Does Texting Affect My Student's Writing Skills?

As the newest phones, tablets, and laptops make their way to stores across the globe, there’s no doubt that most children have at least one device with them at all times. While keeping connected with the rest of the world is integral to learning about current events, socializing with family and friends, and networking online, texting on a cellular device can impact children’s language skills.

Consider how these communication changes are essential as your child enters elementary, middle, or high school.

Can the Use of Cyber Slang Affect Writing Skills?

Many parents hesitate to buy their children electronics at such a young age due to the impact of the digital age on developing minds. Most middle and high school students have their own phones to keep in contact with friends and family, so your child may ask you for a device too. Before you give a definite answer to their proposition, consider if the language difference online might affect their ability to communicate effectively in person.

So, does texting affect writing and grammar? Luckily, studies have shown that children can distinguish between formal writing and short message service (SMS) texting. English teachers have demonstrated that their students’ abilities to read and write do not have a significant correlation with texting. However,educators encourage texting with friendsand family to gain more experience writing and communicating with others.

However, in the teachers’ opinion, texting does not improve or diminish students’ writing ability. Most participants in the study stated that they fear thatover-texting might negatively impact writing and language due to the constant changes in trending cyber slang. Therefore, you can choose how to encourage your child to spend time texting with others, so they do not become dependent on SMS language.

The Pros of Texting

Communicating with friends and family online or through text allows your child to connect with the outside world. Their ability to remain in contact with individuals in different towns, states, and even countries provides numerous benefits.

The positives of texting include:

Responding faster: Texting is a quick and easy way to convey information to another person. Calling someone could result in a missed call or a long conversation. Texting, on the other hand, allows children to communicate with friends, family, classmates, or other meaningful connections with a few clicks on the screen. Becoming a quick responder is vital in the work field and prepares them to use effective communication skills professionally.
Using creative language: Texting and keeping up-to-date on current cyber slang allows your child to explore their creative sides when responding to friends. They can portray humorous or clever messages by expanding their vocabulary with creative language.
Making memorable conversations: When children can incorporate cyber slang and trending topics into their messages, they can better relate to others their age. Connecting with other children or teenagers in their grade can make conversations last longer and encourage fun chats.
Express emotions effectively: One of the most significant benefits of texting is adapting your vocabulary to slang to communicate in depth. Some may find expressing concern, sympathy, or humor challenging with proper grammar or spelling limitations in formal writing. With more creative ways to text, children and teens can express different emotions to their friends with a few letters, words, and even emojis. The freedom to demonstrate their feelings is essential for developing minds, so this factor is one of the greatest perks of SMS texting.

The Cons of Texting

Technology has become a staple in many younger generations’ everyday lives. The easy access to communication with friends and family allows them to socialize regularly.

So, why do parents constantly ask themselves why texting is bad for communication? The effects of texting on language start when your child picks up on slang and other changes to the conversation. Texting, while convenient, can influence your child’s writing, spelling, and language skills.

The negative side effects of over texting include:

Grammar and sentence structure: Texting is not necessarily the preferred communication method when you have a long message to convey. Children and teenagers use shorter messages to share their thoughts through improper grammar and incomplete sentences. While these communication errors are more familiar to younger generations to understand each other, over-texting might make these occurrences take place in essays, emails, or schoolwork.
Speech modifications: When children and teenagers rely on texting too much, their speech can start to reflect their typing habits. They may respond with incomplete sentences or use cyber slang during everyday in-person conversations. The language they use throughout the day can also begin to impact their writing skills.
Impatience: The convenience of texting leads children to believe that all communication is quick and easy. When they begin having formal conversations online through emails, they may become impatient with how long responses may take to get back.

Keeping Your Student on the Right Track

Maintaining a healthy balance of online activity and proper language usage can seem tricky with the digital age children grow up in today. Phones, laptops, and tablets are standard in schools and at home with students worldwide. So, how can you limit the effect of texting on writing skills?

One of the most important factors to remember as your child picks up their phone to text is that children are becoming more familiar with the differences between SMS texting and formal writing. Their use of slang when communicating with others is prevalent in their minds as they type out their messages to friends.

However, as they grow older, they may notice a decrease in their capability to write formally to colleagues or professors due to the popularity of texting. Studies have shown that high school and college students who text more excel at informal writing than formal writing.

To avoid this concern for your child’s future, you can create situations where texting and formal communication are equal in your child’s life. Since SMS texting is only effective for short and simple communication, encourage your child to balance their writing skills by typing or handwriting their assignments.

Limiting screen time can allow them to practice formal writing and communication in person. Managing your child’s devices keeps them safe online, so they can continue to further their education in a growing digital world.

Learn More About Online Education With CCA

With an online education at CCA, your child can develop their passion for writing, language, and effective communication skills. Enjoy the flexibility of online learning with personalized learning schedules to fit your family’s busy schedules.

When you enroll your child at CCA, their academic growth and development as a citizen of their community become our top priority. With K-12 online learning programs, they can enjoy exciting educational opportunities from the comfort of their home while broadening their horizons to higher education, extracurricular activities, and making a difference in the world around them.