It is undeniable that not having text chat puts you at a huge disadvantage in the game, but changing it is not an option for a large amount of players. Although changing that would not be a valid option for legal reasons, we can improve upon it. I propose that Kingsisle allow some common text chat phrases to be seen by menu chat users.I don't mean green-lighting certain words, but making certain sentences translate into text chat phrases.
For example, "ty" or "thx" would be turned into "Thanks!" While un-recognized phrases like "thanks blaze" would still show up as "...". This would require a lot of work on Kingsisle's part with typing up all the necessary sentences and their menu-chat alternatives, but I think it would help chat-less wizards be more effective while still allowing Wizard101 to boast a safe environment to those under 13 or unwilling to use text chat.
Please feel free to add your own suggestion or tell me what you think!