THE EFFECT OF SHORT TEXTING ON LETTER WRITING

With the swift growth of technology and the vast number of its applications, the cell-phone is no longer just a device used for communication in more conventional manner. This stresses the need for specifying suitable means through which the learner can employ this new wireless technology. This study aimed at uncovering the extent to which individual and collaborative letter writing practice via text messages (SMS) affects student performance. Accordingly, 60 intermediate university students who completed the second stage of a letter writing test were divided into two groups, modern (G1) and traditional (G2), respectively to learn 30 new letter writing features in 10 sessions, three per session. The first set of learners, divided into three groups, collaboratively practiced the new material using cell-phones in a non-classroom environment, while the learners in the second group practiced the same content in the classroom setting in dyads using paper and pencil. Finally, the students took part in a test of letter writing with three subtests, the data of which was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicated that the learners who practiced learning content using cell-phones outperformed the other group. Also, regarding students' attitude toward using cell-phones in language learning, findings reflected positive feelings towards the application of technology as a learning tool

کلیدواژه ها:

cell-phone ، collaborative and individual learning ، letter writing ، short texting (SMS