LOL, txting is tot. nbd, so says the prelim fndings of a nu stdy from Coventry University. In fact, students who used the most phonologically-based text abbreviations--such as “nite” instead of night--were the best spellers. It all has to do with the child’s ability to recognize and manipulate sound patterns in speech. A larger, deeper study will be published next year, but the interim research has already sparked controversy amongst literacy experts. Of note, “textisms,” or text message abbreviations, increase as a proportion of text message language as a child gets older; 47 percent of Year 6 students use textisms, reports the study, a 26 percent increase from Year 4. What does this mean? “[M]ore sophisticated literacy skills are needed for textism use.” The study also found that proficiency in text abbreviations could predict a student's reading ability, but not vice versa. So what’s a ‘rent to do ab a txting teen? 4get all abt it. Looks like txting is good 4 u, or at least ur litera-c.
"Phone texting 'helps pupils to spell'," by Sean Coughlan, BBC, January 20, 2010