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Parent Category: Lower-Intermediate News Lessons

Category: Education Lessons

Written by Chris Cotter

For many years, parents and educators have warned about too much TV. They say that it rots the brain. And now a new report agrees.

A study monitored how much TV 678 children watched over eight years. The study concluded that learning and attention problems grew if children watched too much TV. As a result, the children usually did poorer at school.

Several points aren't clear, though. Are lower grades the result of TV? Or do children with lower grades turn to TV more than better students? Or does increased TV time come from poverty? Whatever the reason, though, children who watch too much TV didn't work as hard at school. They didn't do homework. They were bored in class. They dropped out of high school. They disliked school and learning.

Children in first world countries around the world generally watch two or more hours of TV every day. Two hours seems to be the recommended limit. Children who watched two hours or more doubled their risk of learning problems. Children who watched only one hour of TV halved their risk for problems.

The researchers suggested that schools and community centers have more activities after school because children would watch less TV.