Children and Watching TV

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15

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Television viewing is a major activity

and influence on children and
adolescents. Children in the United
States watch an average of three to
four hours of television a day. By the
time of high school graduation, they
will have spent more time watching
television than they have in the
classroom. While television can
entertain, inform, and keep our
children company, it may also
influence them in undesirable ways.
Time spent watching television takes
away from important activities such as
reading, school work, playing,
exercise, family interaction, and social
development. Children also learn information from television that may be inappropriate or
incorrect. They often cannot tell the difference between the fantasy presented on television
and reality. They are influenced by the thousands of commercials seen each year, many of
which are for alcohol, junk food, fast food, and toys.
Children who watch a lot of television are likely to: have lower grades in school, read fewer
books, exercise less, be overweight.

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Parents can help by doing the following: don't allow children to watch long blocks of TV,
but help them select individual programmes. Choose shows that meet the developmental
needs of your child. Children's shows on public TV are appropriate, but soap operas, adult
sitcoms, and adult talk shows are not. Set certain periods when the television will be off.
Study times are for learning, not for sitting in front of the TV doing homework. Meal times
are a good time for family members to talk with each other, not for watching television.
Make TV viewing an active process for child and parent!

http://www.aacap.org/galleries/FactsForFamilies/54_children_and_watching_tv.pdf ( abridged)

1. Match each word / phrase with its equivalent in the context of the text.

1. likely (l.21)

A. marks

2. grades ( l.21)

B. dont let

3. overweight (l.22)

C. probable or expected

4. dont allow ( l.23)

D. choose

5. select (l.24)

E. too heavy and fat

1. _____ 2. _____ 3. _____ 4. _____ 5. _____

2. Fill in the table with the good and bad sides of watching TV.

Good sides

Bad sides

3. Give complete answers to these questions.

A. What may be the bad effects of watching too much TV on school work?
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B. How can it affect your health?

_____________________________________________________________________
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C. Which programmes are appropriate for children and which are not?
_____________________________________________________________________
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D. How much TV do you watch on an average day?

_____________________________________________________________________
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E. Should parents control what their children see on TV? Why/ Why not?
_____________________________________________________________________
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ANSWER KEY
1. 1-c; 2-a; 3-e;4 - b; 5- d.

2. Good sides: TV can entertain, inform and keep children company.

Bad sides: children have less time to read, do school work, play, exercise, talk to
their families and for social development. They also learn information from
television that may be inappropriate or incorrect.
They are influenced by the thousands of commercials seen each year, many of which
due for alcohol, junk food, fast food and toys.
3.
A. Children read fewer books and are likely to have lower grades in school.
B. We have less time to exercise and may get overweight.
C. Childrens shows on public TV are appropriate, but soap operas, adult sitcoms, and
adult talk shows are not.
D. (suggestion) I watch TV for an hour or two per day.
E. (suggestion) I think so, because young children are impressionable and may assume
that what they see on television is typical, safe, and acceptable.
Television exposes children to behaviours and attitudes that may be overwhelming
and difficult to understand.