COMPREHENSION

M-NET

QUESTIONS:

1. Look at the programmes for children

1.1 How long are the programmes for small children on?

1.2 Write down the title of a sci-fi programme?

1.3 Which karate expert has a programme based on him?

1.4 Why are children’s programmes shorter than adult’s programmes?

2. Look at the programmes after 11:00

2.1 How many programmes on rugby will be aired?

2.2 Explain what an interactive show is?

2.3 Explain what selective viewing is?

2.4 If you were to watch one programme, which one would you choose?

2.5 Write down the different types of programmes and their titles.

DEBATING

Prepare yourself for a discussion on possible advantages and disadvantages of watching television.

A. Think of reasons, which you are able to justify, in order to convince your parents that a television is necessary. (Write down your ideas.)

B. Discuss the view that television is responsible for many of the problems in our society (write down your main ideas).

DID YOU KNOW?

YOU CAN ACQUIRE THIS SKILL!

Example: Thinking about what you’re listening to, and linking it to what you know, is known as ACTIVE LISTENING.

NOTE TAKING AND SUMMARISING

What do you know about note-taking and summarising?

Your educator will now show you how to take notes while listening to a story or a report, and how to summarise your notes.

Write down the three main guidelines given by your teacher for each of the two activities.

Now write your own notes on the story or report that the teacher presents to you.

READING AND VIEWING

READ THE FOLLOWING REPORT ON TELEVISION AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS IN WRITING:

Regardless of the content of the programmes, television watching affects the development of children.

Recent research shows that television watching has an adverse effect on children’s thinking, speaking, imagination, senses, physique, feelings and behaviour. It is important for parents to be aware of these effects.

TV zombies?

Television watching puts children into a passive, trance-like state where they become ‘TV zombies” – a condition quite different from their natural active, playful state when they are not watching. Some parents of young children observed that:

‘My five year old goes into a trance when he watches TV.

He just gets locked into what is happening on the screen.

He’s totally, absolutely absorbed when he is watching and oblivious to anything else.’

‘They’re cross and irritable after they watched.’

‘After watching, they’re nervous, bored and disagreeable, only slowly coming back to normal.’

What, then, do children experience while watching television?

The ‘plug-in drug’ – TV addiction

Television has been called the ‘Plug-in Drug’ because many people find they cannot stop watching. People joke about being ‘hooked on TV.’ Watching television allows the viewer to blow out the real world and enter into a pleasurable and passive mental state where the normal worries and anxieties of life can be forgotten.

How long do children spend watching television?

Two out of every three school children watch TV for 3-5 hours daily, or between 21-35 hours each week, according to a recent survey. A survey completed in the United States shows an average of 30 hours a week for pre-school children. In West Germany, 80% of school children gave TV as their favourite hobby. Further research in America showed that about three million children, from 2 – 11 years, watched television until midnight.

Anti-social behaviour

The content of violent programmes may affect children’s behaviour, for they learn by imitation. However, regardless of the contents of the programmes, TV watching may cause anti-social behaviour. Relating to others as objects rather than human beings can contribute to violence. Also, when watching TV, children have the impression that they are taking part in an activity when, in fact they are only passive observers. Children who are heavy viewers are less able to judge the real feelings and problems of others in real life situations.

Has TV any educational value?

Which is better qualified to teach a child, a machine or another human being? Experienced teachers have noted that children who watch a lot of television forget most of what they have seen after a very short time. This could be due to the fact that children are not actively taking part in the process. The American programme ‘Sesame Street’ was specially designed to help disadvantaged pre-school children to catch up with the knowledge and language skills of the more fortunate children. A 1975 survey suggests that the children who only watched it occasionally made more progress in learning than those who were heavy viewers of the programme.

COMPREHENSION ACTIVITY

Answer the following questions based on the report written by the TV Action Group.

1. Do only programmes containing violence affect children's development? Explain.

2. Why is television referred to as the "Plug-In Drug"?

3. List two points that you agree with and say why you agree?

4. How do children begin to see other children when they often watch TV programmes containing violence?

5. After reading the last paragraph, how is TV's educational value explained?

6. Decide on a suitable title for this article?

Comprehension activity:

1. No, the programme content is irrelevant. TV watching makes children passive, it turns them into TV addicts, it makes them avoid the realities of life and causes anti-social behaviour.

2. People (especially children) simply “plug in” (turn on the TV) to escape from real life, and find it so pleasurable that they want to do nothing else.

4. They see others as objects and are also unable to judge the real feelings of others in real life situations.

5. It is valuable when it is only occasionally watched, as children need to be actively involved in the learning process.

6. Own

Example: The mental and physical effects of TV viewing.