I think thats crazy kids in first grade should not have a cell phone its harting them in good speking and in wrighting parents should not be geting there kids cell phones

I think your a flipping genius. We should mate.

i think that kids should have cell phones when they are young thats the only way were they can be free and learn while they are young.

IMing is a great way for kids to get friends and endure mental abuse by elders seeking to hurt them =).

yeah, texting can be damaging to the way people prepare their sentences and phrases, but although I use this while chatting to friends, doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll use this chat speak in a formal paper for grading. P.S some comments need to be watched.. XD

We do our best to limit comment moderation. I try to allow anything that isn’t vulgar but I would agree those comments were borderline, offered little to the discussion and have been removed. Thanks Reader.

I’m still 13. I don’t have a cell phone and it’s my fault. My teachers confiscated it from me several times because I use it during classes. I think that’s my only problem when dealing with cell phones. I’m grounded from it. XP. It doesn’t affect the way I write. DISCIPLINE. That’s all it takes. P.S. Gabby’s post (or should I say, spelling) is hilarious. Good job. =]]

I agree. Texting is the newest craze, but I don’t think it contributes to the high brow education society respects. I also think that people prefer to text because they can be in control of the conversation… “oh, I am sorry, I didn’t get that text” or “I was away from my desk, don’t be upset” instead of dealing with the issues that life gives. It is so much easier to hide behind a monitor, no matter the size.

I’m researching teens and communication through IM and Texting and wondered what do teens/preteens feel is more popular? IM or texting?

I dont think its bad

no it is no a bad thing to do you can actually have fun and meet new people

Iming is the way to go as a communicater or for just having fun.

Gabby= I think thats crazy kids in first grade should not have a cell phone its harting them in good speking and in wrighting parents should not be geting there kids cell phones Are you serious? Did you have a phone as a baby then?

You are all a silly, you are all a wrong, opinions poor, spelling worse, grammar worse still. Francis 4eva. brap

Wendy, I am a Matsters in Literacy candidate researching this topic as well. I find it interesting that a child would even stumble upon this page…they’d have to be looking for it verifying that they are interested in IM-ing and texting and the effectsit may have on writing. I think that the point of this article is that language skill; reading, writing, speaking, and listening, are all skills we develop from the time we are born. In our primary years we start to build the foundations for literacy later and the earlier a child is texting and IM-ing, the earlier they will deveop bad habits. The debate could get ugly. What I find most interesting is that the point of this is poor spelling, grammar usage, and “taking shortcuts” in writing. Almost every post on here has characteristics of texting or IM-ing, and it’s obvious that the kids who’ve posted on here took shortcuts. Not saying it’s bad…just interesting. What will they do when they have to write a resume? Or their first book report? IDK! ~Jenn

i love to txt

heyy peeps , im only 14 years old right now , and my parents wont gimmme a cell , which relly sux man ! . i txt 3vryday ! . i need 2 txt 3veryday ! . ef i downt , ill die ! . and teens should have cell phones , er theyll feel so bored while theyre @ home and have nothin 2 do , i do lawts of stuff while im on a cell phone , i txt , i go on the internert , i go on msn , i chekk my mail , listen 2 music , and all that . so here`s to the parents whose readin this , give yer teen a cell if they dont have one ! . us teens get bored easily ! . we dont have mutch to get us entertained ! . give us cell phones ! .

I got a cellphone in gr. 1. the reason my mom got it for me was cuz i didnt have an older sibling. so if i needed help i could just call my mom or dad. but she didnt buy me a new phone. i just used my dad’s old phone.

I do not think kids in the first grade should have cell phones. It’s ridiculous. I mean they cant even really talk or write but they know how to text and IM and do all that. Its not right. Parents need to hold off on giving their children cell phones until they are at least 15 years of age.

First grade is a bit early for a child to be owning a cell phone. I agree that it can hender their ability to learn to read and write properly. Most people when they text or IM another person use acronyms and if that is how a child in the first grade is learning to write, I believe it will affect they way they talk, read, and write

waht are some causes?yahh their is a big effect of texting

…wow. I’m amazed at the great punctuation and capitalization in a lot of these posts. Not to be rude, but I’m not sure some of these people should even be commenting on this.

I think that there are both right and wrongs on this issue. I personally did not get a phone till about 14 years old, and my brother and I shared it whenever we went somewhere with our friends. It was in case of an emergency only. I didn’t get texting on my phone till 16. I text alot, and I IM every day of my life, but that does not mean I’ll use improper grammar in my papers or do worse in school. I’m a straight A student and get very good grades in English class. There isn’t really a problem with cell phones at young ages, and at 13 or 14 years old, as long as it’s controlled and monitored. It should also be limited during the school week to ensure that they are doing their school work as a priority over texting and IMing.

hey ya’ll whats up. i have no idea what any of you are all talking about texting is the hot new fad.

If the texting language is to be accepted into the English language, we might as well start teaching children to talk that way as well. Doesn’t make sense, does it?

kids should absolutely not be allowed to have cell phones at such a young age. The U.S. test scores for spelling and writing are low enough as it is, and has steadily declined in the past decade as texting has become increasingly popular. But that’s just a coincidence, right? hmmm…don’t think so.

