I know there are lots of questions and concerns around whether text messaging is hurting literacy learning (especially spelling and grammar). In a brand new study in the U.K., it was found that text messaging actually helped children develop "phonological awareness" which is needed to learn how to correct spellings. Thus helping children learn how to spell. By texting often, it allows children to practice spelling on a daily basis. The kids who text more often (especially those who use textism or abbreviations such as "plz" or "4ever"), showed higher scores on spelling exams.
The study was authored by Coventry University psychology Profs. Beverly Plester and Clare Wood. The following sums up the two major findings:
1) "The proportions of textisms that kids used in their sentence translations was positively linked to verbal reasoning; the more textspeak kids used, the higher their test scores"
2) "The younger the age at which the kids had received mobile phones, the better their ability to read words and identify patterns of sound in speech."
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Text Help to Haiti
Text Help Organizations:
Donate $5 to Wyclef Jean's Haiti Relief Fund
Text "yele" to 501501
Donate $10 to Bill Clinton's Relief Fund
Text "Haiti" to 20222
Donate to $10 International Medical Corps
Text "Haiti" to 85944
Donate $10 to Red Cross
Text "Haiti" to 90999
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Finding The Best Family Cell Phone Plan
Mobile phones are not just for adults, has ... With an estimated 16 million teens, is a pre-adolescent children own a mobile phone, cell selection plan for mom, dad, child, and now is a real nightmare. Plan and coverage that was good for dad may not be the mother or teen, or vice versa. With almost endless possibilities and options airtime, and the browser reports the time, many families found themselves holding a different program and services for each person. Fortunately, mobile providers are seeing the problem and offer solutions with plans for family packages. These plans were met and exceeded, for the convenient and affordable plans.
Family coverage plans are a good choice for many families, because most providers offer a plan that gives each family member with their own phone number. Family members plan are able to communicate with each other (cell phones) as long as they want, without using their plans regular airtime, it also allows members of one family shared phone minutes, text messages and browser time. Making headache from overage and monitoring of minutes and text messages the past. If family members have a lower cost of calls or messages, may be transferred automatically under the plan, which applies to other members. Family plans usually offer the comfort of one law and coverage requests for service, rather than each member individually and the necessity to use children and young people may need co-signatory. Another advantage of selecting a family plan is to reduce the cost of purchasing mobile phones and accessories. Most mobile providers offer package deals on a number of phones at a reduced rate or even free when you subscribe to a specific contract.
Almost every mobile provider is a family plan, but they differ by several minutes, text messaging, browser, time, price, number of permitted lines, and they can be used in minutes (peak versus night), without penalty.
SouthernLINC Wireless' Family Plan is a Family Reunion offers three different plans. Each plan allows unlimited member-in-the airtime, unlimited long distance plan within minutes, and caller identification. SouthernLINC Wireless offers two basic plans to choose, and that includes the first number, then each additional phone line and add-on plan and the fee attached. The number of add-on, or additional lines is limited to three (in the family living at the same address). All SouthernLINC Wireless' Family Reunion plans are dependent on two-year period.
Verizon Wireless simply calls his family plan, family plan. They offer free mobile-to-mobile calls to any phone Verizon Wireless, not just members of your family plan, no long distances in the United States or Puerto Rico, night and weekend free minutes within the plan guidelines 9:01 pm to 5:59 am in weekdays and 12:00 to 11:59 am Saturday Sunday to all their family plans. They then offer three different coverage plans to choose from: Basic, Select and Premium, each beginning with two lines, then the next add-on fee for a telephone line attached to the plan. The basic plan offers pay as you go minutes, texts and web browser time 700 minutes, at any time for members plan to share. Select plan offers unlimited text, picture and instant messaging, pay for the use of web browsing, and 700 minutes for the members plan to share. Premium Plan offers unlimited text, picture, instant messaging, as well as the browser, unlimited access to all members of the plan, as well as 700 minutes anytime to share. With Verizon Wireless, anytime minutes are used only when calling landline phones or other mobile phone companies, because they have unlimited mobile to Verizon Wireless mobile phone. This is a great choice if you have many family members and friends that have Verizon. This is one of the important things to consider, ask to speak with people regularly, what they plan. Try to choose a company not only on price but also on how often you talk to people and what they plan.
AT & T, formerly Cingular, offers Family Talk plan. This plan offers unlimited mobile to mobile (M2M) calls (each member must be enrolled (M2M), it is no AT & T customer since the M2M plan option), you are automatically registered with the Family Talk plan, free nights and weekends ,, free long distance with no roaming charges, and any remaining minutes will be transferred to the next month, to be used, and not just lost. The basic plan begins with two lines, each additional row is then added with low add-on fee and is limited to what plan you choose, and family members living under one roof. AT & T offers seven different Family Talk plans which range from 550 national anytime minutes 6000 anytime nationwide minutes. Text web browser options and can be added additional features for additional fees.
