A study by Coventry University in England and the University of Tasmania in Australia found that youngsters who text are most likely increasing their spelling and grammar skills, according to EducationNews.org. Leaving out capitals and punctuation and using creative text abbreviations are actually helpful activities, said Clare Wood, professor of psychology in education at Coventry University. 

"Our previous work has shown that the reason why we see positive associations between use of texting slang and spelling outcomes is because many of the most commonly used forms of text abbreviation are phonetically based," she explained. 

Wood said texting gives children practice in understanding how sounds and print relate to each other--for example, the word "great" and the abbreviated version "gr8."

"So when children are playing with these creative representations of language, they have to use and rehearse their understanding of letter-sound correspondences, a skill which is taught formally as phonics in primary classrooms."

Read the full story. 

Article by Kassondra Granata, EducationWorld Contributor