The concept of television as a passive method of learning no longer holds
true -- if it ever did.  As curriculum director of a nonprofit organization
that produces multimedia learning materials -- which include video, print,
and the web -- I have seen students with low literacy pick up on information
in a video that they would have had trouble grasping were it presented in
print.  

We all learn from television, and our reactions are far from passive and
unemotional: for example, we get riled up by the latest news, we learn about
health hazards to ourselves and to our children, we are moved to help people
whose homes have been destroyed by a flood or earthquake, we are enchanted
by the sights and sounds of other lands and other cultures. And this
information increasingly is being presented in non-linear ways, particularly
in narrative television programs.

While I am a lover of reading and certainly a big supporter of teachers, in
my twenty years' experience as a literacy professional I have found that
good educational television is a very useful medium for teaching or
introducing students to certain subjects.  The problem is that there is a
lot of bad TV out there -- not to mention a lot of  pedestrian stuff in
print. The trick is to find the best and most engaging teaching materials,
in any medium.

Of course, the nature of television is rapidly changing.  Now, with
streaming video and the Internet, people can talk back to the screen, engage
in discussion with other viewers, visit websites to learn more about the
subject presented on a TV show -- and in the case of our own public
television series, TV411, visit www.tv411.org to practice the skills they've
seen on the screen in the area of reading, writing, math, health, learning,
and parenting.   

Lora Myers
Curriculum Director
Adult Literacy Media Alliance


On 11/27/07 3:05 PM, "Davies, Nicola" <NDavies at dthr.ab.ca> wrote:


> Hi Christine,

> As far as learning goes, TV is a rather passive method of learning something

> as complex as a language. For vocabulary lessons it is fairly effective, but

> learning via TV really does not allow the learner (or the educator) to

> interact, correct pronunciation or grammatical flaws before they are

> internalised.

> 

> TV learning is a rather linear method of instruction; there is no feedback or

> emotional connection. The same argument could be made for written materials,

> but the learner controls the speed and quantity of reading, and a page can be

> read again and again, and the learner can make notes on the page etc etc. A

> lesson in TV learning exists only in the present within which it is broadcast.

> 

> I know that the BBC has some excellent interactive methods of English learning

> to help the huge influx of polish and Pakistani immigrants to the country...

> 

> http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/index.shtml also Dave's ESL

> Cafe online has excellent lesson planning ideas, although those are more for

> TESL teachers abroad.

> 

> As for whether it is a sensible idea, my answer is that it is entirely what

> you make of it. In my health region, we have a TV station broadcast health

> information programs in to patients.

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov

> [mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Christine Johnston

> Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 11:14 AM

> To: healthliteracy at nifl.gov

> Subject: [HealthLiteracy 1503] English language learning on television

> 

> 

> Our pediatric hospital is in the process of installing a new closed circuit

> television system.   As part of the installation, we are considering adding an

> "English learning" channel.  We have a high number of English learners who are

> avid users of our print collection of materials, i.e. English for Latinos,

> etc.  Some of our families who are in the hospital for lengthy period of time

> use the time for English learning.

> 

> For those of you deep into literacy issues, is tv a productive mode of

> learning ?  Could you recommend a program or series of lessons that would be

> sensible to string together and create an English language learning channel?

> If anyone has experience with this, please contact me directly.  I don't

> really know if this is a sensible idea, but we'd like to take advantage of the

> opportunity, if it is.

> 

> Thank you very much,

> 

> 

> Christine Johnston

> Family Resource & Information Center

> Children's Hospital & Research Center at Oakland

> 747 52nd St.

> Oakland, CA 94609

> 510 428-3549

> cjohnston at mail.cho.org

> 

> ----------------------------------------------------

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> 

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Lora Myers, Curriculum Director
Adult Literacy Media Alliance (ALMA)
212-807-4289 
Visit our website: tv411.org