Text messaging: Dont get mad, get even
Articles» Mobile Phone» Text messaging: Dont get mad, get even (page 2)by Erin Jansen.
Monday December 18th, 2006 08:30 PM
A sixth grade teacher said "When my children are writing first drafts, I don't care how they spell anything, as long as they are writing. Remember creative writing class? If this lingo gets their thoughts and ideas onto paper quicker, the more power to them."
It is during the editing and revising stages of a writing project that the switch needs to happen. The switch from using elements of text shorthand to only standard English needs to happen. If the text shorthand still appears in the final draft, it is the educator's responsibility to work with the student to make sure this writing is translated or converted into proper English.
"I see it as another opportunity to teach and learn," said a junior high teacher. Because texting is infiltrating students' schoolwork to such a large degree, this kind of teaching is needed.
The fact is kids are saying they are so accustomed to IM abbreviations (instant messaging), that they read right pass them when editing their schoolwork. This indicates their ability to separate formal and informal English is declining.
If educators choose to react with alarm or dismay, or try to stifle it, or call this type of writing rude (it is not rude), they are dismissing an important opportunity to work with the student. This type of response is the wrong response, especially from the teens' point of view.
I advocate turning the issue of texting into a positive. For example, establish a dialogue about the evolution of language and use examples such as Shakespeare's delight in creating new words. This helps them see the broader picture and creates an environment of respect.
Teenagers have long pushed the boundaries of spoken language, now they are pushing the boundaries of written language. It remains to be seen if text shorthand is just a fad. To me it is a cousin of the acronym, which has been widely used in the government, business and technology sectors for decades.
Let's also not forget that youths like the feeling of knowing something that not everyone knows and sharing that with their friends. Remember the Internet and online communication is very real for them, they don't see it as a technological revolution…they're actively using it everyday.
I challenge parents and educators to learn and know as much as they do about computers and high-tech gadgets. I'd say the learning curve for feeling comfortable using the Internet and understanding the online lingo is pretty steep for many adults.
Whereas for teenagers, also knows as screenagers, they've grown up or they're growing up with this technology that involves looking at a computer screen instead of just a television screen. In a sense they are helping create a new lingo and style of writing and that's empowering for them. So you see texting is an important part of their culture.
The Internet represents a new frontier, a place where you can set aside the rules, especially the rules of grammar and punctuation, and instead create your own descriptive phrases and styles of expression to give feeling in what is essentially a two-dimensional written world. And therein lies the popularity of the emoticon :-)
Another way to look at texting is to think of it as an accent; a written accent. Teenagers have gotten comfortable with this kind of typing and now in school, they're not paying attention. It's just like with a spoken accent: You live somewhere long enough, you pick up the accent, and you don't even pay attention to it.
So don't get mad, get creative and work together! It's that kind of response we'd rather teach our children anyway now isn't it?
About the Author
Erin Jansen is an expert in online communication. She is the author and publisher of "NetLingo The Internet Dictionary" (ISBN: 0970639678) and "NetLingo.com" a Top 1000 Web site as ranked by Google. Erin frequently speaks and writes about online culture and technology trends.
Register for her "Newsletter of New Internet Terms" at NetLingo.com
Erin Jansen is co-creator of NetLingo.com, the popular, award winning, Internet Dictionary on the Web; now published in print form. She holds a Masters in Industrial Psychology from the London School of Economics and a Bachelors in Psychology from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
Her complete Biography can be found on the site at www.netlingo.com
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