Chapter 2

Conceptual Literature

This chapter contains the gathered researches from different sources. These
studies will be used as a guide and support to our research. Our related literature starts
with the importance of writing and language, and goes on with the possible effects that
might happen to these when technology is being used extensively. On the later part of
the chapter are the gathered articles and case studies done by various researchers.
Text Messaging Effects on Writing
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 students’ language proficiency.
One of the most common issues of text messaging is its effects on
education. Some educators say it is negatively affecting the spelling proficiency of the
students. According to Dolch (1942), “Children must spell if they are to write”. When we
write, we are really writing down our thoughts. These thoughts are expressed using
words, and these words need to be spelled correctly. Therefore, writing would require
appropriate spelling (p. 1).
Choosing the right words requires wide vocabulary. At the present, we are using
English as our medium of communication; therefore, there is a need for us to be familiar
with the English vocabulary. According to Gabiana’s research (as cited in Saga-Olis,
1998), students were very positive toward the English language as part of their system
of education. This attitude of the respondents led to the conclusion that the students felt
that language play an important role on their success in the future. The achievement of
many professionals also lies on their ability to use the language appropriately.
According to Mackay (as cited in Saga-Olis, 1998), professionals who master the
English language tend to be successful and globally competitive (p. 42). This goes to
show the importance of English as a medium of communicating internationally. The
study of Enriquez and Nolasco (2007) also showed that a person who has a wide range
of vocabulary might not have difficulties in thinking and communication. The two also
added that vocabulary, spelling and grammar skills are the basic components of
language which are very useful to a man’s life.
However, nowadays, there are educators who have been complaining on papers
handed by their students. One of these educators is Kate Ross (2010), who stated that
the use of cellular phones are affecting student’s spelling and grammar proficiency
negatively, as evidenced from their use of abbreviated words. This resulted in extensive
use of electronic chatting. The students are producing worse assignments, creating
incorrect subject-verb agreements, and misspelling. Ross is an instructional coach for
language arts teachers in her own district, and she often see shortened words or
sentences in text messaging dialogues on students’ compositions. She said that this
might have changed the attitude of the students towards writing, and it seemed that they
want everything done as fast as possible. But before mobile phones became a problem
to some, it used to be a connector between people.
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.
Estuar’s research (2003) showed that there is a high rate of ownership and high
rate of usage of cellular phones regardless of what school or gender the students
belong. “Private school students were more frequent users of cost-incurring features,
whereas public school students were more frequent users of no-cost features of mobile
phones”. The former also have a higher rate of texting compared to their public school
counter parts. In addition, the number of days one can survive without a cellular phone
or without having to exchange messages is higher among males and public school
students (p.103). This goes to show that cellular phones are very popular, regardless of
the age.
An example that would show the rapidly growing popularity of cellular phones is
the report from Sify News (as cited in Proysen, 2009) about a 13-year old girl from
California who had sent 14, 528 messages in a month (13, January 2009).
These communication gadgets are used by adolescents not only for
communication purposes but also for maintaining their relationships with other people.
Cell phones provide them the ability to show who they are and to express what they feel
through texting feature. According to Pertierra et al. (as cited in Estuar, 2003), the
cellular phone is like an extension or an expression of one’s self. Compared to other
forms of communication that the new world offers like the telephones and electronic
mail, mobile phone technology greatly augments the non-confrontational nature of
Filipinos. As what is said earlier, in texting, people can send messages to a person even
without knowing where the person is, what the person is doing, and who the person is
