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”!
So your kids are on Facebook, they text like crazy and to be honest they know more about online networking than you do. Well, here is some good news. With the new service Class-Connect students can network with other students and teachers across the globe.
Why this is cool…
Kids can learn from others as well as share their knowledge with those in say, France. Its kind of like a new, techie version of the foreign exchange student program.
Also students can send texts to receive their homework as well as talk with others about the work they are doing in class.
There is nothing more valuable to the mind of a child than information. If we as parents can broaden their information highways by sharing the world with them, it is said to increase IQ by 10-20 points; Just from giving them a worldly perspective.
