The relationship between text messaging or

instant messaging and teen literacy

 CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

Technology has been a part of human life. Since the evolution of modern

technologies, work has been minimized to a point where physical effort and exertion is

rarely needed by man at all. Not only innovative gadgets have been introduced but also

popularizing it with new languages among young generation. And within these

technologies rises the creation of mobile phones and smart phones. Text messaging or

instant messaging is widely popular due to the ability to connect people worldwide by

using these handheld appliances. People from across the globe are able connect and

interact with comfort and ease. In the modern technological world, people have become

so accustomed to the idea of sending and receiving information almost instantly.

Alternatively referred to as an SMS messaging, text messaging is the process of

sending a digital note that may be received on cell phones or other portable devices. Text

messaging has become any every day task that many teenagers engage in on a day to day

basis.It has become a necessity since it can perform various tasks such as sending emails,

connecting with friends and family, and accomplishing their daily activities. Wherever

you go, you will that the people around you engage in mobile texting. Most of those who

engage in texting messaging are teens. Being a teenager is a stage in life where you want
to socialize with your friends and other people and keep-tract of your daily tweets and

posts. What better way to those things than using your mobile phones? This is where text

messaging or instant messaging comes in.

This is used by cellphone users, specifically teenagers in order to get conversation

easier and quickly. Though this powerful service has many benefits, but it has also

created several important negative issues as well as the main issue is of literacy (the

effect on teen language). For quick messaging short words, misspellings are used. There

is thefear that this “new language” may replace Standard English and young people will

become unable to use language properly. Many of us fear that text messaging and the use

of “textese” may be adversely affecting teens and use of Standard English.

Textese is an abbreviated vocabulary that includes letter/number, contractions or

shortenings of words, emoticons (symbols for representing emotions such as  for sad),

and vowels, punctuation, and capitalization. Abbreviations such as “2nite” for tonight are

common occurrences in this abbreviated language. The language does not end with just

words, but some of the most common “textisms” are often whole phrases, such as “lol”

for laugh out loud, “C u l8r” for see you later. These abbreviated phrase can even be as

complicated as “idc wots ur add cwot” meaning I don’t care what your address is

complete waste of time.

There are cases where an individual’s literacy may be diminishing due to these

abbreviations. This is where this study shows the relationship between text messaging or

instant messaging on teen literacy.

Importance of the Study

Text messaging is already part of our lives. As we all know, messages are sent

virtually through the use of mobile phones or any portable device. The importance of this

study is to give a clear background on the relationship between text messaging or instant

messaging and teen literacy. Due to the rapid increase of these modern technologies, it

may have an effect on the literacy of the teens today since they use these gadgets the

most. Literacy pertains to the language of an individual. Language may be formal or not,

it all depends in one’s literacy. But in this place we call the world, people keep in mind

that literacy in the formal form achieves one’s goals in lives. For this generation to relate,

text messaging brings an impact to the lives of the adolescents. Teens statistically have

the highest number of sent texts and that number is increasing rapidly. The perpetual use

of mobile devices by adolescents has fueled a culture of text messaging, with

abbreviations and grammatical shortcuts, thus raising the following question in the minds

of parents and teachers:

By engaging in this research, we are able to reach the required amount of

information in order to provide sufficient answers to the readers of this proposed

research. The relationship of these two serves as the main problem and where each

outcome may vary.

Statement of the Problem

The main purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between text

messaging or instant messaging and teen literacy. Since text messaging is already an

impact on the lives of modern-day teenager, it may have negative and positive outcomes

pertaining to literacy. This research provision is to convey and understand that with text

messaging, an individual’s literacy, or the respondent for our research – teens, may be

affected and bring an impact to their lives. Armed with this source of information, teens

will be expanded of mind and knowledge the possibilities of text messaging or instant

messaging may have an effect to literacy.

In addition, this study attempts to broaden the minds of the people about the

relationship between text messaging or instant messaging on teen literacy by answering

the following questions:

1. Is there a positive aspect in the relationship between text messaging or instant

messaging on teen literacy?

