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 28th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Wow, that comes as a surprise, but good news. Kids so about texting these days. I am so behind. When I text, I type out the word! My kids think I am crazy. Hey, it is a whole new language to learn!
October 21st, 2010 at 1:41 am
Well I am sure teens will be more than happy with that news - I can’t see how it can help and in 10 years time the same research experts will probably say… sorry, we made a mistake about that one - by which time we will have “generation text” who can’t write a proper sentence if their life depended on it!