Studies: If u text a lot, ur probably good at spelling
Ur really good at spelling.
A generation that has grown up on texting and social media might post that misspelled statement.
Thankfully, most kids and young adults know that “ur” isn’t the correct spelling of “you’re” or “your.”
Frequent use of abbreviated words in texts and social media posts isn’t creating poor spellers.
In fact, studies consistently show that the more kids use abbreviated words, the higher they score in standardized tests that measure language skills.
That’s according to Andrea Zellner, literacy consultant for Oakland Schools, and a pronouncer of words at the Oakland Schools Scripps Regional Spelling Bee on Saturday.
Abbreviated communication, such as that found in text messages and social media posts, demonstrates that its users are “more engaging — more playful,” Zellner said.
“The errors are a sign of experimentation,” she said. “It’s all about falling in love with how language works.”
The most successful contestants in spelling bees are ardent students of the roots of words, she said.
They can’t possibly memorize the thousands of words they might encounter in a spelling bee.
They are better off learning about Greek, Latin and other roots of words to have the best chance of correctly spelling an unknown word.
Check back with The Oakland Press later today to find out who won the regional bee. It started with 82 contestants. As of 3 p.m. Saturday, about 20 spellers remain.