New research has shown that using abbreviated words such a “l8r”, “lol”, and the hundreds of other short forms is actually beneficial to both children’s spelling and literacy skills.

The research, carried out at the University of Coventry, involved children between the ages of 8 and 12. It found those kids that regularly sent/received text messages to have better literacy skills. This repeated use of text language tests their English skills and requires the learning of correct spellings. The study proposes that to create the short form word they need to understand and know the original too.

Read more at BBC News

My own kids often text and I’m not sure whether I agree with the research but I look forward to being proved wrong. Until then “C U l8r”!

January 23 celebrates National Handwriting Day. I admit my own handwriting has become worse as I have become more comfortable with a keyboard and screen than a pen and paper. But what about our kids? My own children prefer to type up their homework than write it. Is the art of handwriting to become a lost skill?

“Though computers and e-mail play an important role in our lives, nothing will ever replace the sincerity and individualism expressed through the handwritten word,” David H. Baker, WIMA’s Executive Director, is quoted as saying on the WIMA Web site.

For those interested in celebrating National Handwriting Day, TeacherVision offers downloadable activities for students in K-8.

As we increasingly turn to computers for writing purposes, is good handwriting still a skill that children need to learn?

Research by The National Literacy Trust on 3,001 children from England and Scotland showed that schoolchildren who blog or own social networking profiles on Facebook have higher literacy levels and greater confidence in writing.
The key objectives of the survey were to explore how much young people enjoy writing, what type of writing they engage in, how good at writing they think they are, what they think about writing and what the role of technology is in young people’s writing.
So what were the key findings?
75% of young people said that they write regularly. Technology-based formats were most frequently written. For example, 82% of young people wrote text messages at least once a month, 73% wrote instant messages (such as messages on AIM or MSN), and 63% wrote on a social networking site.
61 per cent of bloggers and 56 per cent of social networkers claimed to be good or very good at writing, compared to 47 per cent of those who had neither.
Pupils who write online are more likely to write short stories, letters, song lyrics or a diary, the research revealed.
Most young people said they used computers regularly and believed that computers are beneficial to their writing, agreeing that a computer makes it easier for them to correct mistakes (89%) and allows them to present ideas clearly (76%). Overall, nearly 60% of young people also believe that computers allow them to be more creative, concentrate more and encourage them to write more often.

Jonathan Douglas, director of the National Literacy Trust, said: “The digital age often gets a bad press but the findings of this report demonstrate that social networking sites and blogs are linked to young people’s more positive attitudes to writing. “Confidence and enjoyment are closely linked to the development of skills. Therefore, in order to improve standards we need to encourage children to write more and to enjoy writing, which could be supported by celebrating forms of writing they enjoy. Our research indicates that, for many, these are without doubt technology-based forms.”

Full report available here

Do you think computers are a help or a hinderance to children’s writing?

Our kids have grown up with media all around them. It is not surprising that they are gaining access to this media on an increasing basis. But children having access should mean that we try to protect them. A recent report by Ofcom investigating the media literacy among UK children shows some alarming results.

It is not surprising that households with children aged 5-15 have high levels of take-up of the main media platforms, e.g. digital TV, games consoles and the internet. What is interesting is how the data shows that children are becoming more fluent in media at a much younger age.

85% of children aged 5–7 live in a household with a games console, which is as high as 90% in households with boys.

Almost every child had access to a TV in their house, but what I found surprising was that 47% of 5-7s have access to a TV in their own bedrooms.

There has also been an increase in the number of younger children (aged 5-7) using the internet at home. Two thirds of children [66%] in this age bracket are using the internet. This increase does not appear to be the result of increased internet take-up within the home, suggesting that children in this age group are starting to use the internet at home at a younger age.

Children aged 5-7 mostly use the internet at least weekly for games (30%), schoolwork (26%) and information (15%).

The majority of parents say they trust their child to use the internet safely. However less than half of parents whose child uses the internet at home (45%) say they have internet controls or filtering software installed – fewer have set safe search settings.

The internet and digital media can be an amazing resource for our kids to learn and to play. For me the data shows an alarming trend where children can access/view content without parents being present or proper controls in place. As adults we need to make sure they are protected as well as ensuring they gain balanced access between fun and educational content.

I came across this research report recently. It is still shocking to me that despite all the research available that there is a lack of awareness that reading to children and spending time on literacy activities between 3 – 5 years old is vital for their future success. 

 

According to the survey 95% of Americans consider early childhood literacy an important problem, but they do not know that reading to children between the ages of 3-5 has long-term consequences for a child’s academic achievement and life-long success.

 

Read the full press release here:

 

Other findings in the study:

 

75% of the population is completely unaware that nearly 61% of low-income

families do not have any age appropriate books in their homes.

63% did not know that poverty is the best predictor of whether or not a child

will achieve in school.

53% are unaware that nearly one-half of children from low-income

communities start first grade up to two years behind their peers.

 

Research proves that children who enter kindergarten behind their peers will most likely never catch up and are three to four times more likely to drop out in later years. However, this new survey data shows that only 18% of Americans know that children who lack early literacy skills are less likely to succeed as adults.

 

The facts are staring us in the face. We need to read to our children. We need to make it part of their everyday routine to give them the best start we can.  Find different formats to expose children to reading as much as you can. Make it a fun and enjoyable experience for everyone. Read, read and then read some more!

The NPD Group, in the USA, has released a new study called “Kids & Cross-Entertainment Behaviour Report”.  Some findings;

 

* Households that have kids under 12 account for 45% of total videogame industry sales.
* 57% of kids ages 2 to 12 play videogames.
* 62% of kids ages 2 to 12 use a computer for leisure activities outside of school work.
* There are 53.4 million kids ages 12 and under in the U.S.
* Kids under 12 account for 17% of the population of the United States.
* 75% of the tween group play videogames.
* 81% of the tween group use a computer for leisure activities outside of school.

 

Via VideoGameBlogger

 

A further study based in the EU demonstrated:

 

75% of European children are using the internet.

60% of children ages 6-10 ues the internet across Eurpope – this is as high as 87% in countries such as the UK.

By 2008, 6-17 year olds in all EC countries were much more likely to use the internet at home (65%) than school (57%) or anywhere else, and 34% are now going online using their own computer.

 

Livingstone, S, and Haddon, L (2009)

EU Kids Online: Final report. LSE, London: EU Kids Online.

(EC Safer Internet Plus Programme Deliverable D6.5)

 

So we might as well face up to the fact and start providing these kids with educational resources where they can learn whilst having fun.  With the ever increasing rise in young children using video games, technology and the internet we must strive to engage them on their ground. Let’s work with them not against them. 

 

We all know that children have a huge array of technological solutions available to them. They have a vast amount of knowledge and information available literally at their finger tips. In a recent report by OFCOM they researched how children in the UK are using technology. available here

There is no doubt that technology is a part of children’s everyday lives. Is it the responsibility of the parent or the school to support our children in learning how to use the technology effectively?

The research shows 39% of 5 -7 year olds, in the UK, use the internet everyday, rising to 49% for kids aged 8 -11 and a whopping 78% for 12 – 15 year olds. That is a lot of children online!

Parents tend to trust their children online [78% of them agreeing that they think their child uses the internet safely] and see the internet as a positive addition to their child’s life with 64% of parents with children aged 5-15 agreeing with the statement “the benefits of the internet for my child outweigh any risks”.

However 50% of parents agreed that “my child knows more about the internet than I do”.

With the growth in technology and knowledge available expanding at an exponential rate can we leave it to parents to guide their kids? What role do schools have in teaching how to use technology and how are we measuring their effectiveness?