Sprint or Nextel, Sprint Power Pack offer a Family Plan. This plan contains cells, free nights and weekends starting at 7pm, free long distance, and without the mobile phone in your Power Pack family plan. Sprint begins to plan their families with two rows and up to three additional lines for add-on fee per line. They have four different plans ranging from 550 to 3000 minutes anytime anytime minutes. Sprint offers the Sprint Power Pack Family Plan-Direct Connect. Nextel Direct Connect offers all the same options as the Sprint Power Pack Family Plan listed above, but also free nationwide Nextel Direct Connect. Direct Connect plans vary from 700 to 3000 minutes anytime anytime minutes.
T-Mobile has two different types of family plans. Firstly, (Family schedule and offers free, unlimited mobile-to-mobile minutes, in your family, unlimited nights and weekends to the T-Mobile Standard nights and weekends). They offer four different family schedules and everyone starts with two lines, and allow up to three additional lines, which are complementary add-on fee. Minutes varies from family time basic plan with 700 minutes, whenever the family schedule Ultra to 3000 anytime minutes. T-Mobile is known for its My Faves plan, and have added My Faves for the family as well. This allows any number of My Faves family plan to select five favorite numbers to get unlimited call too. If you select this plan, you get automatic free mobile to mobile to every member of your family plan only if you are in your "Faves". My Faves benefit plan that you can choose the number of other cellular carriers, and even landlines. This plan offers the flexibility to stay within minutes of their plans easily, if they are organized and know to whom you talk to most on a regular basis. My Faves for the family offers four different plans, with a slightly higher monthly premium than the basic family schedule, but with the same rules. The plan is designed for beginners two rows and each additional line, up to three, the additional monthly fee. Like AT & T, text reader and time can be purchased as additional features for each phone on the other charges.
When you need to offer a mobile phone for 2 to 5 people, usually outweigh the pluses minuses when selecting a family plan. However, research and knowledge of their families specific cellular needs is very important. Make sure to choose a plan that will enable all family members adequate time and sufficient transmission of short text messages, to avoid overage charges and penalties that reduce the bargain you thought you were getting.
Family coverage plans are a good choice for many families, because most providers offer a plan that gives each family member with their own phone number. Family members plan are able to communicate with each other (cell phones) as long as they want, without using their plans regular airtime, it also allows members of one family shared phone minutes, text messages and browser time. Making headache from overage and monitoring of minutes and text messages the past. If family members have a lower cost of calls or messages, may be transferred automatically under the plan, which applies to other members. Family plans usually offer the comfort of one law and coverage requests for service, rather than each member individually and the necessity to use children and young people may need co-signatory. Another advantage of selecting a family plan is to reduce the cost of purchasing mobile phones and accessories. Most mobile providers offer package deals on a number of phones at a reduced rate or even free when you subscribe to a specific contract.
Almost every mobile provider is a family plan, but they differ by several minutes, text messaging, browser, time, price, number of permitted lines, and they can be used in minutes (peak versus night), without penalty.
SouthernLINC Wireless' Family Plan is a Family Reunion offers three different plans. Each plan allows unlimited member-in-the airtime, unlimited long distance plan within minutes, and caller identification. SouthernLINC Wireless offers two basic plans to choose, and that includes the first number, then each additional phone line and add-on plan and the fee attached. The number of add-on, or additional lines is limited to three (in the family living at the same address). All SouthernLINC Wireless' Family Reunion plans are dependent on two-year period.
Verizon Wireless simply calls his family plan, family plan. They offer free mobile-to-mobile calls to any phone Verizon Wireless, not just members of your family plan, no long distances in the United States or Puerto Rico, night and weekend free minutes within the plan guidelines 9:01 pm to 5:59 am in weekdays and 12:00 to 11:59 am Saturday Sunday to all their family plans. They then offer three different coverage plans to choose from: Basic, Select and Premium, each beginning with two lines, then the next add-on fee for a telephone line attached to the plan. The basic plan offers pay as you go minutes, texts and web browser time 700 minutes, at any time for members plan to share. Select plan offers unlimited text, picture and instant messaging, pay for the use of web browsing, and 700 minutes for the members plan to share. Premium Plan offers unlimited text, picture, instant messaging, as well as the browser, unlimited access to all members of the plan, as well as 700 minutes anytime to share. With Verizon Wireless, anytime minutes are used only when calling landline phones or other mobile phone companies, because they have unlimited mobile to Verizon Wireless mobile phone. This is a great choice if you have many family members and friends that have Verizon. This is one of the important things to consider, ask to speak with people regularly, what they plan. Try to choose a company not only on price but also on how often you talk to people and what they plan.
