This article is about a new English course that is being taught in New York. Spanish-speaking students learn English through text messaging and phone calls with instructors. No phone application is needed and the course is free to all who would like to learn English, as it is funded by the New York state government. About 300 students are currently enrolled in the course. The program, called Cell-Ed progresses through several levels; the ultimate goal is to be able to pass the English proficiency exam for American citizenship.
This is a low-stakes, yet effective English course that I think is great and could be potentially incorporated into composition courses. The course matches what is needed in a modern world. Traditional English classes, in my opinion, are on their way out, and classes such as this will take their place. Though I would never encourage “text talk” like “lol” and “omg” in formal writing, I think modern tools like cell phones have value and can be used in an academic setting.