2. Is there a negative aspect in the relationship between text messaging or instant

messaging on teen literacy?

3. Is there a significant difference in the relationship between text messaging or

instant messaging on teen literacy?

 Objectives:
General Objective: To Analyze the positive and negative aspects in the

relationship of text messaging and instant messaging on Teen literacy

Positive Aspects:

 Improves knowledge

 Language skills and enhances learning.

 Reduces efforts

Negative Aspects:

 “Textism” is imprinted in the minds of the teens

 Grammatical error

 Laziness since teens are not forced to have proper grammar and linguistic

skills while text messaging.

Limitations

This study is limited to the number of respondents in the research. Specifically,

we are to use teenagers, ages 14-16. Due to the minimum allotted time, the

application may miss some important research due to the limited access and

availability of data. We are to conduct this research to the students of the Medellin

National Science and Technology School aging 14-16 since it is rather to vast
including respondents from all ages. Thus, getting the preliminary data by breaking it

down to simple means.

Assumptions

As the relationship of text messaging affecting teen literacy, the researchers’

interest to study the positive and negative effect of text messaging whether it cancan

affect the literacy of the teens or not. This process shall be conducted for the rationale

of having basis to this work.

 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND

STUDIES

Introduction

This chapter presents the relationship associated with text messaging or instant

messaging and teen literacy. It aims to inform the certain aspects pertaining to the

study. Furthermore, it will also highlight some negative and positive aspects in the

involvement of text messaging/instant messaging on the literacy of the teenager.

Related Studies

Texting feature in mobile phones has become a “God’s gift” for most of the

people. This feature made this communication very convenient to everyone. It has

become an important part of the daily lives of people, especially to the Filipinos.

According to AHN Media Corp (2010), the Philippines has been tagged as the

“texting capital of the world”. Many Filipinos exchange text messages with the use of

their mobile phones. People have become frequent “texters”, and they have started

sending messages in shortened ways. This problem cropped up with the innovation of

this new technology, and its possible effects on the teens’ language proficiency.
 Montiel and Estuar (2006) made a study about the usage of mobile phone

nowadays. And they concluded that text messaging is the most effective way of

communicating with other people. Aside from that, it is the fastest and the cheapest

among the communication technologies of the new generation because of its sending

shortened messages (SMS) or texting feature. This feature, allows people to communicate

with each other regardless of how far they are from each other. Thus, this texting feature

made mobile phones or cellular phones very popular in our country, that even the youth

are getting hooked up to this new form of technology.

 CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the analysis of methods applied to this field of study. Likewise,

this study presents the various procedures and techniques in order to meet the

required information.

3.1 Research Design

This study will determine the effects of text messaging on teen literacy. So

a survey is applicable for this research. This uses the concepts of the descriptive

research design.

The essence of survey method can be explained a ‘questioning individuals

on a topic or topics than describing their responses’.( Jackson 2011.p.17)

Alternative, according to Newman (2012) form the view point of

practicality the most popular variation of surveys which include questionnaire,

interviews and documentation review. Denscombe (2011).

Since this study is to determine the relationship of text messaging on teen

literacy, the survey method is best suitable. We will conduct a survey with our

gathered data.

3.2 Research methods

 As a measure of textism knowledge, 30 respondents, ranging from were asked to

compose text messages they might write if they were in each of a set of scenarios.

Their text messages were coded for types of text abbreviations (textisms) used,

and the ratio of textisms to total words was calculated to indicate density of

textism use. The children also completed a short questionnaire about their mobile

phone use. The ratio of textisms to total words used was positively associated

with word reading, vocabulary, and phonological awareness measures. Moreover,

the children's textism use predicted word reading ability after controlling for

individual differences in age, short-term memory, vocabulary, phonological

awareness and how long they had owned a mobile phone.

3.3 Area of the study

This study is carried out on teen agers ranging from 15-16 years old in the

institute of MNSTS Poblacion, Medellin, Cebu.

3.4 Population and Samples

The population samples are the teens ranging 14-16 years old in MNSTS. The

total population may vary from grades 10-11 with students aging 14-16 years old.
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Central Learning