Yes+Is+Destroying+English

= What is Chat speak? = "Short Message Standard (SMS) Language also known as chat speak or text talk is a term for the abbreviations or slang most commonly used due to the necessary brevity of mobile phone text messaging, in particular the widespread SMS communication protocol. SMS language is also common on the Internet, including in e-mail and instant messaging. It can be likened to a rebus, which uses pictures and single letters or numbers to represent whole words.” (Wikipedia, 2010)

When students should be developing their foundation of English and grammar, they are destroying it by using abbreviations and initials instead of actual words or action. The limit of characters one can send in text messages has also limited and distorted students understanding of words. If we want our students to be fully comprehend and appreciate language we must not accept SMS language in our classrooms.

Implications of Using Chat Speak
"Carl Sharp knew there was a problem when he spotted his 15-year-old son's summer job application: "i want 2 b a counselor because i love 2 work with kids." (Friess, 2003) The shorthand phrases and shortcuts can be troubling when they start to creep into schoolwork and professional work.

College professors are starting to move to eliminate the chatspeak. As more of the technology-age students are moving into college classrooms, college professors are becoming more and more frurstrated as the use of chatspeak in assignments is increasing. "Faculty members increasingly have expressed irritation about reading acronyms and abbreviations they often do not understand, said Sally Murphy, a Cal State East Bay professor and director of the university's general-education program. One e-mail to a professor started with, 'Yo, teach,' she said...'It has a real effect on the tone of professionalism'" (Huffington Post, 2010)

Using chat speak has a definite impact on a person's success in the workplace. Many employers report that if chat speak or emoticons are used on a job application or resume, an immediate assumption is made about the person -- usually unfavorable -- and the applicant is not considered for the job. Human resources professionals are of the opinion that chat speak is informal and disrespectful and not the image they want customers to form of their companies.

According to Bob Roth, a former campus recruiter and author of three books on college success, "When employees can't speak and write properly, they loose credibility with executives, peers, subordinates, customers and suppliers." In his article, [|College Grads Can Frustrate Employers], communication skills in listed number two on his list of what employers are fet up with from college graduates. "Too many students today graduate from college without the communication skills that are needed to succeed in the world of work. They use slang, abbreviations, improper punctuation, spell poorly and have a limited vocabulary." (Roth, 2010)

=Chat speak in the Classroom =

Many teachers across the nation are shaking their fists in anger due to the rise of chat speak being used in classroom assignments. As study conducted in 2008 by the Pew Internet and American Life project found that the use of chat speak and emoticons is increasingly being used by high school and middle school students (Huffington Post, 2010) Around 64% of teenagers used the informal style most popular in internet chatting and text messaging in their writing at school. Despite the belief by a majority of students, that chat speak isn’t ruining their English skills, this high percentage still use it in day to day writing. (Huffington Post, 2010)

A prime example of chat speak showing up in the classroom is the following essay written by a 13 year old girl when asked to write about her summer:

 "My smmr hols wr CWOT. B4, we usd 2 go 2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & thr 3 :-@ kds FTF. ILNY, its gr8. Bt my Ps wr so {:-/ BC o 9/11 tht they dcdd 2 stay in SCO & spnd 2wks up N. Up N, WUCIWUG - 0. I ws vvv brd in MON. 0 bt baas & ^^^^^. AAR8, my Ps wr :-) - they sd ICBW, & tht they wr ha-p 4 the pc&qt...IDTS!! I wntd 2 go hm ASAP, 2C my M8s again.

2day, I cam bk 2 skool. I feel v O:-) BC I hv dn all my hm wrk. Now its BAU " (Johnston, 2003)

This essay translates to:

"My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend and their three screaming kids face to face. I love New York, it's a great place. But my parents were so worried because of the terrorism attack on September 11 that they decided we would stay in Scotland and spend two weeks up north. Up north, what you see is what you get - nothing. I was extremely bored in the middle of nowhere. Nothing but sheep and mountains. At any rate, my parents were happy. They said that it could be worse, and that they were happy with the peace and quiet. I don't think so! I wanted to go home as soon as possible, to see my friends again. Today I came back to school. I feel very saintly because I have done all my homework. Now it's business as usual..." (Johnston, 2003)

Chat speak has become such a problem in the classroom, that many teachers now have to make reference to the consequences for using it on classroom assignments. Amy DiMeola, a math teacher at Thunderbird High School stated, "Many of my students will put "IDK" next to problems on their tests. I have seen this so much over the past several years that I now have to put the consequences that will arise from the use of abbreviations of texting words on my syllabus. This text talking is a problem and I am finding that students are losing their English skills."

