” I went 2 the cinema 2 c my friends. We had a gud time but came home 2 L8 and my mum was very angry.”
- Selma, Grade 7 , in response to ‘What did you do last night.
”I stayed home and facebooked this girl I saw in the mall. ”
- Wael, Grade 8, in response to,” What did you do last night? ”
Should we accept this is our classrooms? It is becoming more and more common as kids surf the net and text each other more than talk. A few years back, the French put their pied a terre ( foot down) as it were, and refused to accept any more Franglais in the country. Gone was le weekend and le walkman. Should be be equally heartless ? Should we really mark the verb ”to facebook” as correct !?
And another thing that I am beginning to get worked up about is the inclusion of this particular symbol in creative writing & …..
OK, C U L8r 
July 19, 2008 at 5:58 pm
All this is OK in its place (informal emails, texts and in social networking). But in the classroom - no way. Evolution implies progress — isnt this more some form of devolution?
July 19, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Lane
http://www.ashfeldt.com | laneashfeldt@yahoo.co.uk | 80.177.11.7 SAYS:
All this is OK in its place (informal emails, texts and in social networking). But in the classroom - no way. Evolution implies progress — isnt this more some form of devolution?
I think it is dissolving…………what I do is give the students a chance to use this language but in a controlled situation . ie. we have a diary writing lesson or writing a text to your friend etc. I make it clear that in ‘real writing assignments’ MSN speak is not acceptable.