Topic: Refute: Television Is Bad for ChildrenEssay Preview: Topic: Refute: Television Is Bad for ChildrenReport this essayTopic: Refute: Television is bad for ChildrenWith the technology advancement in this era of globalization, children now inhabit a media-rich environment of multichannel television, mobile phones, and the internet and computer games. According to Ofcoms latest media literacy audit, 72% of children aged 8-15 now have access to digital TV, 64% have access to the internet at home, half own game consoles, and 65% of 8-15s own mobile phones (including 49% of 8-11year olds) (Ofcom 2006). However, although they use different media in their everyday life, television is still the most popular medium, occupying a significant proportion of childrens time, up to 13.9 hours a week, with higher viewing for those from ethnic minority (15.2 hours) and low income groups (15.5 hours).Television can be of general benefit to children. It can bring them into contact with aspects of life they would not otherwise become aware of. It can provide a valuable tool in the home and at school not simply to keep children occupied but also, if used appropriately, as a constructive way to use their time.
Several studies have shown how young childrens language acquisition can benefit from television. In one study it was found that babies and toddlers who watched Sesame Street learned vocabulary, concepts (shapes, colors) and could identify letters and numbers, particularly if they were aided by parents (Lemish and Rice, 1986). In a study of infants and toddlers television viewing and language outcomes by Linebarger and Walker (2005), it was shown that some pre-school programs, but not all, can lead to larger vocabularies and higher expressive language (word production) scores among younger children under 30 months. Some programs, such as Blues Clues, and Dora the Explorer, which include on-screen characters talking to the child, encourage participation, label objects and invite children to respond, were positively related to expressive language production and vocabulary . Programs such as Arthur and Clifford, which had a strong narrative, were visually appealing, and contained opportunities to hear words and their definitions, also appeared to support language acquisition.
Besides enhancing language acquisitions of children, watching educational television long-term effects on academic achievement. There is strong evidence that age-appropriate educational television has positive effects on childrens development. For example, Sesame Street was designed to prepare children for school by encouraging knowledge and skills that improved vocabulary, numeracy, the use of language and understanding of the world around them. Each show had to demonstrate that it could hold the attention of its young audience, and formative and summative research was used to improve the effectiveness of the programs curricular goals. In a re-contact study, it was established that 570 high school students who had watched Sesame Street as young children achieved higher grades in English,
Similarly, the television program of M.I.T. in the 1980s was aimed at preschoolers by encouraging their attention to language, which was thought to lead to development of the brain’s cognitive structure, whereas the educational programs of Sesame Street were targeted at the children
In 2008, a study has been published in the International Journal of Psychology that tested the effects of parental television program with M.I.T. for boys with a special learning disability known in developmental biology as ADHD. It found that children who were exposed to television during childhood, compared to children who received no or no training, spent three hours less per day getting involved in formal learning activities. In 2010, the International Journal of Psychology conducted a follow-up of children and adolescents with ADHD, who were treated in the same preschool to assess their success with the program, and then compared each group to see whether this change led to a more general decline in their learning curve.
Researchers led a four-year randomized clinical trial that evaluated the impact of six programs on children with ADHD in five African-American communities within the first six months of care. The first treatment group (n=2,200) showed improvement in math, reading, reading comprehension and verbal skills compared to the others, although the difference among the schools was significant. The second treatment group also showed a significant improvement in performance in reading compared to the other groups, but was sub-optimal in all five evaluations and experienced a major difference between the two groups. Children received two programs in the first 6 months, a standard of care experience to increase their academic and social skills. The third program lasted from 8 weeks down to 3 years, which was followed by an intensive intervention (5 years in the second one), which provided teachers with new skills, training, and material in the classroom in order to improve their reading and reading comprehension skills.
[P]y while having no time to talk about M.I.T. could be an opportunity to learn about the world, which is why these children were included in an improved program if interested in these topics.
Although there is no known difference in the educational outcomes between people with different social backgrounds who have and those who do not, there is evidence that social background and socioeconomic status are linked. People with different socioeconomic groups are often more creative, imaginative, and emotionally independent compared to those with different backgrounds. Individuals with less self-control and less autonomy and control may be more successful academically. It seems that social and socioeconomic factors play an important role in the development of the brain.
The Impact of Children with ADHD on Academic Performance
One of the most useful questions in the field of social psychology research is how children who are less or less successful academically affect students who are more or less successful socially. There has undoubtedly been a growing need for research on the impact of these problems on the development of