AT & T, formerly Cingular, offers Family Talk plan. This plan offers unlimited mobile to mobile (M2M) calls (each member must be enrolled (M2M), it is no AT & T customer since the M2M plan option), you are automatically registered with the Family Talk plan, free nights and weekends ,, free long distance with no roaming charges, and any remaining minutes will be transferred to the next month, to be used, and not just lost. The basic plan begins with two lines, each additional row is then added with low add-on fee and is limited to what plan you choose, and family members living under one roof. AT & T offers seven different Family Talk plans which range from 550 national anytime minutes 6000 anytime nationwide minutes. Text web browser options and can be added additional features for additional fees.
Sprint or Nextel, Sprint Power Pack offer a Family Plan. This plan contains cells, free nights and weekends starting at 7pm, free long distance, and without the mobile phone in your Power Pack family plan. Sprint begins to plan their families with two rows and up to three additional lines for add-on fee per line. They have four different plans ranging from 550 to 3000 minutes anytime anytime minutes. Sprint offers the Sprint Power Pack Family Plan-Direct Connect. Nextel Direct Connect offers all the same options as the Sprint Power Pack Family Plan listed above, but also free nationwide Nextel Direct Connect. Direct Connect plans vary from 700 to 3000 minutes anytime anytime minutes.
T-Mobile has two different types of family plans. Firstly, (Family schedule and offers free, unlimited mobile-to-mobile minutes, in your family, unlimited nights and weekends to the T-Mobile Standard nights and weekends). They offer four different family schedules and everyone starts with two lines, and allow up to three additional lines, which are complementary add-on fee. Minutes varies from family time basic plan with 700 minutes, whenever the family schedule Ultra to 3000 anytime minutes. T-Mobile is known for its My Faves plan, and have added My Faves for the family as well. This allows any number of My Faves family plan to select five favorite numbers to get unlimited call too. If you select this plan, you get automatic free mobile to mobile to every member of your family plan only if you are in your "Faves". My Faves benefit plan that you can choose the number of other cellular carriers, and even landlines. This plan offers the flexibility to stay within minutes of their plans easily, if they are organized and know to whom you talk to most on a regular basis. My Faves for the family offers four different plans, with a slightly higher monthly premium than the basic family schedule, but with the same rules. The plan is designed for beginners two rows and each additional line, up to three, the additional monthly fee. Like AT & T, text reader and time can be purchased as additional features for each phone on the other charges.
When you need to offer a mobile phone for 2 to 5 people, usually outweigh the pluses minuses when selecting a family plan. However, research and knowledge of their families specific cellular needs is very important. Make sure to choose a plan that will enable all family members adequate time and sufficient transmission of short text messages, to avoid overage charges and penalties that reduce the bargain you thought you were getting.
Monday, January 4, 2010
SCVNGR: Cell Phone Scavenger Hunt Builder!
Thank you to Jeffrey Branzburg for pointing me towards a resource called SCVNGR. In SCVNGR you can participate in or create your own mobile scavenger hunts. The great aspect of this application is that you can use it with basic text messaging (no GPS or smartphone required) OR you can use it with an iPhone! Most of the scavenger hunt type applications online only use smartphones, so it is fantastic to come across one that is more accessible (since over 60% of cell phone users still have basic phones). It is very easy to create your own SMS scavenger hunts. SCVNGR using a WYSIWYG template system to set it up. Once you set it up, students can start the game themselves OR the teacher can start the game for all the students by sending a mass text message. The hunt can be anywhere! Museums, around the city, in the school, non-fiction, fiction...etc. The hunt can also be timed or not. In addition, the hunt clues can be mixed differently for each student or group of students so that they do not arrive in the same place at the same time! In addition, when you finish creating your scavenger hunt you get a handy down-loadable handout for the students with easy instruction on how to participate in your unique game (see the one I made below)! Wow! That is a great time-savor for me. No need to make a how-to tutorial! In addition, you can include pictures in the hunt and grade the pictures via the SCVNGR website! The only negative of this resource is that there is a small cost to create your own hunt (they use credits for each game). However, they do have special fees for universities (so my guess is that a school could negotiate a very small fee). There is no cost for students to play (of course they should know their text messaging plans).
Classroom Integration Ideas
Downtime Play
When students finish a test or quiz, there is usually some downtime for some of them. They could participate in or create their own mobile scavenger hunt (for example in an English class students could answer clues about the upcoming novel or in a science class they could try to answer clues about the upcoming science unit while in their seats waiting for the other students to finish).
Spring Break (or other school breaks)
Doing mobile scavenger hunts around the city (or at local museums) might be a nice way to keep students connected to the classroom learning goals while they are on break.
Student Create Their Own
Students could research local history or science phenomenon and then create a scavenger hunt for their classmates.
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