with. “The mobile phone’s predecessor regular telephones require a fixed location for
their use. But with the cellular phone, being primarily mobile, people can now establish
contact with another person, regardless of where the caller and the called are” (p.
104) .
According to Estuar et al. (2006), aside from the internet, mobile phones were
used in “pro-democracy movements”. Mobile phones were relatively cheaper and more
affordable and accessible, especially to a larger group of people belonging to the poorer
groups in the society. The mobile phone made communication so easy and possible
regardless of time and space barriers by increasing its utility in “political mobilizations
and mass persuasions”. As evidenced from the Philippines, for example, optimal use of
mobile phone’s texting capability helped in bringing down a corrupt president through
the People Power II that occurred last 2001. According to Villamor (as cited in Estuar,
2003), by using the cellular phones, rally organizers have united and mobilized the
crowds in front of the historic Edsa Shrine just an hour after the Senate have vetoed the
opening of the bank evidence against the supposed-to-be reigning president Estrada (p.
105).
Estuar et al. also said that during those historical moments, the use of cellular
phones had filtered through Filipinos’ everyday life, especially to the youth and Metro
Manilans. Texting through mobile phones as a new technology hence played a vital role
in the swift alignment of political consciousness, especially among the multitude of
young Filipino people.
Pertierra, Ugarte, Pingal, Hernandez and Dacanay (as cited in Estuar, 2003),
wrote an all-inclusive account of the social consequences of commonness in mobile
phone use in the Philippines, with the conclusion that “cellphones have become a major
icon in Philippine life, in that it has extended the scope of social relationships” (p. 149).
And from 1994 to 2002, “cellphones in the Philippines were mainly used for texting” (p.
150).
Because cellular phones became a popular icon in the world, several
consequences were prophesied. Some of these are the increased number of people
who are fascinated with the features of cellular phones, particularly its texting feature.
Some were obsessed that they allot greater time for text messaging, which leads to the
use of shorthand method of texting, and will eventually contribute in the deterioration of
the students’ spelling and grammar skills. But is there truth to these claims?
Russell (2010) stated that there are different effects of frequent text messaging.
He cited an educator in Edutopia.org saying that “I teach 9th and 11th English, and
regardless of the age, my students’ spelling is atrocious. Texting does not and has not
helped”. Some teachers believed that shorthand texting is killing the English language
because students have been writing compositions in bad spelling and grammar (parag.
2-3).
Russell also said that some teachers, on the other hand, took it as a positive
effect. According to the teachers, because of texting and other ways of communicating,
students have started to write and edit more text (parag. 4). Lee (as cited in Proysen,
2009) also said that some teachers encourage their students to use instant messaging if
it really helps them develop creativity when writing. Others also think that texting has no
effect on English grammar. Students may learn the language of texting, but they too,
should not forge that the language of texting is different form the Englis=h language,
and that shorthand texting is different from the correct English grammar (parag. 5).
Recent news from United Kingdom reports about a Scottish pupil who submitted
an essay in shorthand form like texting. According to Cramb (as cited in Pryosen, 2009),
this is because of frequent use of mobile phones and text messaging. The student said
she found it “easier than standard English”. The Scottish Qualifications Authority said
that “text messaging language was inappropriately used” (parag. 4). Gillespie (as cited
in Proysen, 2009), the Scottish Teacher Parent Council, said that the deterioration in
spelling and grammar proficiency of the student is an effect of frequent text messaging.
She went on to say that:
There must be rigorous efforts from all quarters of the education system to stamp out
the use of texting as a form of written language so far as English study is concerned.
There has been a trend in recent years to emphasis spoken English. Pupils think
orally and write phonetically. You would be shocked at the numbers of senior secondary
pupils who cannot distinguish between their and there. The problem is that there is a
feeling in some schools that pupils' freedom of expression should not be inhibited (as
cited in Proysen, 2009).

