How Does Text Messaging Affect Teen Literacy - Essay Example

Text Messaging & Teen Literacy Number Introduction Text messaging can also be simply referred to as texting. Text messaging is the act of typing a brief message and sending it via electronic devices such as mobile phones or other electronic devices over a telephone network. Text messaging has come with its strengths and drawbacks and this underscores the amoral nature of the same technological provision. However, when it comes to development of literacy among teenage users, text messaging may prove to be more problematic than a value, as shall be seen in the ensuing discourse. Thesis statement Text messaging negatively affects literacy among teenage users. It is important to consider the fact that teenagers form a subculture and may therefore have peculiar communication behaviors which do not abet proper literacy development. In this instance, it is an indisputable fact that when texting teenagers have a great penchant for shortening words, using abbreviations, misspellings and negating grammatical rules. As for shortened words and abbreviations, words may be shortened in a manner that defies conventional rules. Misspellings may also deny teenage text message users from recognizing words. The import of this is that knowing a word entails knowing its spelling, its phonology, morphology (and how it interacts with free and bound morphemes) and meaning. When words are misspelled or shortened, users are disallowed the chance to factor these serious but intriguing details of language. In the same wavelength, it is true that teenage text message users have very little attention for rules of grammar, for an array of reasons. One of the reasons behind the disregard for grammatical rules is that teenagers still have fledgling command and proficiency in language and texting present them with an informal and unmonitored forum where language-use is not monitored. Secondly, teenagers generally being in the rebellious age, are rule-averse and may countermand the rules of grammar knowingly, out of rebellion, to fit in or to sound more fun. Again, teenagers may break grammatical rules due to ignorance. There are phones that give word suggestions and spelling hints and this prevents teenagers from taking the chance to actively note how a word is spelled. Nevertheless, the disregard of grammatical rules, shortening of words, the careless use of abbreviations and misspellings are habits that undermine language competence and proficiency among teenage text message users. It is very mistaken to argue that these problems are limited to language alone, as opposed to other disciplines. On the contrary, language is an indispensible tool for learning. Language is the medium by which learning takes place. Similarly, self-expression is a salient component of learning since the learner uses it to put points across in examinations and assignments. A degree-holder who cannot construct grammatically coherent sentence is a half-baked graduate. To show the extent of this danger, Haas and Takayoshi (2011) table results from Pew Research Studies which show that 64% of teenage students who use text messaging consented to having used shortcuts (abbreviations, shortening and ungrammatical contractions). 38% of this group continued that expediency informed the use of these shortcuts which 16% said it did so as an emotional outlet. Baker (2007) contends that it is also a fact that most text messaging teenagers are owners of mobile phones. The fact that these teenagers are in possession of mobile phones is a source of concern, when it comes to the time this sub-culture spends on texting. With the dynamic nature of information technology (IT), more powerful phones with more interesting and appealing, user-friendly interfaces and features have emerged and therefore making phone-user interactions such as text messaging more appealing. As opposed to older versions, newer models of mobile phones such as Nokia Lumia, Ideos and any version of Samsung Galaxy store messages such as chat messages and this gives an aspect of continuity in user-user messages. Emoticons, smilies and video, sound and photos (via Multimedia Messaging Service, also known as the MMS) can be added to text messaging and thereby making texting more fun. Phone users are also able to designate specific ringtones for specific contacts in their phonebook. Similarly, these newer phones have provisions for chats and allow users to invite people in their social circles for chats. With these new provisions, it has becomes easier for teenagers to spend a lot of time messaging than should be the case. If results from research studies reveal that even adults have problems of text messaging addictions, then it is obvious that the situation is direr among teenagers who are not yet psychosocially mature enough to withstand addiction. In regard to the immediately above, teenagers spend a lot of time texting instead of investing their time in personal studies. Literacy among teenagers like every age group heavily depends on personal initiatives such as revisions, assignments, group work and discussions and personal studies. All these are inputs and personal initiatives that require sacrificing time and engaging the mind in scholarly engagements. Teenagers heavily engage in