ReaLLY ummm KIDZ SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THEM SELVES A CELL PHONE AND TEXTING IZ JUST ANOTHA WAY OF COMMUNICATION

Texting and IM has its uses, but I agree with the comment that it is not condusive to enlightend thought processess. It is really just an easy and perhaps lazy way to communicate. The fundementals of proper language usage should be a priority. What happened to the old fashioned way of communication through conversation and God forbid; writing a letter. As for the individuals who say they need a cell phone because they are bored might try reading a book; if they know how.

I’m 14, and I can admit that I am A-D-D-I-C-T-E-D to texting. I love it(: I don’t always use the ’texting language’ but sometimes I do. Although at school I never do. I am disciplined. The thing I think is bad about texting and IM is that todays kids will not face eachother in certain situations. They need to learn to talk face to face with people (such as their friends) instead of relying on IM to solve their problems. Other than that I just think that all kids should learn reading and writing BEFORE they start texting and IM’ing.

I’m 14, got my cellphone when i was 12. When i got my phone hardly anyone had one but now i walk down the streets and kids who are like 6 are texting and talking on the phone. I think kids should not get a cellphone until they are Atleast in 6th grade. And when they do get a cellphone they need to be careful cause if they text to much it Can affect they’re learning. <3

Hello again. Ericha, I agree. I got my phone for my 14th birthday. I am still 14 and I turned 14 in February. David Tuffley, who is a lecturer in the Griffith University school of Information and Communication Technology says “Who would not want to abbreviate when you are constrained to 160 characters per message, and you have to write it laboriously with a telephone keypad? If you can leave out letters from words and still have them make sense, so much the better for busy people. Remove the constraints and the abbreviations will mostly lose their reason to be. Some abbreviations may cross over to other uses, but this is likely to be only a minor trend.” And I strongly agree. And it has been proven that only 10% of the words in text are abbreviated. Although I still don’t think that kids as young as 6 or in the 1st grade should have a phone. I think that teen years are a more appropriate time to get them a cellular(: P.S.- Richard Hurtz, I loved your comment-it made me laugh. You are quite commical, keep it up. (:

im in first grade and i have a phone. im cool. whats up? (: hi anna

Hello Kelsi. Okay, if I was your mother, I WOULD TAKE THAT PHONE AWAY!!! lol jk But I don’t think you should have a cellular at that youngish age.

Just kidding. im like 85 years old… minus 68 years. so that makes me 17. im oldish. anna, you should makeeee cookiesss.. in the shape of phones.

Harro everyone!! I justt wanted to say that since coming to america everyone seems so ruvvery!! Go texting!

My concern is that I have seen kids put all of their heavy emotions immediately out there via technology. The false sense of security…i.e. hiding behind your own computer screen, means that the built-in system of checks and balances is no longer in place. Back in the “olden days”, you had to pick up a phone—speak directly to the individual, or worse yet leave a message with their parents. Often the kids would find that strong emotions are not so strong hours later..but IM is an unfortunate means of kids putting-it-all-out-there with no way of taking it back, once you do so.

Dude, grade one is wayyy to early to be having a mobile phone. By giving someone still developing in forms of communication an obviously inhibiting electronic device you are altogether altering their social development. At this stage they should be learning to talk face to face with friends, organising things up front etc… Anyways mobile phones are not meant to be used for long conversations, you shouldn’t need to be abbreviating or altering words, i usually don’t, in fact i find it more fun to use longer words “lol” peace

you shoudent text message

I think that yeah texting is fun but letter writing can be fun too!

Texting isn’t bad when it’s used responsibly, people! I am fifteen, I text, and make great writing text scores and I have an A in English. Texting doesn’t make your grammar and spelling grades go down, it’s more like lifestyle, who you associate with, and other things. If you know you write G2G in a report for school, which some people actually have that I’ve seen, that’s absolutely stupid. It’s not texting, it’s the people. They’re obviously too immature, or stupid, or whatever to realize that “text talk” won’t work in school. Please, stop blaming the cell phones, they need love too! And also to Gabby, you’re the main reason why people think texting is bad. People like you, and the people who decide to text while driving. How stupid can you be?!

And plus, don’t you think people should realize that TTYL isn’t something you write in school? Get a grip people!

I didn’t get a cell until I started college–and that was only for emergency purposes–Yet, I did not spontaneously explode through the lack of texting. I still don’t text, but I’m alive after all, and with a social life.

I am completely against texting, I mean how can we allow kids like me to have the liberty of unrestricted communication, its apalling.

i got my cell phone when i was in 5th grade and im in 6th grade now and i have over 800 text each month it does nothing to my spelling so get a grip.

i think this is fine people need to be able to stay in touch i have unlimited and my spelling is fine!

i bought my son, who is ten a cell phone, he has after school activities and is able to let us know anything that goes on. It also has a tracker on it if he goes out of a range we preset for him it alerts my husbands phone. It isn’t a bad thing for your kids to have one, just not to use it in class. And for some of the kiddies who replied on this board, you need to spend less time texting and more time in English class cause your grammar needs some work. :^)

Yes.!!! I really agree with you..even me im using cell[hone when I’m still grade 4 and I noticed my grammar becomes so bad and also my spelling…gosh!!!OMG!!!!

It does nothing with my grammar…

fantastic!!!!

kids should not have phons at 4