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Jazmin Coronel

Professor Granillo

English 101

22 October 2018

Text Speak, Education, Why is it there ?

“Why didn’t you go to class today SMH!!” This is just one way students text each other

with abbreviations for something as simple as “Shake My Head” which is smh in text speak.

Text speak is literally everywhere now a days from just texting to even chatting with someone

face to face in real time. From beginning sentences with lower case letters to using one letter (K)

to answer someone's question. Text speak has made its way into the world of education in many

of students writing. In Michaela Cullington piece “ Does Texting Affect Writing?” she is

motivated by her own experiences as a student and successfully uses logos to persuade her reader

into thinking that texting does minimal damage. Although some might object that abbreviations

and punctuation do not affect students writing from personal experience it has affected my own

writing; on the other hand when she claims that texting allows students to summarize their main

points and speak freely she's right texting allows them to do just that; so as a society we need to

come together and make the effort to guide students in not making text speak a second nature in

their academic writing.

Michaela's motivation in her writing was her own personal experience and if it would

affect close colleagues of hers. At the time Cullington was a student at the Marywood University

in Pennsylvania, she had conducted her own research to see if texting did affect students writing.

She states “that texting does minimal damage [and showed] that students did not believe that text

speak is appropriate in formal writing assignments” (Cullington 468). Michaela explains that
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when she conducted her own research she found that students could tell the difference, that using

text speak in their academic writing is informal. These students could recognize the difference

when texting friends and writing formally and knew which type of speech was appropriate for

each situation. So in her own research of close colleagues text speak did not affect their writing

because they knew the right time when to use text speak and when it wasn't appropriate. Text

speak had no real effect on the students she surveyed. As well as many other experts believe that

text speak has no major effect on students writing if they can remember when its the right time to

use and if the can still be taught that formal language is used in academic writing.

Michaela successfully uses logos to persuade her reader that texting has a minimal effect

on students writing. She uses her own research and findings to get a more personal perspective

on the issue while also involving some of her own close colleague to be in her research.

Michaela’s piece states “ There is a time and place for everything [and formal writing is not the

place for communicating the way she would if she was texting her friends” (Cullington 469). She

takes the quote from a high school student and says that there's a time and place where text speak

is used and as a student we need to understand when to use formal language and when not too.

Cullington tells the reader that she herself uses text abbreviations when she does not have

enough time to write out a complete phrase. She also says that these abbreviations can be time

consuming and since she is not used to using text speak in her formal writing so it’s has never

been a problem. Cunningtons use of logic and research gives her argument credibility that

texting does not have an affect on student writing. She assesses the issue by back up statements

and quotes of other experts or students and even using her self as an example that texting does

minimal damage.
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Some might object that abbreviations and punctuation do not affect students writing but

from personal experience it has affected my own. Michaela piece explains that abbreviations do

not affect student writing but in her argument she presents examples of teachers that see these

abbreviations in their students writing. According to a teacher in Michaela’s piece she states

“that she has to spend extra time editing papers and must explicitly remind her students that it is

not acceptable to use text slang and abbreviations in their writing” ( Cullington 464). Cullington

piece might sound contradicting to the other side because she includes that some students do use

these abbreviations. Although in her findings she found that college students know the difference

from when to use informal speech but a student of lower education levels might not. I myself

have be a victim to using text abbreviations in my writing. It's not because I don’t know when

they are appropriate to use but because I have become accustomed to using them in my everyday

life. It is also said in another example “ text language has become second nature to her students

that they don’t even catch themselves doing it” (Cullington 464). It has become a second

language to many students and even myself. Even if I may just use it when taking notes or

writing freely, I know not to use it in formal writing but it still has become a habit. It’s not that

students don’t know not to use text abbreviation, but the idea that students text on a daily basis

so they project their ideas in text and those habits proceed into their academic life without them

knowing it. If Cullington says that texting does “minimal damage” does she mean that

abbreviations and lack of punctuation in students writing isn’t damaging to their writing.

Cullington claims that texting allows students to summarize their main points and speak

freely without judgement. She views texting as something beneficial to students writing.

Michaela points out “it provides students with the motivation to write, practice in specific

writing skills [and they gain] confidence in their writing. Cullington tells the reader that texting
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gives students a fun way to practice their writing without them thinking they are. If they enjoy

practicing their writing skills when texting they will look forward to writing formally in the

classroom. It will help students be more creative and open to new ideas without thinking that

what their writing is unintelligent. Texting also helps grab the main points from their ideas and

put them into their writing. It allows them to take time and pick out specific ideas and express

their individual voice. Michaela also says “ [describes texting] as a comfortable form of

communication” (Cullington 466). Since many students find texting to be amusing and enjoy

doing it the result becomes that they are always writing. Students writing not only continues to

grow but they also practice certain writing techniques. Texting freely gives students the

confidence that they might lack in their writing because they aren’t comfortable talking like they

might when texting. Like when it comes to abbreviations its become a new language that even

most parents can’t even figure out. Students who can pick out the specific details in their ideas

and write freely about a topic will be able to create a habit that will help them find writing to be

effortless and simple through their education.

In Michaela's piece she explains how these teachers view texting and strategies they used

to try and correct their grammar because of text speak. In Cullingtons writing she talks about

how teachers have different solutions to try and help students who are immune to their use of

text speak. She states “They maintain that they notice text abbreviations in their students writing

too often….[to correct this problem teachers] point it out when it occurs and take off points for

its use.” (Cullington 464). The teachers of these students point out when text slang is used in

their academic writing and doc points for their use of slang in a formal environment. Instead of

blaming texting for making students writing sound unethical. Teachers should point out when

students use them and remind them how to fix them. Teacher should also teach them how to
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write the correct way instead of of just docking off points for the use of text speak in formal

writing. Grammar and abbreviations in academic environment are very important so if students

are immune to when they use text speak its not only going to hurt them in that moment but it will

continue as they further in their educational career. So teacher involvement when it comes to

students writing is something big, because yes texting does have it advantages of being able to

write freely and being able to summarize main points yet abbreviations can be tricky for some

because of it becoming a second nature to student writing. Texting might not be a bad thing for

students it reinforces simplistic writing although it might not be acceptable in the academic

environment.

Michaela’s motivation for writing this article was her own personal experience and her

successfully use of logos to persuade her reader that texting does minimal damage to student

writing. Although she overlooks the effect that abbreviations make in writing she is surely right

that it gives students the ability to write freely and summarize their main thoughts. Text speak

has wiggled its way into students writing for the best. It gives students practice and the

confidence when writing, while texting can also serve as a second language text speak. As

teacher it's their job to make sure students know the difference between informal and formal

language. So that text speak stays where it belongs in text messages.

Works Cited

Cullington Michaela. “Does Texting Affect Writing?.” They Say I Say, Gerald Graff, Cathy

Birkenstein, Russel Durst, 4th Ed., Norton, 2018, pp 462-471.

Drouin Michelle. “ R U Texting ? Is the Use of Text Speak Hurting Your Literacy?.” Proquest,

Sage Journals, 2009, http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10862960802695131.