| Quote: |
| WELLINGTON, New Zealand - New Zealand's high school students will be able to use "text-speak" _ the mobile phone text message language beloved of teenagers _ in national exams this year, officials said.
Text-speak, a second language for thousands of teens, uses abbreviated words and phrases such as "txt" for "text", "lol" for "laughing out loud" or "lots of love," and "CU" for "see you." |
omg wtf?
| Quote: |
| The move has already divided students and educators who fear it could damage the English language. |
I'd say. But I'm more worried about the students not learning to properly spell than I am about it damaging the English language. As most of you probably know, internet chat rooms and other places where 'txt spk' is used constantly, are filled with illiterate people. But sadly, it's not just children. Most of the people that have the worst spelling are adults.
| Quote: |
| New Zealand's Qualifications Authority said Friday that it still strongly discourages students from using anything other than full English, but that credit will be given if the answer "clearly shows the required understanding," even if it contains text-speak. |
'strongly discourages'
I've got a better idea - accept it, but don't tell them you're going to. Tell them marks will be deducted for not using proper English.
Ok, it's not all bad. Their English papers have to be written in English.
| Quote: |
| Confident that those grading papers would understand answers written in text-speak, Haque stressed that in some exams, including English, text abbreviations would be penalized. |
| Quote: |
| Internet blogger Phil Stevens was not amused by the announcement. "nzqa(New Zealand Qualifications Authority): u mst b joking," Stevens wrote. "or r u smoking sumthg?" |
lol
(all quotes from comcast.net news)
