by: jimmycox
Total views: 1
Word Count: 657

Much has been written about the way in which the mass media of communication affect children. Paul Witty has systematically studied this question over a period of years; he has summarized information on how many hours a week children spend viewing television, which programs they watch, what effect television has on their reading. Elementary school children spend, on the average, about twenty-seven hours a week looking at TV programs. Their parents spend about the same amount of time; teachers and high school students spend less. Except in individual cases, there is no clear evidence that watching TV decreases reading. But it will be interesting to hear what some teen-agers say about the influence TV has had on them. Undoubtedly, TV competes with reading, as the following statements suggest: "When I see dramatizations of stories on TV, I have no urge to read books about them." "TV has affected my reading, because when a good television movie comes on, I stop reading." In defense of television, radio, and movies other teen-agers give them credit for a number of values, some not commonly assigned. The most common comment is that these media sometimes stimulate them to read or to buy books. A bright girl with excellent reading ability gave several concrete examples: TV, the movies and comics have had some effect on my reading. For example, I saw an episode last year which was taken from the book Pride and Prejudice. I became so interested in the plot and characters that I got the book from the library and read it. Another time I saw the movie Flicka and its sequel Thunderhead and eventually read both books. These are just examples and have occurred many times. These few quotations suggest most of the pros and cons of radio, TV, and movies as they are related to reading: they do enrich the child's experience background for reading; they introduce him to new words, thus increasing his vocabulary; they may arouse his interest in reading certain books and plays; they may stimulate him to compare the book with the television, radio, or movie version. Whether TV and radio increase one's listening ability is an open question. Sometimes it seems as if continuous bombardment by insignificant sounds must cause psychological deafness, or a disinclination to listen. Even more has been written about the effect of comics, especially on juvenile crime and mental health. The teen-agers have something to say about the values of comic books. They make three main points: reading the comics may give one the impression that reading in general might be fun; it is necessary to acquire some reading ability in order to understand the comics; and certain comics may lead one toward a better quality of reading material. They have expressed these ideas in their own words as follows: "Comics gave me a funny point of view of reading." [If comics convey the idea that reading might be fun instead of drab drudgery, they serve one useful purpose, especially for reluctant readers.] "TV, radio and movies have no effect on my reading ability. But comics tell me what is going on. So comics have helped me in my reading." Reading will survive television as it has survived other competitors. The more able learners prefer to use their own imaginations rather than accept the producer's version of a story. They prefer to reflect on what they read rather than be hurried from one program to another. The interruptions for commercial messages annoy them. And they want to have access to the ancient and modern wisdom of the world. These programs do take up a lot of children's time. But we can help them plan a balanced day, including time for reading, for outdoor activities, for being alone, and for being with friends. If used wisely, the mass media can actually help children's reading.

About the Author

Here's How To Improve Your Child's Reading Comprehension Strategy With Little Or No Effort Click Here For Free Online Ebook http://www.readingcomprehensionstrategy.com/

---

View PDF | Print View

---

Rating: Not yet rated

--Choose-- 0 1 2 3 4 5

Comments

No comments posted.

Add Comment

You do not have permission to comment. If you log in, you may be able to comment.
Next Article - Create-It-Yourself Kids Kites: A Unique Solution For Entertaining Kids
Previous Article - 10 Ways to Make Going Green Fun for Your Family

More Related Articles In This Category

1: Tips to Help Children Deal With the Transition of Moving
2: Tackling Sexual Issues With Your Teenager
3: 3 Tips to Help Your Children Cope With the Changes of Moving
4: 12 Ways to Raise Your Family on One Income
5: 5 Tips on How to Skyrocket Your Happiness as a New Mom
6: Be a Sexier New Mom: 5 Ideas to a Mini Makeover with Big Results
7: How to Protect Your Children When Using the Internet
8: How to Green a Child's Birthday Party
9: How To Keep Your Child Safe On A Playground
10: Internet and Kids: How Young Is Too Young?
11: How to Set Parental Controls with Internet Explorer
12: Internet Safety Tools that Can Protect Your Child
13: Father's Day with Grandfathers: Ten Ways to Help Your Kids Celebrate Grandpa
14: Where Is Child Protection When You Need It
15: 3 Ways to Boost Your Child's Photographic Memory
16: Teaching Children About Money, You Can Never Invest Too Early
17: What Kind Of Parent Are You?
18: 10 Tips For Raising Kids in an E-Mail World
19: Tips On Coming Out Gay To Kids
20: How to Keep an Eye on Your Kids Online
21: How I Scored Free Diapers for Life
22: How To Prevent Poisonings
23: Parents: How To Deal With Adolescent Taboos
24: Who's Winning the Mom Wars?
25: What's in Your Mattress

