Get Your Children To Read Put In A Reading Movie

Get Your Children To Read: Put In A 'reading Movie'

Today, children are more interested in television, video games and chatting on the Internet than they are in reading. Many parents probably would say, in fact, that getting a child to pick up a book is a significant challenge.

According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, children spend an average of four to six hours daily watching TV or movies. That doesn't mean, however, that screen time has to be wasted time. Parents can use TV programs and movies to their advantage - and actually get their children to like reading.

SFK Media Specially for Kids Corp., for instance, has developed a way to help children improve their reading, vocabulary and comprehension skills by watching movies. Reading Movies, part of SFK Media's ReadEnt learning system, use a technology called "Action Captions" that makes each word appear on the screen as it is spoken.

The words appear out of the mouths of the speakers in real-time, with no disruption to the flow of the movie. These Action Captions are believed to activate the cognitive elements of the brain so that the development of both reading and spoken language skills takes place naturally.

The idea behind Reading Movies is that kids will develop their reading skills effortlessly - without even knowing it.

"When I first put the Reading Movies in, my kids sat down in front of the TV to view it and I was in awe," said Annetta Jones, an educator and reading specialist in Florida. "They became so caught up in the entertaining action of the movie that they did not even realize that they were reading out loud."

Reading Movies are based on such timeless classics as "The Trojan Horse," "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "Tales of Gulliver's Travels."

The movies have proven to help children at all reading levels reinforce vocabulary and related concepts, according to SFK Media. In fact, a single interactive Reading Movie can be used again and again over a period of years to develop different sets of skills.

"With this program, I see a world where parents might say, 'Stop hanging around playing, go and watch a movie; you need to improve your reading,'" said Ronald Brown, professor of cognitive psychology at the University of Sunderland in England.

BONUS : Get Involved In Your Child's Activities, Hobbies And School

It's probably no secret that children who have involved parents are more happy, healthy, and well-adjusted and excel at their educational and extracurricular pursuits. It can increase their cognitive development, keeps them motivated, strengthens the parent-child relationship, and has a direct positive influence on their overall academic achievement. In turn, it can also help parents achieve a positive outlook on their parenting, increase their own self confidence and self esteem, and will most likely feel more satisfied with their child's educational experience at school.

But where do you get involved? With today's busy schedules between home, work, and school, it may feel that the average family has very little quality time to offer. However, different options and levels of commitment are available to fit every parent's availability, and with some careful planning and dedication, you can make it a positive experience for both yourself and your child.

First of all, discover what your child is most passionate about. Maybe you've thought about volunteering for the school bake sale to raise money, but your child is actually more actively involved in her local Girl Scouts troop. If that's the case, then get together with the other Girl Scout parents and see what you can contribute to help the troop. Maybe you could organize a bake sale to benefit their next summer outing.

It's also important to consider what skills, talents and abilities you can bring to the table. Maybe your child's school is in desperate need of your help organizing a fundraiser, but your skills in sewing and designing might better serve the school if you were to help in making the costumes for the school play. Remember, you want this to be a positive experience for both of you, and if your child senses that you're not happy with what you've chosen to become involved in, then they likely will not be happy as well.

But the bottom line is get involved and stay involved. Children of involved parents are less likely to get into mischief, have emotional problems, or have problems in school. You benefit by connecting with and staying connected to your child. It's a win-win situation for you both.