Did you know you can improve literacy by just turning on the subtitles while children watch TV?
That’s right, turning on the subtitles while children are watching television can double the chances of them becoming good at reading. Yes really.
Wonderfully simple, isn’t it? 10 seconds of effort for parents, a lifetime’s impact for their children. All backed up by decades of scientific research.
It’s a brilliantly simple solution that can make a huge impact on children’s literacy. Henry Warren, Co-founder of Turn on The Subtitles, the world’s largest literacy campaign, has teamed up The Access Group to help schools throughout the globe spread the word to parents and boost literacy.
Our literacy problem
Research shows that 28% of children, and up to 45% in poorer families, struggle with reading, while 250,000 start secondary school lacking basic English skills. Furthermore, nearly 1 in 5 children aged five to eight in England lack access to books at home, and for those that do have access only 2 in 5 children and young people say they enjoy reading. Poor literacy has been shown to lead to a 3 times higher chance of hospitalisation, criminal record and early death.
Igniting a love of literacy
We all recognise how crucial it is to instil a love of reading books, and we wouldn’t want to detract from that. However, by integrating both reading books and Turning on the Subtitles, we can double the likelihood of children excelling in reading skills. The impact of this combined approach is truly remarkable. Here’s how it works:
With the average child watching just over 3 hours and 15 minutes of TV a day for a year, if the subtitles are switched on, children will have read the same number of words that are in all the Harry Potter series, the Narnia saga, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Roald Dahl’s entire collection combined.
While many might describe the battle of encouraging their child to put down their smartphone or tablet as a losing one, it’s time to accept that this technology is part and parcel of our daily lives.
By asking them to simply turn on the subtitles and explaining the benefits, children can learn new words and develop their language – almost subconsciously. Research carried out by The Access Group showed that 98% of viewers had zero complaints about having subtitles on screen.
The Impact
Backed by the likes Jack Black, Stephen Fry, Sandi Toksvig, Lenny Henry, as well as other leading academics and influencers, the impact has been huge.
The TOTS initiative led to the launch of Sky Q’s Literacy Zone, which plays children’s favourite cartoons with subtitles. Moonbug has also launched a channel on YouTube called Moonbug Kids Literacy. To date, these platforms now have over 5 billion views.
Everyone working across the education sector needs to understand the fundamental importance of turning on the subtitles and the impact it can – and is proven, to have. Politicians have also started to take note of the huge societal benefits.
How to spread the in schools
Getting involved is easy. Simply download the free school digital pack and start spreading the word. Plus, when you download the pack, you’re in with a chance of winning a brand-new coffee machine for your staffroom! It’s a win-win! The pack includes everything you need to let parents know, including:
- Parent engagement letter
- Parent mail/social media advert
- Posters to display around school
- Homework activities and more!
To find out more and download your free school pack visit: www.theaccessgroup.com/tots/
