Some people believe that children can learn effectively by watching TV and they should be encouraged to watch TV both at home and at school. To what extent do you agree or disagree. v.6

Watching television, especially informative programmes, is considered to be an effective method of learning for the reason that audio-visual information can grab students’ attention and engage their interest easily. However, I am not favour of the idea that students should increase screen time, despite the fact that many TV programmes these days have some educational values. One of the reasons I am against that idea is that television viewing would interfere with children’s studies, as well as their participation in other activities that are beneficial to their growth. Children get distracted easily when watching TV, especially without adults’ guidance. As a consequence, students who watch television frequently may not be able to concentrate on their learning tasks, resulting in poor academic performance. What’s more, children would have no time to attend those interactive activities which help promote their brain developments, such as reading, singing, and communicating. Another reason is that long screen time would have an adverse impact on children’s social development. This is because they tend to sit in front of the TV for hours, instead of playing games with friends, or talking with teachers, which make them isolated, not feeling like expressing their views or understanding other’s thoughts. Without good communication skills, it would be difficult for them to acquire knowledge, draw upon the ideas of others, and achieve academic success. On the other hand, I admit that television exposes children to a world of knowledge. There are many educational programmes targeted at children, which help them gain insight into various subjects. For example, historical documentaries help children understand historical events, while foreign languages channels benefit their languages learning. This knowledge is a complement for what they have learned at school. In conclusion, I would argue that parents and teachers should impose restrictions on children’s television viewing, instead of endorsing such a habit. Watching too much TV will exert a negative effect on their studies, rather than improving their school grades.