Finding Words: Language Development and Screen Use (
Early childhood is a critical period for developing language and communication skills. How does digital media exposure affect this development in young children ages 0-5? What does the research say about factors that may influence these effects, such as the quality or interactive level of content, or co-viewing with a caregiver? What should parents and caregivers know about fostering optimal progress of foundational skills? In this #AskTheExperts webinar, leading researchers and child development experts discuss critical research, insights, and best caregiver practices and interventions for early childhood language and communication development.
Children and Screens’ #AskTheExperts Panel:
Rebecca Dore, PhD, Director of Research, Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, The Ohio State University
Angie Neal, MS, Speech Language Pathologist, Policy Advisor for Speech-Language Pathology and Early Literacy, South Carolina Department of Education
Sarah Kucker, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Southern Methodist University
Moderated by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD, Lefkowitz Faculty Fellow in Psychology, Temple University;
Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution
Timestamps:
[00:00:11] - Introductions by Executive Director of Children and Screens Kris Perry
[00:01:39] - Kathy Hirsh-Pasek gives an overview of early language development, emphasizing the importance of back-and-forth interaction.
[00:05:20] - Rebecca Dore discusses how media impacts language development through factors such as interaction displacement and content quality, as well as the role of other home characteristics
[00:16:41] - Moderator follow-up question: How do you know which apps are good vs. bad?
[00:20:34] - Sarah Kucker discusses social interaction and co-viewing, and how they influence the relationship between digital media and language development.
[00:35:29] - Moderator follow-up question: Being distracted by phones can send a message that children aren’t more important than the screen, but there are demands on screens for parents. What can parents do?
[00:39:54] - Angie Neal provides practical tips for parents to support children’s healthy language development in a digital world.
[00:57:01] - Moderator follow-up question: There are some kids who have disabilities, making conversation really difficult. What should we do in this case?
[00:57:48] - Questions from the audience
[00:58:05] - Q&A - What do we do for kids speaking more than one language?
[01:00:14] - Q&A - Can you comment on studies putting children of deaf parents in front of television?
[01:02:02] - Q&A - How to respond to comments like “But, my kid really loves this!”
[01:06:03] - Q&A - How do parents sift through all of the information out there and find out what’s good and not (for language development)?
[01:11:16] - Q&A - Can screens help with developing bilingualism?
[01:12:17] - Q&A - What should parents do if they do not have abundant toys or books? Can apps be helpful in these situations?
[01:14:23] - Q&A - Can you address the language gap models?
[01:17:16] - Q&A - Suggestions for co-viewing when parents have multiple children of different ages?
[01:18:11] - Q&A - Thoughts on navigating balance between screen use and other language opportunities?
[01:21:19] - Final takeaways from each speaker
[01:25:43] - Closing remarks from Executive Director of Children and Screens Kris Perry