For decades, the
English accent has been a mark of refinement and eloquence
in movies and television programs. On the screen, British
characters often come across as highly intelligent, and
they have a way of putting things just so.
In contrast with this cheerful stereotype, a recent report
from the United Kingdom's National Literacy Trust says that
many young children in the British Isles are not acquiring
the language skills they need. As a result, many British
tots have trouble expressing themselves. It is sadly ironic,
but the very medium that gives Americans the image of the
endlessly clever English wordsmith is the thing that most
likely hinders young Brits from learning their own native
tongue. According to the report, television may be exactly
what is keeping kids from practicing their words.
As we have seen in countless other studies, the problem
with television is a matter of both amount and content.
Some of the children who had trouble picking up language
skills were already watching two or more hours of TV each
day. Babies and toddlers who habitually watched programs
intended for older, sometimes much older, audiences had
trouble too. According to the researchers, complex narratives,
excessive stimulation, and adult themes were associated
with low performance on measurements of language skills.
The problem has become so severe that England's chief inspector
of schools has chastised the nation's parents for failing
to teach their children to speak properly.
A few months ago, I wrote about the danger of letting television
play a big role in the lives of babies and toddlers. I warned
parents against orienting young ones to electronic media
at a time when their essential activity is exploring the
world around them. This new British report doesn't just
confirm my fears. It raises the stakes for parents everywhere.
American kids are not immune to this new English problem.
The average American child watches an alarming 25 hours
of TV each week - and much of the research in the British
report came from studies of American children. If the wee
ones of England are having trouble finding their words,
you can bet that there are plenty of Yankee Doodle toddlers
with the same handicap. Think of the frustration and confusion
that must accompany an inability to express one's thoughts.
This isn't something anyone should have to face, let alone
your own children.
As parents, we need to take a MediaWise approach to our
kids' first years, so that they can learn to tell us what
they are thinking. Otherwise, we could be on the verge of
raising a generation of tikes who can barely tell us where
it hurts.
Fortunately, the news from across the pond isn't all bad.
According to the same report, good-quality educational TV,
watched in moderation, may be helpful in teaching children
the skills they need in the areas of comprehension, phonics,
and language. The kids who watched and discussed age-appropriate
programs with adults seemed to reap the most benefit. As
I always say, the media can be a powerful force for good
or for bad. It's up to us to choose.
David Walsh, Ph.D. is the founder of the
MediaWise Movement, a program of the National Institute
on Media and the Family (www.mediafamily.org).
His next book, Why Do They Act That Way? A Survival Guide
to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen will be released
this summer.
Our
media culture is changing how kids learn.
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