The Effects Of Texting On Students

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Ther iz a justifId concrn & growing db8 amng educators re: d effects of txt spk on formal writiN. Translation: There is a justified concern and growing debate among educators regarding the effects of text speak on formal writing. A digital medium such as texting is fast becoming the main method of informal communication for children between the ages of 12 and 17, and as a result, educators are worried that it is finding its way into student’s formal writing. Moreover, educators are worried about the influence of this shorthand in other areas of learning. Many believe that texting diminishes critical thinking skills and student’s abilities to digest long prose. But, not all educators believe digital technologies are bad or that children will not be able to discern between informal and formal writing. In this essay, I will discuss the potential effects of texting on children’s writing and learning abilities, as well as compare and analyze two surveys, each with different end results. School writing assignments for middle and high school students are largely comprised of research papers, short responses, journaling, creative writing, or any combination of these. While most teachers do define writing as writing done in an academic setting, there are teachers who say writing can have a broader definition. In addition to formal writing students do for class, blogging, twittering and texting are a few of the ways students are engaging in writing outside of school. How to define these new types of writing and what influence, if any, do they have on student’s formal writing, remains the unanswered question. Drew Cingel, a former undergraduate student in communications at Penn State, and a current doctoral candidate in media, technolog... ... middle of paper ... ...lang and abbreviations in writing. Other proponents of the argument contend that texting is interfering with standard written English. Students do not learn how to write correctly because they are constantly texting their friends using text speak. One English teacher believes that text language has become second nature to her students; they are so use to it that they do not even catch themselves doing it. Educators are insisting that because texting does not stress the importance of punctuation, students are not placing an importance on it in their formal writing. Students are forgetting proper punctuation, sentence structure and basic grammar. Proper usage of grammar rules is necessary for effective writing and communication. Thus, text speak has created a challenge for teachers. The need to emphasize the importance of proper punctuation rules and correct spelling

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