Edwards (2009) said that texting contributes to peoples’ indolence when it

comes to writing. In his own experience, he himself developed changes on his writing
abilities ever since he engaged in text messaging. According to him, it helps in speeding
up communication. And because of frequent usage of shortened messages in texting, it
becomes a “habit”. He sometimes caught himself using the shorthand method of writing
even in doing his projects in school, which goes to show that text messaging has really
affected his writing ability. When he researched in the internet, he discovered that many
people also believed that texting affects the writing skills of students. Edwards always
feel that using the “original way” of writing when doing his school projects is more
difficult than using the “text messaging language”. Because of this, he became lazier.
He also said that most people are hooked up to texting that they send text messages
even when they’re doing several activities like driving, when in a funeral, or in a
graduation ceremony. But according to Guerra (2007), although most of the people are
frequent texters, not all of them apply shorthand texting when writing. She said that
students say it does affect their writing proficiency, and some say it has no impact at all.
Nevertheless, texting is still a problem to most people.
Like Guerra, Laurilla (2009) obtained varied facts from her research titled A
Preliminary Investigation on the Linguistic Aspects of Text Messaging. She implied that
the uses of mobile phones are common to the younger sector of the society (p. 9).
Report from “Media use statistics” said that almost two-thirds of the teenagers today are
cellular phone owners (as cited in Laurilla, 2009). The youths are expected to be
frequent texters, since they grew along the modernization and technological innovation
of cellular phones. Because of this, “There is a raging national debate about the state of
writing and how high-tech communication by teens might be affecting their ability to
think and write” (Guerra, 2008, parag. 1). This research by De La Salle University-
Manila’s Department of English and Applied Linguistics (DEAL) Assistant Professor
Nudred-Laurilla found that there is no significant effect and difference between the
spelling and grammar efficiency of students who own cellular phones and those who
don’t. And from that, it can be implied that the respondent’s proficiency when it comes to
spelling and grammar, is independent to whether they have cellular phones or not. Also,
among owners of cellular phones, their frequent text messaging does not affect their
spelling and grammar proficiency (p.11).
Aside from Laurilla, a research on the use of the shorthand method of texting
was conducted by Tiempo (2006). He said that another form of communication in
texting is code-switching. This is common to a number of Cebuano people. Tiempo says
that code switching is a natural bilingual behavior that usually happens in any informal
conversations, whether it is direct or indirect. Through his qualitative method of analysis,
this study of Tiempo titled Cebuano Code Switching, Text Jargon, and Fricative
Production in Short Messaging Services (SMS) found that there is no significant
differences between the texting styles of both males and females (p. 74-75).
Another research on the use of the shorthand method of texting by Banton et al.
(2010) said that same assumptions rose about the negative claims on text messaging.
Banton with his group researchers conducted a study by giving out a pre-survey on
those students who were cellular phone owners and non-owners and their daily time
allotment for cellular phone use. After that was the spelling and grammar tests given the
3rd year high school students of St. Paul’s School of Ormoc Foundation Inc. The
research resulted with the following: Students who had greater time allotment for text
messaging had lower average scores compared to those who were not frequent texters
at all. Among cellular phone owners, those who were frequent users of shorthand
method of texting appeared to have poorer scores in both spelling and grammar tests
(p.29).
Similarly, a research by Rosen et al. (2009) showed that youths who used
shorthand texting (LOL, gudnyt, etc.) in everyday writing developed the worse formal
writing than those youths who rarely used shorthand texts. Those who used shorthand
texts for communication were better “informal” writers.
Unlike Rosen et al.’s research, the study conducted by Tomita (2009) about text
messaging gathered a different result. On Tomita’s research titled Text Messaging and
its Implications for its use in Education, he said that the world is becoming more
technologically advanced, together with the rapid improvement of the world. And with
these, the students have to adjust and cope with the changes on their own. His study
found that “text messaging tools provide an effective means of teaching students
important 21stcentury skills”. Furthermore, Plester (as cited in Tomita, 2009) said that
tools like the Web enhances students ability to write, encourages them to make
interactions, and motivating them to become good communicators because it helps
develop the students’ creativity. In addition, Tomita also stated that literacy is not limited
only to paper works, but also to digital literacy (p. 189).
Critics are very particular on the issue about the use of shortened words
especially when it comes to education. According to Shaughnessy (as cited in Tomita,
2009), to overcome the character limit of 160 characters, people use jargons, codes, or
shorten the words. This form of communication is too easy that it no longer require
analysis. In addition, O’Connor (as cited in Tomita, 2009) said that if students continue
to use instant messaging, the more that they could no longer distinguish formal and
informal writing. Others also use acronyms and other abbreviations (O’Connor, 2005).
