A new add on for iMessage is helping kids to correct their spelling mistakes in a bid to improve literacy. iCorrect is activated via parental controls on iOS devices. Once activated the add on will underline spelling and grammar mistakes in all text messages and will require the sender to make corrections before the message can be sent. If they struggle to find the correct spelling, a help box will appear.

The idea behind the add-on is to help turn everyday interactions into a learning experience. With predictive text messaging and automatic spell check, young people who are learning literacy skills miss an opportunity to correct themselves and to learn as they text. More than 75% of kids under the age of 8 have access to a mobile device and they send an average of 89 text messages a day.

Parents and teachers have been voicing concerns that the technology is having a negative effect on spelling and writing skills. iCorrect helps them to integrate learning into their daily experience.

At the moment iCorrect is only available for use with traditional text messages, it does not work with WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger – both apps that are favoured by teens for their private and group messaging functions.

How do I turn on iCorrect?

If you have downloaded the latest updates for your iPhone then you should be able to switch iCorrect on.

• Open the settings app on your iPhone
• Choose ‘General’ from the list
• Choose ‘Restrictions’ – restrictions means parental controls. This is where you can update all of the settings that you want to control on the phone.
• Find iCorrect and switch it on so that the button turns green:

• iCorrect should now be activated when you send a text message