We’ve all heard the argument that with the advent of text messaging, formal writing is not just going under, but being obliterated. Many firmly believe the lols, brbs, omgs, and wtfs are moving the culture and our youth in a devastating direction. After participating in discussions with linguistics professors and reading articles by the academic elite, I too, allowed myself to accept this seemingly logical belief without much critical analysis.Then after performing a simple Google search and stumbling upon linguist John McWhorter’s TED Talk entitled, “Txtng is Killing Language. JK!!!” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmvOgW6iV2s), I feel free to question the status quo. In less than 14 minutes, McWhorter attempts to persuade us that texting or as he endearingly calls it “fingered speech” is actually another dialect and like students who speak a second dialect at home, he and his linguistic colleagues consider text-savvy youth to be bi-dialectal. Whether you buy this new spin or not, it’s difficult not to be mildly seduced by it. Perhaps all of the spelling shortcuts and acronyms with ever-evolving, nuanced definitions really are, as McWhorter suggests, a “linguistic miracle”. As I prepared to make a case for text messaging in the language-learning classroom, my mind went to the practical applications and possible fun projects, WhatsApp threads, and textpal possibilities. It never would have dawned on me that not only could text messaging not be detrimental to language acquisition, but it could actually facilitate some aspects of it?!

If you’re upwards of thirty, you may remember having a penpal in elementary school. As an aspiring French language teacher, I’ve day dreamed of finding a class in France with a teacher, who would be agreeable to setting up students with Skype video-conferencing partners. The topic of text messaging, however, has encouraged me to take a closer look at how, as an educator, I could lean into this often-demonized technology and explore ways it could be an effective second language-learning tool. What if instead of coordinating time zones and Skype dates, two teachers in both France and the US created a common WhatsApp thread for their students in which they took turns posting prompts in English and in French creating a forum for students to exchange ideas and respond when it was convenient for them? I’m on several WhatsApp threads with friends and colleagues in Europe at the moment and find the dialogue stimulating and inspiring. Participating students would gain cultural awareness about the other country, expand their perspectives, and even learn text-messaging conventions in the target language—which could provide interesting class discussion material. Like anything else, the more authentic the information and the more opportunities the students have to actually apply their second language knowledge, the more exciting and relevant language classes feel. Plus, the two little checks that turn blue when a WhatsApp message has been read make the interactive exchange with students on another continent more exciting.

Of course, in the age of cyber bullying, this real life texting scenario is not without concern. Once the students have each others’ phone numbers, we have no way of preventing them from creating alternative WhatsApp threads or communicating individually with other students. I recently learned that through Google, it is possible to hide one’s phone number and issue a second number for texting purposes. I wonder if this added layer of protection would help or hinder student exchange? Part of me feels like if students are not using their actual phone numbers, they might be inclined to take less responsibility for their communications and feel a level of freedom to be more cavalier and perhaps more unkind than they would be if they used their personal phone numbers.

Who knew it’s been done before? There’s actually a University in Alberta, Canada where a pilot program took place to explore how text messaging can be used in the ESL classroom? (https://christytucker.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/text-messaging-to-teach-esl/) And this article entitled “25 Ways for Using WhatsApp with English Language Students” (https://oupeltglobalblog.com/2016/05/17/25-ideas-for-using-whatsapp-with-english-language-students/) proves to be a great resource, as well. One advantage of WhatApp is that Android and iPhone users can communicate on it. Additionally, WhatApp makes voice recordings, photos, and even projects with video exchange possible. The article also pointed out that teachers are using WhatsApp in their classrooms without the added complexity of coordinating with another school or community. The teacher simply assigned language partners within the class. Both ideas seem like fun and relevant ways of engaging students in language learning.