But still, Goldstein and Gardner (as cited in Tomita, 2009) believe that formal writing is
far different from informal writing, no matter what the medium is.
Others also disagree with the negative effect of text messaging. Petrillo (2006)
quoted Dr. Beverly Plester, “Newer research shows a stronger casual relationship
between text abbreviations and literacy skills”. Plester here is saying that text
messaging is giving an exposure to the written words, which relates to a higher literacy
attainment. In addition, according to Helderman (2003), Gloria Jobobs, a doctoral
student studying the relationship of teenagers and instant messaging, said that students
are fluent with online writing, so probably it could help them improve their writing ability.
In contrary to the conclusion derived from Petrillo and Helderman’s studies,
Baron (as cited in Proysen, 2009) concluded that the language of “text messaging and
electronic communication” has triggered the rise of evils that would be unleashed by
text messaging, such as the deterioration of spelling and grammar skills, and its
application on the writings of the students. In Proysen’s study titled The Impact of Text
Messaging on Standard English revealed that some educators have been indicating that
text messaging has created a reflection on the students’ school papers. According to
Crystal (as cited in Proysen, 2009), one example was found, which was an essay
composition entirely written in shorthand form. This study of Proysen was conducted to
find out whether the claims on the negative effects of text messaging is true. His study
found out that these negative effects seem to have affected some of the respondents.
Some students are not aware that they are carrying the text messaging language onto
their writing. While some of them said it was stupid enough not to know the difference
between Standard English and text abbreviations. According to Crystal (as cited in
Proysen, 2009), “Expertise in text messaging and email in particular would appear to
have affected spelling and punctuation” (p. 83). Text messaging with its use of phonetic
spelling and little or no punctuation, seems to pose a threat to traditional conventions in
writing (p. 84). Proysen went on to say that the text messaging phenomenon had a
great impact on people’s everyday use of language although it gained popularity for a
very short time. Proysen was sure of one thing. As his fieldwork shows, text messaging
created negative effects, whether it is slight or great (p.86). This conclusion of Proysen
was similar to one of Myhra’s articles titled Negative Effects of Texting in the
Classroom.
Myhra (2010) believed that people of the present generation have grown
advanced together with the innovation of technology, specifically the cellular phone,
which is said to have affected the students’ spelling and grammar proficiency. People
have started sending messages in abbreviated or shortened form. Students who are
frequent “texters” have developed a new form of writing that is unacceptable to school-
related works (parag. 1). He added that students are no longer practicing the proper use
of punctuation, and upper and lowercase letters (parag. 3).
Myhra (2010) concluded that frequent sending of text messages could affect the
students’ way of writing. Students have developed the habit of writing in shorthand form,
which caused them to write informally. Texting has affected the students writing and
grammar proficiency negatively (parag. 9).
 This research gives more focus on the students’ use of the shorthand method of
texting, which they sometimes tend to apply on their school works. This research will
serve as a point of reflection for the students, to discover whether text messaging and
the use of abbreviations or jargons could positively or negatively affect their spelling and
grammar proficiency. The various researches we have gathered from different sources
are composed of numerous ideas that led us to the formulation of different assumptions
about the use of shorthand texting. Its only difference from our research is that our
study will also focus on the frequency of cellular phone use, which was given less focus
on other researches.
Related Studies
Local Studies
Study One
Paul Anthony Villegas (2000), at teacher at the Ateneo de Manila High School
noticed that his students have been using shortcuts in their compositions. In addition,
text messaging has become the new way of cheating. Students send questions and
answers to each other during exams. To combat these, elementary and high schools
have prohibited the use of cellphones during and in-between class hours.
Study Two
Manila, June 10, 2002 (STAR) Bastardizing language.
This is what teachers have to say about text messaging.
With the Philippines being tagged as the “texting capital of the world,” many
wonder how the proliferation of mobile phones has affected the Filipinos’ facility for
languages.
Reading students’ essays with words like “4u or 2gthr yrs 18r” and looking at the
signpost that reads “Ped Xing” (meaning pedestrian crossing), one can tell that cellular
text messaging or Short Messaging Service (SMS) has revolutionized the way Filipinos
talk, write and read. But doesn’t text messaging further thwart or impede the facility for
languages?
Assistant professor Mildred Rojo-Laurilla, of De La Salle University-Manila’s
Department of English and Applied Linguistics (DEAL), attempts to provide answers in
her research titled A Preliminary Investigation on the Linguistic Aspects of Text
Messaging.
Using the Dell Hymes theory of "Ethnography of Speaking" that studies how
culture, language and society interact, Laurilla is able to capture the existing and even
underlying relationships between and among variables examined.
 Laurilla administered a questionnaire to 433 first-year English students from the
De La Salle University (297) and from the University of the Philippines-Los Baños in
Laguna (136).

