Children and television” is an issue about which teachers and parents are naturally concerned.

a) The two extracts given below present rather controversial views on the point. Read them attentively for further discussion.

a) There have been more than 2,300 studies and reports on the effect of television on American society. Most of them show that these effects are mainly negative. Researches have been especially concerned about children. In the past decade researchers have had children participate in numerous studies. They had children watch television intensively for three weeks. The results showed a drop in the children’s creativity. The researchers concluded that television makes the children lose some of their creativity. Teachers can’t get children to pay attention to any length of time because today’s children want everything to be as fast and entertaining as TV. Some of today’s children are so addicted to TV that nothing else interests them. Parents have to make them turn off the TV and go out to play or read a book. They can’t get them to do their traditional childhood activities without having an argument over the TV. Although most of these studies have shown the negative effects of television, some sociologists argue that television has become a part of our lives. They do not think that parents should make their children limit the amount of TV that they watch to one or two hours a day. They believe that parents should let their children decide for themselves what and how much they want to watch.

b) Although most studies show the negative effects of television, there are also some important positive influences. There are many excellent educational programs, especially for children. Some schools have children watch certain programs in the classroom. They often get them to watch worthwhile programs at home by encouraging them to discuss what they have seen the next day in class. “Sesame Street” is a program that is watched by million of children around the world. It uses bright colours, fast timing, and hum our in order to get children to pay attention. It makes children enjoy learning about the alphabet, reading, and numbers. Television also exposes children to different people and places. TV also increases young people’s understanding of other people’s views of life.

b) Pair work. Team up with another student, work out pros and cons of children’s television as they are presented in the extracts and discuss the extracts in pairs.

c) Speak about the effect of television on children. Consider the following. Mind that there may never be clear-cut and final answers to these questions.

1) Does television have a negative or bad influence on children? If you think it does, tell how.

2) What are the effects upon the vulnerable and developing human organism of spending a significant proportion of each day engaged in this particular experience (watching TV)?

3) How does the television experience affect a child’s language development, for instance?

4) What good or positive influence does television have on children?

5) How does television stimulate children’s curiosity?

6) How dos watching television for several hours a day affect the child’s abilities to form human relationships?

7) What happens to family life as a result of family members’ involvement with television?

Below are four different opinions on the same controversial issue “Children and Television”. Spend a few minutes thinking of further arguments you will use to back up the opinions given.

1) Primary and secondary education has improved out of all recognition since the arrival of TV in the home and this is not only because of programmes designed for schools. Through TV a child can extend his knowledge and it provides vital food for his imagination.

2) We are dealing with culture of TV babies. They can watch, do their homework and listen to music at the same time. What kids can’t do today is follow things too long. Today’s TV babies get bored and destructed easily.

3) You can blame TV for the fact that children take longer to learn to read these days and barely see the point any more of acquiring the skill. Watching TV should be strictly confined to “treats”.

4) Television provides outlet for creative talents. The programmes done with good taste and imagination actually stimulate a child’s own activity.

Pair work.

a) Student A:

You are doing research into the types of television programmes people watch. You stop people in the street to ask them questions and write down their answers. Student B is a passer-by.

Television Questionnaire.

1. How many hours a week do you spend watching TV?

	less than 5 hours 5-10 hours 10-15 hours 15-20 hours more than 20 hours

2. What sort of programmes do you like watching?

3. Are there any sort of programmes you don’t like?

	Like	Dislike
The news Discussion programmes Documentaries Plays Films Serials Quiz shows Classical music programmes Pop music programmes Children’s programmes Variety shows Sports programmes Others

4. What is your favourite programme?

5. Are there any sort of programmes you would like

a) more of? b) less of?

 

You can begin like this, “Excuse me, I am doing research into the types of television programmes people watch. Can I ask you some questions about television?” And don’t forget to finish with, “Thank you very much for answering my questions”.

 

Student B

Student A is going to ask you questions about the types of television programmes you watch. Answer his/her questions. Before starting, here are some of the most common types of programmes on television:

The news

Discussion programmes

Documentaries

Plays

Films

Serials

Quiz shows

Classical music programmes

Pop music programmes

Children’s programmes

Variety shows

Sports programmes

b) Summarize your observations and report them to the group.

5. Write a newspaper criticism of a TV programme that you have seen of any of the following types: a) a news programme, current affairs review, etc., b) a documentary, c) an entertainment programme, show, etc., d) a children’s programme, e) a film shown on TV, f) a sports programme, g) an educational programme or any other.

6. Group work. Your TV company needs a TV host/hostess for a children’s programme. Work in groups of three and four. One of the group is a candidate for the job, and the others are interviewing him/her before starting, the interviewers should prepare a list of questions and the interviewee should prepare his/her curriculum vitae. The interviewers should ask questions about the candidate’s previous job; the certificates/diplomas/degrees/experience he/she has had; his/her personal situation (married, with children); the candidate’s reasons for applying for the place in a children’s TV programme and other questions. (Use appropriate clichés. See the Supplement). After about ten minutes the applicants change to another interviewing panel and so on. Each group decides on the best applicant and gives reasons for the choice.

Do the library research and prepare an essay on one of the following topics.

1. Television and cinematography. Will one oust another?

2. Television in the USA: a) news programmes; b) educational programmes; c) children’s programmes; d) entertainment programmes.

 

 

MASS MEDIA. PRESS.

TOPICAL VOCABULARY

-to play an important part; -recent events; -a daily paper; -foreign and domestic news; -to be popular with; -to be made up of; -to persuade; -to dominate;

-to describe; -a publication; -to include; -an opinion; -an advertising; -an item; -to protect; -to publish;

Answer the following questions.

- How do newspapers differ from each other?

- What newspapers present important political news?

- What news do “populars” pay attention to?

- Is the “quality” press more popular than the “tabloid” press?

- Which newspapers include colour supplements?

- What information do local newspapers publish?

Read the text and comment on it.