Volume 3, Issue 1, 2018

P-ISSN: 2672-2984
E-ISSN: 2672-2992
www.sajst.org

Students Exposure to Text Messaging and its Impact

on Spelling Performance
Susan D. Tiangson, MA Ed.1, Joville P. Dollente2, Alexis R. Sarmiento3
Pangasinan State University1

Abstract – The study was conducted to find out the Exposure of Students to Text messaging and its
impact on Spelling Performance during the 1st semester A.Y 2013-2014 in relation to certain variables. The
study used descriptive correlational method of research. The respondents were ninety-nine 1st year students
of Bachelor of Arts in English Language and …were chosen through universal sampling. Questionnaires
was used to gather data on the profile of students and to determine the Exposure of Students to Text
Messaging and their spelling performance along the Written and Dictation mode. The study revealed that
students were strongly exposed to text messaging and obtained very high performance in spelling in the
written mode and have average performance in spelling in the dictation mode. It is concluded that the
students have various level of performance in spelling in both written and dictation modes and that the
personal profile and exposure to text messaging have various influences or effects on their spelling
performance. It is therefore recommended in the study that all cellular users regardless of age and courses
should maintain their awareness on the imitations of practices employed in text messaging and the inevitable
use of Standard English particularly in the correct spelling of words in formal written and oral
communication. And that English Teachers should keep themselves updated with the demands, trends and
changes that go with or bring about by new inventions and modernization of technology.
Keywords: exposure to text messaging, dictation and written mode, Spelling performance
INTRODUCTION students have difficulties in their spelling is because of
the arrangement of letters. Students’ mistakes should be
Language is always used for communication
corrected at once. Spelling errors are like diseases that
whether it is oral or written. It is used for different
can be prevented and controlled. Immediate corrections
purposes such as to convey information, to pass
can prevent on errors in the spelling.( Russel,2012).
messages, to express feelings and emotions, to motivate
and to entertain people and many more. Nowadays, Students who commonly misspell the words
advanced technologies were invented that make people are not exposed in reading books, and are usually
communicate and work faster and easier. One of these engrossed in technologies which can cause difficulties
is cellphone, a new form of communication with the use in the arrangement of the letter in the word they write.
of voice calls and text messaging. Text messaging has Many, especially teenagers and students are using
become a common everyday means, particularly to cellphones to communicate with each other .It could
students who have been exposed to it, often to exchange then be text messaging be one of the reasons that affect
messages with their friends and relatives, anywhere and their spelling performance because it does not
everywhere. It has developed rapidly throughout the encourage young people to learn how to spell words
world and so with the popularity of texting among correctly. Basically, what is important is to understand
children in the Philippines, the decline in their spelling the text message being conveyed with its unique style of
performance is one of the areas of the concern of the sending information. The ability to spell the words
Department of Education. In connection, some linguists correctly is one of the fundamentals that will be never
observed that text messaging has an impact to students be neglected. It is whether students or not, there is a
in written communication. But because other need to use language appropriately. The ability to write
conventions of standard written English may seem effectively is still important regardless of the influential
relatively uncomplicated and easy to manage, their and incredible effects of technology on man’s
simplicity makes them less important. One of these activities.( McKee, 2005). Thus, this study aimed to
conventions is spelling. The very reason why many determine how the First year Bachelor of Arts in
English Language students are exposed to text

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 Volume 3, Issue 1, 2018
P-ISSN: 2672-2984
E-ISSN: 2672-2992
www.sajst.org