By using chat speak in their classroom assignments, assessment scores in writing are on the downfall. Lower marks come from spelling errors, syntax mistakes and subject/verb agreement problems. (Ross, 2007) Additionally, due to the “faster is better” mentality that chatspeak offers, students no longer care about adding voice or purpose to their writing. The entire attitude of writing has changed as students now believe that getting the writing done as quick as possible is the end goal and they are no longer taking time to draft, revise or edit their work. (Ross, 2007) "Many young people don't write letters. Sitting down to write or type an essay is unusual and difficult, so they revert to what they know and feel comfortable with - texting. To them it's quick, attractive and uncomplicated." (Johnston, 2003) The depth of the students' writing is also declining. (The University of Alabama Computers and Applied Technology Program, 2009) Assessments, such as the ACT and SAT, require supporting details and descriptive phrases as the keys to well-written (and high scoring) essays. The use of chatspeak omits those essential elements. Many believe that chat speak caused the rise of short and choppy sentences that are on the rise in English classes. (The University of Alabama Computers and Applied Technology Program, 2009) Chatspeak is also completely devoid of punctuation (Oxford Learning, 2006). How can children learn to master the use of punctuation without the additional practice which is so vital. We as adults have learned to write and speak without the influence of the new language of chatspeak; therefore, it is relatively easy for us to to from standard English in academic or professional environments into the world of social speak appropriately.

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=What can we do?=

There are things that can be done in schools and at home to reduce the amount of text talk and chat speak that is seen in formal situations. Parents and adults can help to change these behaviors by modeling appropriate communication and written language. "Advice for adults e-mailing or chatting online with children: • Use proper grammar, punctuation and spelling in all online communication with children, even if they don't. • Find ways to correct the child gently without seeming preachy. • Remind children that formality is required when writing school essays or job applications. • Review the child's schoolwork to make sure Internet lingo is not being used. • Send old-fashioned letters to children from time to time to show them how printed communication ought to be written." (Friess, 2003)

=Other implications=

Although there is some evidence that chatspeak is just another language to learn in today's world, according to an article written by Aliza Sherman, there is something larger at stake. All of the social media is causing a society of anti-social individuals. Ms. Sherman reported a world with noticable attention deficit during face-to-face interactions. People who would have quietly sat in the corner attempting to interact, are not suddenly very busy with texting or instant messaging instead of interacting. This can also be seen in large group presentations--Ms. Sherman called it "top of the head syndrome." During lectures and presentations, individulas are too busy looking down at their laptops or their cell phones to attend to the group. It may not be realistic as educators to ignore this new way of communicating, but it is vital that we teach our children to use it appropriately.

=References=


 * 1) []. SMS Language. Retrieved 11.28.10
 * 2) [] - Retrieved 11-29-10.
 * 3) ﻿﻿Text Messaging and its Effects on Teens' Grammar. []. - Retrieved 11-29-2010.
 * 4) Professors Move to Eliminate Chatspeak. []. Huffington Post. 4-12-10. Retrieved 11-29-10.
 * 5) Teachers say text messages r ruining kids' riting skills. []. Ross, Kate. November 2007. Retrieved 11-29-10.
 * 6) DiMeola, Amy. Personal Interview. 12-1-10.
 * 7) Friess, Steve. 'Yo can u plz help me write English? [] USA Today. 3-31-03. Retrieved 12-2-10
 * 8) The University of Alabama Computers and Applied Technology Program (2009). Technology Education: A series of Case Studies.http://www.bamaed.ua.edu/edtechcases/Case%20Numbers/text%20messaging%20and%20grammar_Case%2011.pd
 * 9) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">[|College Grads Can Frustrate Employers]. Bob Roth. Enzine Articles. 6-2-2010. Retrieved 12/4/10.
 * 10) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">"[|Texting VS Writing: The Problem with Instant Messaging]" Retrieved on 12.4.10.
 * 11) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Sherman, Aliza. "[|How Social Media is Affecting the Way We Speak and Write.]" Retrieved on 12.4.10.
 * 12) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Johnston, Jennifer. "[|Teachers call for urgent action as pupils write essays in text]." The Sunday Harold. 3-2-03. Retrieved 12-4-10