Television and school performance

 

Does television affect school performance? Many researchers have found that there are strong links between television viewing habits and children performance in school. Studies have shown that children who spend a lot of time in front of the TV get lower grades than their peers who watch little or no TV. It has also been shown that children who have television sets in their bedrooms earn lower test scores than children with no television sets in their bedrooms.

There are those who see TV as a potential educational tool. However there are actually very few programs on TV that teach children important academic or thinking skills. Most programs aimed at children, such as cartoons, for example, contain little valuable content. Children who spend more time watching TV, spend less time doing homework or interacting with other people. They learn to be passive rather than active. Research supports the view that parents interested in supporting their children's success in school should keep the television turned off.

 

TV has been blamed for a lot of things, most particularly for poor school performance. However, we can't blame the mere fact of TV-watching for low achievement in school. For one thing, not all TV watchers are low achievers. Japanese children, who as a whole have higher test scores than American children, watch more hours of TV than their American counterparts. For another thing, in the past two decades, the amount of time American children spend watching TV has declined, but overall test scores have not risen. The fact is, research shows that children who watch an hour or so of TV daily, but not more, actually do better in school than children who don't watch TV at all.

Why is this? TV can expose children to new ideas and information that they might otherwise not have access to. Children who watch TV occasionally are probably discriminating in the programs they choose to view. Research suggests that an important point is the amount of time spent in front of the TV. Children who spend three hours a day or more in front of the TV do poorly in school, scoring lower on both math and reading tests than children who watch some, but less, TV.

Guidelines for parents include: limiting children TV-watching time to no more than two hours a day; guiding children in their choice of programs to watch; discouraging eating while watching TV; and encouraging children to participate in other sorts of activities such as reading, playing outside, or visiting zoos museums.

I Read the text. Write your notes on the Reading Outline.

II Paraphrase the following sentences.

1. It has also been shown that children who have television sets in their bedrooms earn lower test scores than children with no television sets.

2. There are those who see TV as a potential educational tool. However, there are actually very few programs on TV that teach children important academic skills.

3. Most programs aimed at children cartoons, for example, contain valuable content.

4. Children who spend more time watching TV spend less time doing homework or interacting with people. They learn to be passive rather than active.

5. Research supports the view that parents interested in supporting their children’s success in school should keep the television turned off.

6. TV can expose children to new ideas and information that they might otherwise not have access to.

7. The key here is the amount of time spent in front of the TV.

8. Children who spend three hours a day or more in front of the TV do poorly in school, scoring lower on both math and reading tests than children who watch some, but less, TV.

 

III State the main idea and write notes.

 

IV Give the supporting details for the main idea.

 

V Rewrite each idea as a restatement of point of view. Use reporting verbs: believe, think, suggest, describe, propose, assert, tell, warn, state, say, point out, explain.

Example: The author states that …

The author believes that…

VI For each paraphrase below add an appropriate reporting verb.

 

1. Original Most programs aimed at children, such as cartoons, for example, contain little valuable content.

Paraphrase The author __________ that most children’s TV programs do not have valuable content.

 

2. Original The fact is, research shows that children who watch

an hour or so of TV daily, but not more, actually do better in school than children who don’t watch TV at all.

Paraphrase The speaker ___________ that when children don’t watch TV they actually do better in school.

3. Original Research supports the view that parents interested

in supporting their children’s success in school should keep the television turned off.

Paraphrase The author __________ that parents can help their children by turning off the television.

4. Original TV can expose children to new ideas and

information that they might not have access to.

Paraphrase The speaker __________ that sometimes TV is

helpful for getting new information.

5. Original There are those who see TV as a potential

educational tool. However, there are actually very few programs on TV that teach children important academic thinking skills. Most programs aimed at children contain little valuable content.

Paraphrase The author ___________ that some people think of

TV as educational but most children’s programs

actually do not contain much educational content.