Introduction
Texting and online chatting are two of the most popular forms of communication between kids. Text and chat messages with friends are generally casual. Kids often use slang or incorrect grammar when they write these messages. Does texting and chatting have a negative impact on kids’ grammar? Today our debaters will discuss this question.

Constructive Debater 1 Henry
Texting and chatting have a negative impact on kids’ grammar. Kids spend many hours at school learning correct grammar. However, students often spend even more time talking with their friends through text messages and chats. Most kids use slang and shortened words and phrases in their text and chat conversations. Therefore, they learn proper grammar in school, but actually use incorrect grammar with their friends. Texting and chatting cause kids to forget correct grammar.

Debater 2 Ashley
Texting and chatting do not have a negative impact on kids’ grammar. The way that kids talk with their friends in texts and chats is different from the grammar that they learn in school. That is because proper grammar is very formal. Kids speak freely without worrying about proper grammar when they text or chat. However, this does not mean that they have forgotten what they learned in school.


Rebuttal
Debater 1 Henry
Kids want to write short and quick messages when they text and chat. Therefore, it is natural that kids create slang, shortened words, or phrases to talk easily with their friends. Kids also want to express emotions in their texts and chats. For example, it is normal to text, “It’s nice to see you!!!!” with a lot of exclamation points. However, the use of more than one exclamation point in a sentence is not correct.

Debater 2 Ashley
I agree that it is natural for kids to use slang in their text and chat conversations. They may also use incorrect punctuation or grammar because they are not focused on proper grammar. They are focused on communicating with their friends in the easiest and quickest way possible. Kids can see the difference between these two forms of writing. Most kids know that they cannot use slang in their school essays.

Judge’sComments
The winner of today’s debate is Ashley. Henry committed the fallacy called “complex cause.” Debaters commit this fallacy when they claim that one thing was caused by another, when in fact an outcome likely has several causes. Henry said that texting and chatting cause kids to forget proper language usage. However, kids could also forget proper grammar if they do not study or use the language.

Karen Lee