Millions of students are handing in school work riddled with ‘text speak’ as keeping in contact by electronic devices becomes more entrenched, a survey has revealed.
Around one in seven students are regularly using abbreviations normally found in text messages such as ‘u’ for ‘you’ and ‘4’ instead of ‘for’ in essays and tests.
Many argue they no longer need to learn spelling or grammar because spellcheckers on phones and computers do the job for them.
A collapse in writing for pleasure is also dragging down standards, according to the study by the National Literacy Trust.
The problems were found to be much worse among boys.
Experts warned the collapse in standards could have a ‘devastating’ impact on children’s education.
The survey of 35,000 eight to 16-year-olds revealed text speak is used in classrooms by one in six boys overall, compared to one in eight girls.
Numbers drop as they get older, possibly because bad habits are suppressed to minimise the impact on exam grades.
But by the time they are taking SSCEs, one in ten pupils are still regularly using abbreviations.
Child psychologist Dr Madeleine Portwood warned parents needed to take action at home to avoid a knock-on effect on their children’s development and education.
‘That is compounded by text speak which is potentially going to have a significant, if not devastating, impact on education outcomes.’
Nearly three-quarters of children said they regularly wrote text messages and more than half are active on social networking sites.
Examiners have increasingly complained about text speak creeping into SSCE and A-level papers.
Texts and emails have also been linked with health problems among children.
Research found those who used phones and laptops to keep in contact around bedtime had poorer quality sleep.
