Typing Like Texting...

Txtng:

I m blgg abt Phys.

I m rdg artcl ttld: Atmcly cntrld fbrctns f subnanm scl electr gps n th ste fo th Jnl of Appld Phys. Du 2 th ntr f prmssns, nly gvn th lnk 2 th ppr, f whh u cn dl th PDF fr th Jnl.

I m intly lvng o spcfc lttrs, vwls n phrs b/c I eyd a stdnt do ess tht frstrtd thm: th cmptr wld nt lt thm prcd b/c th s/w prgrmmd 2 rcgnz wrdz...

Th stdnt, ws txtng.

Tnrs hv thr "slng wrds" tht nly undrstnd, nt o/ps: u fl me?

Hwevr, t s n obsrvtn I md @ 2 hs: m/b lsng ur fclty 4 th wrttn wrd: sbjct/vrb agrmnt; obj/ind obj; nn, prnn, vrb, adj, adv; prp and prps phrss; prts f spch; pp opnngs n clsngs.

Thrby, th cmp f wrd prbs s ssntlly th blty 2 rd n ndrstnd mtrl. Bt, f w/nw "thnk n txt," hw s ths mtrl 2B ndrstd n usd?

OMG!

Translation:

I am blogging about Physics.

I am reading an article titled: Atomically controlled fabrications of subnanometer scale electrode gaps on the web site for the Journal of Applied Physics. Due to the nature of permissions, I've only given the link to the paper, of which you can download the PDF directly from the Journal.

I am intentionally leaving out specific letters, vowels and key phrases because this is what I observed a student do on an essay that frustrated them: the computer would not let them proceed because the software is programmed to recognize typed out words...

The student, in essence, was texting.

Teenagers of all generations have their own "slang words" that only they understand, much to the chagrin of parents and school administrators: dig what I'm saying? (That dated me!)

However, it is an observation I've made at two high schools now: we may be losing our faculty for the written word: subject/verb agreement; object/indirect object; noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb; preposition and prepositional phrases; parts of speech; paragraph openings and closings.

Thereby, the comprehension of word problems is essentially the ability to read and understand material.

But, if we now "think in text," how is this material to be understood... and used?

Oh my God!