text messaging with the rationale that they are engaging in leisure activity or they will recover the time they have spent in text messaging while this is not the case. The best leisure activities are physical and cognitive in nature, while spending time in things that are not ordered according to priority is time wastage. Time wasted is not recoverable. The case above is propounded by the fact that teenagers are still maturing and have just become sexually awakened. This means that text messaging will serve as a more tenable and appealing conduit for expression oneself, belonging to a peer group or to strike and maintain a relationship with the opposite sex. All these objectives are dependent on social circles and social circles are more fun to engage because of familiarity and shared interests and values. Because of this, teenage text message users are more likely to engage in texting than in academically constructive matters such as cognitive games. In this case, text messaging among teens hinders engagement with intellectual technologies such as scrabble. In a closely related wavelength, it is important to appreciate the fact that teenagers are neither mature, nor have attained the age of accountability. The import of this is that the average teenager lacks the self-control and character that is needed to stay on course with proper use of text messaging. The crux of the matter herein is that teenagers easily slide into the allure of sex-ting: sending and receiving text messages that have sexually charged content. The danger in this trend is that teenagers are still too young to handle sexual matters and are as such more susceptible to sexual pressure which sex-ting will have exacerbated. Reduced concentration in the classroom situation (as the mind wanders in to sexual fantasies), being sexually active and being in the danger of teenage pregnancies or venereal diseases are some of the pitfalls that may accost sex-ting. Definitely, these dangers are mutually exclusive with literacy and academic or intellectual development. The problem above is compounded in situations where teenagers are allowed to attend classroom learning with their mobile phones. While it is true that elementary schools and high schools restrict the entrance of mobile phones into classrooms, yet this provision is hard to observe in colleges. It is very possible to have teenagers in colleges and universities and this means that the tertiary level of learning is not insulated from this problem. According to Haley and Clayson (2013), the aforementioned Pew Research Study which analyzed 800 teenagers in the United States established that 64% of teenagers have at texted in class. This means that 64% of teens with mobile phones in class is more preoccupied with its phones instead of giving the teacher full attention. It is also given that there are situations where teenagers have attempted to use text messaging as a conduit for cheating in exam rooms. Exacting this form of intellectual dishonesty is as simple as having two teenagers sharing contacts. Both teenagers sharing the exam room is neither here nor there since one teenager can ask the entire question and receive an answer on the same, and in time. Immediately the idea of exam cheating has been hatched and accepted in the mind as a solution, it becomes nearly impossible for the cheating teenage student to discipline himself to read and understand testable areas and topics. Text messaging can also hinder literacy through its financial implications. Text messaging can only take place when money has been used on mobile phones and airtime (or credit). While 97% of mobile phones in teenage hands are purchased by parents, only 65% of the airtime being used in teenage text messaging is procured by parents and guardians. This means that teenagers use considerable amount of their pocket money to buy mobile phone airtime for texting. This is in stark contrast to the baby boomers who spent their pocket money on books, trips and other forms of conventional socialization. Conclusion The foregoing clearly shows that texting extensively and significantly undermines literacy among teenagers. What makes the problem more alarming is the fact that text messaging inhibits literacy in a multipronged manner, insidiously and imperceptibly. Nevertheless, the foregoing does not to mean that text messaging is necessarily bad as long as teenagers are engaging in it. On the contrary, text messaging can inculcate important values into teenagers when its use is properly harnessed. Proper parental guidance, stronger parents-teacher associations and proper classroom and school management are some of the powerful tools that can be used to keep text message from inhibiting literacy among teenagers. Reference Baker, E. A. (2007). Support for New Literacies, Cultural Expectations, and Pedagogy: Potential and Features for Classroom Web Sites. New England Reading Association Journal, 43 (2), 56 Haas, C. and Takayoshi, P. (2011). Young Peoples Everyday Literacies: The Language Features of Instant Messaging1. Research in the Teaching of English, 45 (4), 378 Haley, D. A. and Clayson, D. E. (2013). An introduction to multitasking and texting: prevalence and impact on grades and GPA in marketing classes. Journal of Marketing Education, 35 (1), 26 - 40 Read More