YOUNGSTERS at a city primary school took time out from their studies to pen letters to The Sentinel – to prove that old-fashioned communication isn't dead.

The letters, penned by pupils at Stoke Minster Primary School, were all part of a special project on communication in which children looked at the many different ways of getting a message across including sign language, braille and semaphore. They shunned text messages, emails and mobile phones to extol the virtues of letter-writing.

Teacher Bridget Harrison said: "The children chose to write the letters because people don't tend to write letters anymore and it was about showing the pupils that they get the same response as a text message or an email."

The collection of letters focuses on how modern technology is killing verbal communication. Pupils began thinking about the idea and writing down their thoughts after conducting questionnaires at home.

Mrs Harrison said: "We had a questionnaire where the children asked their parents and grandparents questions such as 'Did they have a TV in their room when they were younger?', 'Did they have a pen pal?' and 'Did they eat together as a family?'"

The children discovered that when using mobile phones, emails and games consoles they spend less time speaking to each other.

Families having at different times and not eating together also meant there was less verbal communication than in the past.

Cory Stone, aged eight, from Stoke, said: "People don't eat at the table anymore because they have little sofas but they used to sit at a round or rectangle table. This lets you have a little chat about the next day."

Nikita Sayer, aged eight, from Fenton, agreed: "Technology is killing communication because 60 or 70 years ago people were eating together, now children are just playing Xbox games."

Jamie Jackson, aged nine, from Stoke, had a similar view but thought dinner table dining was a far more recent event.

He said: "Ten years ago people were sitting round tables, eating, talking and playing board games.

"Now sometimes I'm not always listening and I just go and play."

Among the group, games consoles were seen as a big distraction.

Leah Gater, aged nine, from Stoke, said: "I think that it is killing communication if you have an Xbox or PlayStation, children just get distracted instead of going out and playing with their friends and talking and they don't speak to their family as much."

The children also found many people relied on technology for contacting people that were close at hand.

Leah Mason, aged 10, from Stoke, said: "I think technology is killing communication because when there's somebody next door you phone or email them which makes your bill bigger."

Chelsea Day, aged nine, from Stoke, could think of a similar example of technology taking over talk.

She said: "Kids sit next to each other and send emails, they're using electric things when they could be talking."

Since investigating communication some of the children have changed their ways.

Chelsea said: "I don't go on my phone all the time now and when we have guests I talk to them."

Leah Gater said: "Now when my auntie comes round I don't go on the Xbox."

Leah Mason said: "Instead of eating when I get in I now wait for my mum and dad and we have tea together."