Spread the loveDo you ever worry that your children are spending too much time on tablets, phones, and other electronic devices? According to statistics, children aged eight to eighteen spend more than seven hours every day in front of a screen. Digital technology has certainly become an integral element of our daily lives and routines. The media emphasizes the risks of allowing children to spend too much time on digital gadgets, with outcomes ranging from meeting strangers in internet chat rooms to being bullied by classmates. Raising a child in a digital environment is an unavoidable evil, so how can […]

Spread the loveSo-called educational technology targets children from infancy and provides a convenient way for parents to feel good about using media in the early childhood years. Television programs and videos claim to be a parent’s answer to “what should my baby be learning?” and since such programming is developed by experts who certainly know more than the average parent about child development, these marketing ploys are accepted. Programs for infants are promoted as safe in small doses, as long as parents watch them with their little ones, and participate too. Instead of books, parents put children on their laps […]

Spread the loveNatalia Kucirkova, The Open University A recent New York Times article points to a glaring inconsistency between the amount of “screen time” toddlers have using tablets, phones and computers – and the advice of many early years specialists. In fact, there are several apps specifically developed for (and enjoyed by) two-year-olds and even one-year-olds, yet the official guidance from the American Paediatric Association states that: “Television and other entertainment media should be avoided for infants and children under age two.” So why is the age of two a milestone that matters? I asked a few of my early […]

Spread the loveFor a wide range of disciplines, these websites offer lesson plans and class activities. ASL Literacy Activities What It Is: For young deaf children ages 3–10, there are daily free tools and activities available in both American and English Sign Language. They provide weekly exercises to encourage the development of bilingualism that are related to their renowned VL2 Storybook Apps. It is managed by Motion Light Lab, a department of Gallaudet University’s research center on Visual Language and Visual Learning. What They’re Offering: Free access to the acclaimed VL2 ASL Storybook Apps from Motion Light Lab. Each week, the Motion […]