Yes, if the latest research is to be believed.

Scientists from Coventry University divided 114 children aged 9 to 10 from 10 primary schools across the Midlands into 2 groups. None of the children actually used a mobile phone, which removed the obvious potential bias of text experience.

One group was given a mobile phone to use over a 10 week period. The other group, the control group, was not.

All pupils were given tests which included reading, spelling and psychological awareness before and after the study. To ensure no continual bias, the children’s reading and spelling was also monitored over the 10 week period.  Other differences and potential problems that were taken into account included the children’s IQ score.

The results of the study found children who used the mobile phones had higher test scores than the control group. More interesting is the research also found an association between spelling and texting. The Coventry University academics believe that this association may in fact be related to the phonetic nature of texting itself; text messages use phonetic abbreviations as a form of text short hand.

Speaking with the Daily Telegraph, Professor Clare Wood who is senior lecturer in the university’s psychology department said: “We are now starting to see consistent evidence that children’s use of text message abbreviations has a positive impact on their spelling skills.  “There is no evidence that children’s language play when using mobile phones is damaging literacy development.”

This experiment also appears to confirm the use of phonetics itself improves reading.