New research has shown that using those abbreviated words such a “18r”, “ttyl”, and the thousands of other short forms is actually beneficial to both children’s spelling and literacy skills.
The research has been carried out at the University of Coventry where a new study involving children between the ages of 8 and 12 were found to have better literacy skills due to the use of text language regularly. This repeated use of text language tests their English skills and requires the learning of correct spellings. To create the short form word they need to understand and know the original too.
The research is set to continue until next year, but those involved have so far found no negative link between text language and literacy skills. In fact it seems as if the opposite may be true.
Read more at BBC News
I do a lot of texting throughout the day and find that when I am writing abbreviated words I still think of the full versions in my head. The same is true when in an IM conversation. So you are actually doing double the amount of work by thinking of the real word and then writing the shortened version.
If your kids are doing the same then they are effectively giving their brain a double literacy workout even though they may be writing less to the point where you may not even know what their sentence says. The important thing is they do know what it says both in short and expanded form.
It is important for them to also write regularly, however. Just texting isn’t going to do their literacy skills any good, it needs to be supplemented with regular written work which should be catered for by their school and through homework.