Feature of the Month: TV Time
As the weather
cools and we spend more time indoors, watching
TV is one of my favorite pastimes! Children love TV as well,
and although it is always a good idea to “limit”
the time spent watching TV, if you change the way
you watch TV, it can become a fun and interactive
language learning experience!
For younger children, shows like Sesame Street can be wonderful
learning experiences. The key is to talk to your child and
interact with them while watching. In addition, your sentences
should be short and match the length of your child’s sentences. If
you child is combining 2-3 word phrases then your comments should
be no longer than 3-4 word phrases or sentences. Here are some
strategies to use while watching TV with your young child:
Parallel Talk
Talk about or “narrate” what
is going on during the show such as “Elmo running,”
or “Big bird walking,” or “Ernie laughing.”
Self Talk
Ask questions out loud such as “I wonder
what Elmo is going to do?” or “Why did Cookie Monster
steal cookies?’ Or,
narrate your own actions, “Mom’s watching Elmo,”
“We love watching Cookie Monster eat.”
Wait
Watch your child carefully for a minute to
see what part of the program is interesting to
him and then comment on what he is interested in. For example,
if you notice he is laughing at Cookie Monster
then talk about Cookie Monster. Make
a comment and then wait, give him a turn to comment
back.
For older children, you can use the following activities with your
child before, during, or after watching a television program. These
fabulous ideas were adapted from Talking And Television, by
Anthony B. DeFeo, Ph.D; Diann D. Grimm, M.A. C.C.C., Ed.S.; and Patricia
A. Paige, M.S., C.C.C.
Give background information. Review previous episodes of continuing
stories. Before viewing a program, discuss the main
events and characters that will be seen. Talk
about characters and settings while watching
the show.
Focus attention. Alert your child to watch for particular
details, including action, sound effects, and visual
images. Ask your child to listen carefully
and remember as much as possible. After the show, ask your
child to re-tell you the story. Ask your
child to talk about what is happening on the
screen.
Relate information to the real world. Have
your child identify objects on TV that
are the same as those at home. Tie in events on TV to
your child’s home or school routine. Highlight
TV events that are similar to family experiences
and trips.
Interpret events. Explain
the actions and behavior of people and animals. Separate
reality from TV fantasy. (Would that really happen? Is
there such a thing?)
Predict events. Ask
what might happen in the upcoming show and encourage
your child to guess what comes next. Ask
your child to predict what would happen in
similar real-life situations.
Discover humor. Talk about
the events that make you and your child
laugh. Talk about what makes a scene funny. Point
out how double meanings create humor (puns,
idioms).
Discover feelings. Describe
how you felt after watching a particular
scene. Ask how your child felt about it. Ask your
child what how characters are feeling. Point
out how music sets an emotional mood.
Shape values. Identify
good and bad traits of characters (real and cartoon).
Compare these characters to people your child
knows. Ask your child what would happen
if he/she met similar characters in real life.
Encourage your child to express opinions and
preferences. Then share your own viewpoint.
Ask what shows and characters are your child’s
favorite and why. When a particular show is
inappropriate for your child to watch, explain
the reasons for your decision not to let him/her
watch that show.
Keep in mind that every day events like TV watching can always be
turned into better speech and language activities. It’s
a good idea to give your child a turn with the remote! We hope that
TV sharing time with your child will be a very positive learning
experience.