Laurilla’s study establishes several facts. In the Philippines, the cellular phone
industry widely caters to the younger market. The study shows that most of the
respondents aged 16 to 21, majority of them 17- to 18-year-olds, have cellular phones
(95 percent, DLSU; 71 percent, UPLB) Most of them are prepaid phone users, with an
average spending profile of P400 to P500.

Texting is part of the youth’s cellular phone use, but students are generally low
frequency texters (54 percent, DLSU; 71 percent, UPLB). Early to late evenings is the
most preferred time for texting, owing perhaps to the fact that they are already out of
school and use their time on leisurely activities, including texting.

Students admit to abbreviating (89 percent, DLSU; 100 percent, UPLB), citing
convenience as the number one reason for doing so. Other reasons given: it is the "in"
thing or fad, or that they do not know the spelling of the words.

In terms of language use, the 150 respondents who participated in the "actual
texting," prefer to use "texted English" or the abbreviated form of English if they send
messages or reply to messages that take the form of "pure" or straight English and the
texted or abbreviated English.

Fifty percent of the respondents did not respond to text sent to them via "pure"
Filipino and Filipino/English pure or texted code-switched forms. The rest of the
respondents had mixed preferences for the language to be used whether in pure
Filipino, pure English or pure Filipino/English code-switched forms or their forms when
responding to text sent to them via pure Filipino and English/Filipino pure or abbreviated
code-switched forms.

There seems to be ambivalence on the effects of texting on their language

competencies. Both DLSU and UPLB students believe that texting has no negative
effects at all on their language competencies, such as grammar and spelling. Majority
of both DLSU and UPLB respondents have a positive attitude toward texting (82 percent
,DLSU; 79 percent, UPLB).

Statistical tests show that there are no significant differences in the grammar and
spelling scores of both cellular phone owners and non-owners. It can be implied that the
Students’ performance in terms of their language skills or competencies is independent
or not related at all to the fact that they own cellular phones.
Among cellular phone owners, their frequency of texting has no effect on their grammar
and spelling scores. Similarly, it can also be implied that language skills orcompetencies
are independent of the extent they use the technology.
 Despite the respondents’ overexposure to the cellular phone technology, it does
not, in any way, cause them to do poorly in class, especially in grammar and spelling.

Laurilla suggested that "real" or more recognizable effects of texting on students‟

grammar and spelling competencies may be seen if the respondents were the more
vulnerable ones like high school or elementary students who are just beginning to
develop language and communication skills.

Laurilla partly dispelled the popular observation that cellular phones may bring
more harm than good to students. Results of her study indicate that college students
are able to discern the formal language – the kind that is used in the classroom – from
the non-conventional texted English.

Indirectly, the technology serves as an "image maker" for the youth, who are
impressionable and are finding their own identities. The college students are mature
enough to know their personal academic capabilities and what the technology means to
them.

(Laurilla finished M.A. Communication Studies at the University of North Iowa in the
United States. Aside from language and technology, she also specializes on gender
studies, popular\K culture, mass communications, mediated discourse and
sociolinguistics. She is currently completing her Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics at DLSU-
Manila.

