| Texting can improve children's spelling |
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A UK study of eight-to-12 year-olds by the University of Coventry has found that the use of abbreviated words when texting on mobile phone can improve their ability to spell words correctly.
Rather than being detrimental to English language skills, the research found that ‘text speak’ can result in stronger literacy skills because it requires an awareness of how sounds relate to written English. Texting requires the same phonological awareness needed for real spelling. For example, when students omit vowels in a text speak word such as ‘hmwrk’ (for ‘homework’), they consciously understand what the original word should be.
"If we are seeing a decline in literacy standards among young children, it is in spite of text messaging, not because of it," said Clare Wood, a reader in developmental psychology.
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