According to a poll published by Jean Gross, the Government's communications adviser, revealed that 22 percent of boys and 13 percent of girls have trouble developing speech and understanding other people. It emerged that middle class children were as likely to develop speech problems as children from less fluent families. This seems to be because thousands of households keep their TV on big parts or even all day. Even when the children are not watching the TV themselves, the background noise makes it hard for them to understand the speech of their parents or others around them.Source:
The Daily Mail
Monday, 4 January 2010
Reaction: I am not surprised that children have problems with developing their speech because of the television. When I was young our television stood in the attic and we were only allowed to watch television when it was after four
o'clock and raining or in the evening. If I was at a friends house where they did have a television in the living room I was always distracted. Then when children stay inside watching the television they don't talk to their friend so I think these children miss out a lot of occasions where they usually would 'practise' their speech.
This is indeed not very surprising. If children watch often television they have no time to play and interact with other children. Children learn their language if they practice a lot in speaking. A child have to practice and make mistakes to become a good speaker. Parents should interact with their children more often, for example during the dinner. Nowadays children eat their dinner often in front of the television. That is ridiculous!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI agree with you, when I was young, I was not allowed to watch television when I wanted either. What I did instead was going outside and play with friends, which is better for a childs development I think.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenFor me it isn't surprising too, but I think this is a big problem. Children who are not able to speak clearly will have problems at school. I think that with watching television they will hear a lot of different words, but they don't know how and when to use them. When a parent talks to a child he/she uses words to make something clear, and that's when children do understand the context.
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