. 62, no. 1, 1 Jan. 2008, pp. 77-83, doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccm080. Accessed 30 Mar. 2018.

---. Txtng: The Gr8 Db8. Oxford, Oxford UP, 2008.

Shaw, Donita Massengill, et al. "An Exploration of the Relationship between Text Messaging and Spelling." New England Reading Association Journal, vol. 43, no. 1, 2007, p. 57. EBSCO, connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/25648081/exploratory-investigation-relationship-between-text-messaging-spelling. Accessed 23 Mar. 2018.

"Should We Worry or LOL?" NEA Today, vol. 22, no. 6, Mar. 2004, p. 12. EBSCO, connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/12405267/should-we-worry-lol. Accessed 12 Mar. 2018.

Sternberg, Betty, Karen A. Kaplan, and Jennifer E. Borck. “Enhancing Adolescent Literacy

Achievement through Integration of Technology in the Classroom.” Reading Research

Quarterly 42 (2007): 416–20. Wilson Web. Web. 8 Nov. 2009.

"Texting, Testing Destroys Kids' Writing Style." USA Today Magazine, vol. 137, no. 2760, Sept. 2008, p. 8. EBSCO, connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/34214935/texting-testing-destroys-kids-writing-style. Accessed 12 Mar. 2018.

Walsh, James. "Txt Msgs Creep in2 Class; Some Say That’s Gr8." Venture County Star, 30 Oct. 2007, archive.vcstar.com/news/education/txt-msgs-creep-in2-class--some-say-thats-gr8-ep-374805581-352754681.html/. Accessed 10 Mar. 2018.