Cable in the Classroom, the cable industry's education foundation, has developed the following tips to help your family become media-literate by creating a family media plan.
Become media-literate
Media literacy means having a handle on screen time and all the media choices – movies, TV shows, video games, and Web sites – available each day. You and your family can become media-literate by questioning what you see on the screen and talking about it, making choices together about what to watch, not watch and why.
Begin by questioning what you see and hear on a screen. Ask your children what they are thinking or feeling while watching a TV program, visiting a Web site, watching a movie, or playing a video game. Things to talk about:
Talk to your children about what they are viewing. Check their understanding of the
messages.
What lifestyles, family values, or opinions are being represented?
What does this tell us about how other people live?
Is this real or a fantasy? How is it different from the real world?
Is this trying to sell you something? What is being done to attract your attention?
Do you see behavior you don't like on TV or in a video game? Ask what your children
think, then talk about the kinds of behavior you think are wrong and why.
Develop a media plan.
A clear set of rules and expectations helps your family choose the best media, with content and messages that are appropriate for your children. Here's how to work with your children to create a family media plan:
How much screen time is your family spending each week? How much TV do
you watch? How often do you play video games? Watch movies? Surf the Internet?
Consider the ages and needs of your children. Are they usually entertained and
informed, or are they sometimes confused, scared, or frustrated by what they see?
Learn about the kinds of media and technology children are using. What TV
shows, Web sites, magazines, toys, and computer games are most popular with
children?
Select TV shows, movies, video games, Web sites, and magazines that your family
will and won't view. Find out how TV ratings and parental control devices can
help you with family selections. Do you choose activities based on convenience
or habit?
Encourage active, creative, and thoughtful use of screen time for your family. Do you
talk with your children about what they are watching and the media choices they make?
Teach your children how to handle screen time with media-literacy skills. Help them
learn how to find, understand, and analyze different media, so they can make better
choices.
For more details on creating a family media plan and using media to support learning, visit:
