Following the 1920s, television changed how we consume information and interact with other people. Giving children TV time allows working parents to multitask at home in these unprecedented times. Nowadays, many families have a television in their home. These devices can be found in the living rooms, perched on top of a white gloss TV stand with LED lights. The TV is an essential part of every household.
Similar to other forms of technology, watching TV has its pros and cons. Overexposure to TV limits children’s ability to understand concepts they’re not used to. This issue and the problem of regulation prove that children require moderate exposure to TV. With that said, there are many other benefits students can reap from watching TV.
From improved vocabulary to access to role models, here are seven reasons why watching TV is good for students:
1. Learn new words from TV
Beyond its status as entertainment, students can learn academic topics like maths, English, and Grammar from watching TV. Studies show that watching the same shows on repeat can help students learn unfamiliar words.
They also stand to spell better and transfer valuable skills to real-life from repetitive sequences within the same show. Many stations have created programs dedicated to teaching students to spell specific words at different stages.
Using colorful characters and detailed imagery, students register the information from TV shows into memory. Beyond imagery, they can learn to speak better using new words from watching their favorite characters.
2. TV helps students experience new things
Helping students experience new things is another reason on why watching TV is good for students. Schools these days use televisions and visuals to aid the teaching experience. Visual learning helps students process information faster. They learn better when they can see and interact with a picture of the subject.
Beyond learning faster, you can also help your child explore new interests by finding educational TV programs about topics they like. For instance, you can find fun educational programs on engines, if your child likes trucks and cars. This will help them learn new things about how cars work.
3. TV offers positive role models
Students learn from what they see and the people they interact with. Besides parents, teachers, and guardians, TV characters and celebrities also influence how children behave. This reason is why experts suggest parents allow limited and supervised exposure to TV. Unsupervised access to certain shows exposes children to negative influences, which can trigger behavioral issues.
On the upside, there are many positive role models, fictional and otherwise, that your children can look up to. Find shows and characters that portray the values you want to pass down to your children before letting them watch. Through their aspirational lives and adventures, students can emulate positive behavior in school and at home.
4. TV teaches students to different cultures
Naturally, students have a limited view of the world. Most times, they’re too young to travel independently to explore foreign cultures. Thanks to global television broadcasts, they can now experience different cultures through their screens.
From recipes to languages, there’s no limit to what students can learn about foreign cultures on TV. For example, many international students and tourists learned to speak English from watching television broadcasts.
Although watching TV won’t provide the same value as direct learning, these programs act as a foundation for students through subtitles. You’ll either find these shows on traditional TV stations or YouTube.
5. TV boost their reading ability
As mentioned earlier, repetitive sequences on TV programs help students spell better. On a higher level, you can also help your child read better through their screens. Although the TV works best with visuals and pictures, they can also boost their reading abilities by watching shows with subtitles on.
This setting also allows them to gain a deeper understanding of the characters they’re watching. Beyond words, it’s easier watching a live portrayal than reading paragraphs.
Interacting with visuals helps them identify the words associated with those topics when reading. Reading with subtitles also provides immense support to students with disabilities and learning disorders like dyslexia.
6. TV improves their intellect
Educational content stimulates brain development in young children from 2 to 6. Watching educational programs and cartoons helps students form higher communication skills by observing dialogue between unique characters.
Contrary to the notion that TV programs encourage violent behavior, studies show that some programs promote emotional intelligence. Shows that promote social awareness help students process their emotions and navigate interpersonal relationships with other people.
Maximize this by creating engaging activities for your kids after watching different programs. Get them to talk about what they learned from the characters and how to react in the same circumstances.
7. TV is a learning experience
In the 1940s, TVs were first introduced to schools to provide news updates for students. In the following years, teachers used the device to better explain difficult topics to students. For example, it’s easier to learn about global politics through the TV than a random book.
Children learn faster from watching informative videos and documentaries that combine education and entertainment. At home, educational TV programs can also supplement what the students learn at school and expand their scope on the topics.