messaging and what its impact on their spelling The study used descriptive correlational method
performance. There is a greater increase of text of research. There were ninety-nine first year Bachelor
messaging as medium of communication with the of Arts in English Language who served as the
emerging popularity of cellular phones in our country respondents of the study and were chosen through
so the result of the conduct of this study benefited the universal sampling. It also made used of questionnaire
students for they will become aware of the possible adopted from the study of Tubera et al. (2008).
effect of using text messaging to their academic However, some modifications were made particularly
performance particularly in spelling. In addition, they on profile variables to suit the intended purpose of the
may be informed of the positive and negative impact of study. Similarly, part two of the questionnaire was used
text messaging on their spelling performance. Teachers to gather data on the Exposure of the Students to Text
may guide the students in the proper use of text Messaging such as the number of hours spent in a day,
messaging since they serve as the models of language number of text messages sent in a day, number of text
learning and manifest the use of formal language both messages received in a day and number of text mates in
in oral and written. And for the School Administrators a day. The data gathered were properly recorder, tallied,
to provide and guide the school administrators to plan tabulated, interpreted and analyzed. Frequency counts,
and deign instructional programs that will boost the percentage, weighted mean, and chi-square of
performance of the students in their English Language. interdependence were used to statistically treat the data.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study aimed to determine the exposure of On the Profile of the First year AB English
the students to text messaging as it relates to their Students in terms of: a. Sex.There were seventy -eight
spelling performance along written and dictation mode. (78) or 78.78 % female and 21 or 21.21.2 % male. b.
Specifically it sought to answer the profile of the First GPA. Sixty-six (66) of the students have GPA in
Year Bachelor of Arts in English Language students in English with grade range of 83-88, ( average), nineteen
terms of sex, GPA, cellphone ownership, language ( 19) with 77-82, ( low) and fourteen with 89-93, (
commonly used in text messaging, reading materials high). c. Cell phone ownership. Ninety-five (95) or
available at home and reading attitudes; Exposure to 95.95% were cellular phone owners and four ( 4) or
text messaging in terms of number of hours spent in a 4.04% were non-owners. d. Language commonly used
day for text messaging, number of text messages sent in in Text Messaging, Seventy-five (75) or 75.75% of the
a day, number of text messages received in a day and students used combination of English and Filipino
number of text mates in a day; Spelling performance languages in text messaging; 41 0r 41.41% used
along written and dictation modes and a significant Filipino and Pangasinan; eight or 8.08% used Filipino
relationship between the spelling performance in terms and Ilocano; four or 4.04% used Ilocano and
of written and dictation modes and profile variables, Pangasinan; two or 2.02% used English and Ilocano and
and a significant relationship between the exposure to only one or 1.01% of the respondents used the
text messaging of the students and spelling combination of English and Pangasinan .e. Reading
performance along dictation and written modes. The Materials Available at Home. Ninety-four (94) or
hypotheses of this study were tested at 0.05 level of 94.94% have dictionary, 75 or 75.76% have Magazines,
significance. There is no significant relationship 61 or 1.62%, Newspapers, 25 or 25.25% Encyclopedia,
between the spelling performance of the First year AB 7 or 7.07% Almanac and 4 or 4.04% have Atlas
English students in terms of written and dictation available at home. F. Reading Attitude. The students
modes and profile variables and there is no significant sometimes read as revealed in the different indicator-
relationship between the spelling performance of the statements indicating fairly favorable attitude with an
First Year AB English Students in terms of written and overall weighted mean of 3.13.However, students often
dictation modes and exposure to text messaging. read during leisure time ( 3.54), and often read books at
home( 3.86) revealing favorable attitude in reading. But
students never read topics they don’t know ( 1.57)
manifesting not favorable attitude towards reading.
MATERIALS AND METHODS These findings may mean that students read from time
to time and such fairly favorable reading attitude may