The paper will be presented at the 52nd Annual International Communication

Association (ICA) Conference on July 15-19 in Seoul, Korea.)

Foreign Study

“Does SMS Text messaging help or harm adult’s knowledge of standard

spelling?” The study used 94 undergraduates with a mean age of 24.4. Seventy-one
were females and 23 were males attending Roehampton University, in London. These
participants where randomly divided into two groups: misspellings/textism group or
correct spelling group. These two groups were tested to determine the effects that
texting had on adults. The researchers, who conducted this study were D. Powell from
Roehampton University and M. Dixon from the Institute of Education.
Four tests were involved in the study. The pre-test and post-test, both contained
thirty words, which were correctly spelled. A third test composed of words in the pre-test
and post-test contained half textisms or misspelled words and half correctly spelled
words. A forth test, the Schonell standard test of spelling, insured that the two groups
had equal spelling ability.
The study occurred in two sessions. The first session consisted of the pre-test,
which contained correctly spelled words. A word was read by itself, and then in a
sentence. Finally, it was read again alone, after which the participants was asked to
spell it. The second session, which started one week later, consisted of the exposure
test, containing the misspelled words and textisms, and the post-test. In the second
session the tests were administered to small groups of five to ten. The participants read
a word and then an experimenter read the words out loud before moving on to the next
word. Lastly the post-test was given in the same way the pre-test was given.
Synthesis
Majority of people thought that text messaging would have a negative impact on
students. Language and literacy, however, the studies analyzed show a different story.
If taken as a whole, only first study signifies that text messaging is bad to literacy and to
study of students. The second study states that text messaging has no impact to
students language skills and the last study seem to indicate the opposite of the concern
that text messaging is bad for literacy. Only second and last study found a positive
relationship between grammar and spelling. According to Paul Anthony Villegas (2000)
in the first study, the tremendous impact of text messaging on teen literacy cannot be
denied, there have also been impacts on the study to their students. Since text
messaging has become the new way of cheating of their students they banned the use
of cellphones during and in-between class hours. The second study found that there are
no significant differences in the grammar and spelling scores of both cellular phone
owners and non-owners the students performance in terms of their language skills or
competencies is not related at all to the fact that they cellular phones. The last study
found the participants ability to spell after exposure to textisms improved.
 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGIES

Research Design
This study will determine if there is a positive or negative effect with the frequent
use of shorthand method of texting to the spelling and grammar skills of the students,
specifically, the Senior High School student of Governor Feliciano Leviste Memorial
National High School. In addition to this, the researchers would also like to know
whether the extensive use of cellular phones and the span of time they have been using
these could affect their language proficiency. Moreover, this study will help us in
determining whether text messaging has contributed, or has been a factor to the
deterioration of their academic capabilities. Setting these objectives, the researchers
gathered information which will be very useful in conducting the study.
Sampling Procedure
The researchers will conduct a pre-survey and a spelling and grammar test at the
Senior High School student of Governor Feliciano Leviste Memorial National High
School. We chose our respondents from the Senior High School students since most of
them are wide users of cellular phones, and perhaps, shorthand method of texting as
well.

Respondents
The respondents of the survey and the spelling and grammar tests are the Senior
High School student of Governor Feliciano Leviste Memorial National High School. The
students are consisted of 13 male and 37 female.

Data Gathering

The data were drawn from 50 students of the Senior High School student of
Governor Feliciano Leviste Memorial National High School who were interviewed by us,
the researchers. The researchers used the survey method to get their answers.

Data Analysis
The results will be tabulated on a separate sheet and will be analyzed using the
percentage formula:
P= (a / b) 100
Where: P = percentage
a = total number of selected answers
b = total number of students
The researchers will use the percentage formula so that the tabulation would be easily
done and we would have a good idea of the proportion. And also, to get the equivalent
percentage of the mostly selected answers from the pre-survey.
For the spelling and grammar tests, we used the formula in finding the average:
A = s/n
Where: A = average
s = total score
n = total number of students
The researchers used the average formula to identify the totality of their scores.