Messaging add-on uses kids’ own text mistakes to improve their literacy

iCorrect is an add-on for iMessage, which highlights mistakes in text messages and forces the user to correct them before they can be sent.

There is great concern that text communication is destroying the brains of young people — it removes the need for understanding and the utilization of correct spelling and grammar. While there is a certain hyperbole to such sentiments, it is true that tools such as predictive text are pretty unhelpful — enabling youngsters and grown ups alike to continue making the same mistakes over and over without ever learning why, or how to correct them. Now, iCorrect is an independently created, educational add-on for Apple’s iMessage, which highlights writing mistakes and forces the composer to correct them before the message can be sent.

Parents can engage the tool via iOS’s parental controls. Once activated, whenever the user composes a message, iCorrect will automatically highlight any spelling or grammar errors with a red dotted underline. The author must then return to the error and correct it before they will be able to send the text. If they are unsure they can summon up an explanatory box, which offers tips about how to fix their mistake. In this way, iCorrect turns every text message into a lesson for the user.

How else could educational tools be integrated seamlessly into young ones’ tech?