Artifact reflection

Children, Media, and Language

2019

Television Media Exposure Should you view before two? The American Academy of Pediatric recommends that children under two should have ZERO exposure to television media, including DVDs/videos.

Why is this the recommendation? A huge reason is that exposure to screen media has been found to have adverse effects on the language development of children at the toddler level. This means that your preschooler could be negatively impacted,

But what if the content of the media is educational? It does seem logical that media marketed specifically to children for educational purposes would be beneficial to the development of your child. Alas, there has been no proven correlation between media that makes “educational” claims. However, we do know that the more adult like the content is, the more adverse the effects on language. Content does matter.

Who is at the most risk? Unfortunately, children from families with a lower socioeconomic background are at a higher risk for developing the adverse effects on their language, because they have been documented to have the greatest exposure to media.

Graduating to Screen Media Adverse effects to media are seen primarily in children who have been exposed under the age of two. By the time your child is ready to graduate from preschool, he or she is ready for family movie night or Saturday morning cartoons.

Remember to screen for content, limit the duration, and enjoy interacting with your child in front of the TV, and always. Your interactions are crucial to support your child’s language development. “Several high-quality educational television shows

including Blues Clues, Sesame Street, Barney, and others, have proven educational value when viewed appropriately by children ages 2-1/2 to 5 years.” (Anderson, 1998)

What You Can Do Ideas to Support Language Development Besides the obvious adjustment of avoiding screen media before the age of two, you can bolster your child’s early language development in other ways:

• Read, talk, and sing to your infants! Even when babies are not yet able to respond verbally, they are taking cues from you and comprehending far more than they can express.

• To support emerging literacy, label everyday items around the house. Children will begin to associate the objects with the symbol/word for them.

• Be mindful of your language use. Defining words, giving synonyms, and relating them to the experiences of your child will help support their vocabulary.

• Engage in dramatic and pretend play with your children. This will support their ability to form their own narratives, a crucial component of adult-like discourse.

• Keep books and other reading material readily available. A small library specifically for your child will ensure that they have access to the world of language.