---

For WebMasters

Link This Article - HTML Code -

<a href="http://americanahost.com/articles/family/parenting/mass-media-vs.-reading-the-battle-continues.html" target=_blank>Mass Media vs. Reading: The Battle Continues</a>

Link This Article - BBcode -

[url=http://americanahost.com/articles/family/parenting/mass-media-vs.-reading-the-battle-continues.html]Mass Media vs. Reading: The Battle Continues[/url]

Copy This HTML Code To Put This Article In Your Web Site.

<h1>Mass Media vs. Reading: The Battle Continues</h1><br><br> <br><br> Much has been written about the way in which the mass media of communication affect children. Paul Witty has systematically studied this question over a period of years; he has summarized information on how many hours a week children spend viewing television, which programs they watch, what effect television has on their reading. Elementary school children spend, on the average, about twenty-seven hours a week looking at TV programs. Their parents spend about the same amount of time; teachers and high school students spend less. Except in individual cases, there is no clear evidence that watching TV decreases reading. But it will be interesting to hear what some teen-agers say about the influence TV has had on them. Undoubtedly, TV competes with reading, as the following statements suggest: "When I see dramatizations of stories on TV, I have no urge to read books about them." "TV has affected my reading, because when a good television movie comes on, I stop reading." In defense of television, radio, and movies other teen-agers give them credit for a number of values, some not commonly assigned. The most common comment is that these media sometimes stimulate them to read or to buy books. A bright girl with excellent reading ability gave several concrete examples: TV, the movies and comics have had some effect on my reading. For example, I saw an episode last year which was taken from the book Pride and Prejudice. I became so interested in the plot and characters that I got the book from the library and read it. Another time I saw the movie Flicka and its sequel Thunderhead and eventually read both books. These are just examples and have occurred many times. These few quotations suggest most of the pros and cons of radio, TV, and movies as they are related to reading: they do enrich the child's experience background for reading; they introduce him to new words, thus increasing his vocabulary; they may arouse his interest in reading certain books and plays; they may stimulate him to compare the book with the television, radio, or movie version. Whether TV and radio increase one's listening ability is an open question. Sometimes it seems as if continuous bombardment by insignificant sounds must cause psychological deafness, or a disinclination to listen. Even more has been written about the effect of comics, especially on juvenile crime and mental health. The teen-agers have something to say about the values of comic books. They make three main points: reading the comics may give one the impression that reading in general might be fun; it is necessary to acquire some reading ability in order to understand the comics; and certain comics may lead one toward a better quality of reading material. They have expressed these ideas in their own words as follows: "Comics gave me a funny point of view of reading." [If comics convey the idea that reading might be fun instead of drab drudgery, they serve one useful purpose, especially for reluctant readers.] "TV, radio and movies have no effect on my reading ability. But comics tell me what is going on. So comics have helped me in my reading." Reading will survive television as it has survived other competitors. The more able learners prefer to use their own imaginations rather than accept the producer's version of a story. They prefer to reflect on what they read rather than be hurried from one program to another. The interruptions for commercial messages annoy them. And they want to have access to the ancient and modern wisdom of the world. These programs do take up a lot of children's time. But we can help them plan a balanced day, including time for reading, for outdoor activities, for being alone, and for being with friends. If used wisely, the mass media can actually help children's reading.<br><br> <h3>About The Author</h3> Here's How To Improve Your Child's Reading Comprehension Strategy With Little Or No Effort Click Here For Free Online Ebook http://www.readingcomprehensionstrategy.com/<br><br> Keywords: <b>reading comprehension strategy, speed reading course</b> <br><br>Article Source : <a href="http://americanahost.com/articles"><b>Articles Directory</b></a></br> Article URL : <a href="http://americanahost.com/articles/family/parenting/mass-media-vs.-reading-the-battle-continues.html" target=_blank>Mass Media vs. Reading: The Battle Continues</a></br> Article Category : <a href="http://americanahost.com/articles/family/parenting/">Parenting</a></br> Article Author : <a href="http://americanahost.com/articles/profile/jimmycox-332.html">jimmycox</a>

---

Article URL : Mass Media vs. Reading: The Battle Continues
Article Category : Parenting
Article Author : jimmycox