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P-ISSN: 2672-2984
E-ISSN: 2672-2992
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enhance their knowledge, vocabulary skills, reading significant relationship between profile sex ( 0.901);
skills and may develop strategies in proper reading. GPA in English ( 0.378); cell phone ownership ( 0.803)
On the Exposure of the respondents to text ; language commonly used in text messaging ( 0.641) ;
messaging in the number of hours spent to text reading materials available at home ( 0.6966) and
messaging in a day, Thirty –one or 31.31% of the students’ performance in spelling via dictation mode.
respondents were fairly exposed to text messaging with On the Significant Relationship Between
1-2 hours spent in a day and 14 or 14.14% hours spent Students’ Spelling Performance in written and Dictation
were strongly exposed with 1-5 hours spent in a day. In Modes and Exposure to Text Messaging, There is a
the number of text messages sent in a day, Twenty-eight significant relationship between the students’ spelling
or 28.28% of the respondents were strongly exposed to performance in written Mode and Exposure to text
text messaging with 101 beyond messages sent in a day messaging in terms of number of text mates in a day
and 11 or 11.11% were weakly exposed with 10 below with a p-value of 0.00426 which is lower than the tabled
of sent messages sent in a day. In terms of the Number value of 0.05 level of significance. There is no
of text messages received in a day, Twenty six or 26% significant relationship between students’ exposure to
of the respondents were fairly exposed with 11-40 text text messaging in terms of number of hours spent a day
messages received in a day and 12 or 12.12% were ( 0.2002) ; number of text messages sent in a day (
highly exposed with 71-100 text messages received in a 0.1207); number of text messages ( 0.4817); and
day. With regards to the number of text mates in a day, performance in spelling via Written Mode, and there is
Forty-three or 43.43% of the respondents were weakly no significant relationship between students’ exposure
exposed with 0-5 text mates and 6 or 6.06 % were to text messaging along number of hours spent in a day
strongly exposed with 21 text mates. The findings may ( 0.4504); number of text messages sent in a day (
mean that the respondents have various exposure in 0.388); number of text messages received in a day (
terms of the number of text messages sent in a day to 0.5458); number of text mates in a day ( 0.5373) and
communicate to their friends and relatives and have students’ performance in spelling in Dictation Mode.
various exposures to different numbers of textmates in a
day. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
On the Spelling Performance of the respondents It is therefore concluded that the student—
in written and Dictation Modes, Fifty –seven (57) or respondents vary in profile sex, general average in
57.57% of the respondents have very high spelling English, cell phone ownership , language commonly
performance in written mode obtaining scores ranging used in text messaging, reading materials at home and
from 87-99 while two (2) or 2.02 % have very low reading attitude. The student respondents have
spelling performance with score range of 27-41. In comparable extent of exposure to text messaging on the
terms of Dictation Mode, Forty (40) or 40.4% of the number of hours spent in a day, text messages sent in a
students have scored between 9-12 revealing average day, text messages received in a day and text mates in a
performance in spelling , 25 or 25.25% have high day. The student-respondents have various level of
spelling performance with score ranging from 13-16 performance in spelling via written and dictation
and only three (3) or 3.03% have scored between 17- modes. The personal profiles have various influences on
20 indicating very high performance in spelling via student’ spelling performance in Written and dictation
dictation mode. modes. The different factors of the exposure to text
On the significant Relationship Between messaging have various influences/ effects on the
Students’ Spelling Performance in Written and spelling performance of the students in written and
Dictation Modes and Profile Variables , There is no Dictation modes. The following recommendations were
significant relationship between profile sex ( hereby offered; All cellular phone users regardless of
0.843);GPA in English ( 0.369); language commonly age and course should maintain their awareness on the
used in text messaging ( 0.771); reading materials limitations of practices employed in text messaging and
available at home ( 0.3302);reading attitude ( 0.1545); the inevitable use of standard English particularly in
and students’ performance in spelling via written mode. the correct spelling of words in formal written
On the other hand, there is a significant relationship communication. There should be some integration
between profile reading attitude ( 0.0315) and students’ lessons in English classes about the trends in the use of
spelling performance in dictation mode, and there is no the English Language to strengthen further the

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P-ISSN: 2672-2984
E-ISSN: 2672-2992
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competencies of students in written and oral English .

Teachers, language teachers , in particular, should keep
themselves updated with the demands, trends, and
changes that go with or bring about by new inventions
and modernization of technology like the use of cellular
phones so that the facilitators of learning can effectively
assist and guide students to cope at the same time to
learn positively with these technological innovations.
And students should also be encouraged to use cellular
phone fro text messaging since it is a good stimulant to
the mind.

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Hastings, William S. Learning to write in college.
Boston D.C. Health Book Company, 2009
McKee, P. Language in the elementary school.
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA: The riverside
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Plester, B. Wood, Exploring the relationship between
children’s knowledge of text abbreviations and
school literacy outcomes. British Journal of
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University , Baguio City (2011)

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