The Desirability of Short Message Service ( SMS) Technology in Language Teaching and Learning

Abstract

The evolution of handheld portable devices, such as mobile phone and wireless technology has resulted in radical changes in people's lifestyles around the world, including learning. Mobile phone which houses the short message service (SMS) is the most widely used technology in the world and the closest to the language learners. This paper therefore takes a look at how SMS technology can be a language teaching and learning potential the earlier negative findings not withstanding. As many educational institutions today suffer from cuts in contact hours, large class size, insufficient and lack of qualified language teachers, the SMS technology offers a way of counteracting these constraints by making the language learning process interesting and student- centered. The paper observes that the courtesy of the SMS students are now engaging in reading and writing more than ever before and that educators can harness the technology to help students learn school- related content such as sparking students' thinking processes, note- taking, comprehension of materials presented through an audio system, summary writing, vocabulary development and audience analysis in writing. The paper however recommends that educators should be skillful and sensitive in exploiting this language teaching and learning phenomenon.