Erin’s Fluency Blog

A recent article at www.cnn.com reported that New Zealand’s Qualification Authority has announced that high school students will be allowed to use “text-speak” this year on the country’s national exams.  “Text-speak” refers to the language used by cell phone users to send text messages.  As a means of saving time, vowels are often omitted from words (i.e. “text” would be “txt”), acronyms are used (i.e. “laugh out loud” would be “lol”) and letters that can be words in and of themselves are substituted (i.e. “see” would be “c”).  This seems ludicrous.  According to the 2005 United Nations Development Programme Report,
New Zealand is tied for first place with 19 other countries for having the highest literacy rate at 99.9%.  (FYI…the
United States comes in at number 55 with a 97% literacy rate) 
New Zealand could not have made it to the top of this list without a conscious and dedicated effort to teach its children to read and master the English language.  How will allowing “text-speak” in the classroom affect the country’s literacy rate?  If “text-speak” is allowed in schools, should it be allowed on tests of literacy?  It will be interesting to see the affects (if any) this decision has on these high school students as they enter college and the professional world.  Potentially, correct spelling could become a lost art.  If for four years straight a student never had to write the word “probably,” but instead, only “prbly,” I can see that it could become confusing.  Is it “probably” or “probobly” or “probbably?”  I’m having a hard time thinking of any positive effects this decision will have on the students or the country as whole.  It is unlikely that “text-speak” will become acceptable in the collegiate or professional worlds, so why add one more challenge to the students and to the professors/managers who will have to re-teach incoming students of proper English.  I can’t help but wonder the response I would get from Dr. Shulman if my next discussion paper was titled, “Dscssn Ppr 2: Implemntatn Succss Fctrs.”