Kids Read More When We Turn on The Subtitles
My kiddos have always been big readers. I begin reading to them before they are even born, yes that’s a thing! Not that they have any recollection of the books they heard while in my belly, but the habit of reading out loud to them definitely carried through to today. We have spent so many days at the library choosing books and attending story times. Some of my very favorite kiddie memories are surrounded by random fact books for Carson, silly animal books with Owen, and unicorn stories with Logan. Nothing quite says snuggles like a cozy blanket and a good book.
Unfortunately, babies just don’t keep. They have grown up and while we still love bedtime story and trip to the library, other interests have crept in. My kids now love a good cartoon show, a Friday night movie night, and a YouTube guy breaking basketball shot records. It occurred to me once screens joined our world, that there may be a very obvious learning solution to their daily limited screen time.
TURN ON THE SUBTITLES.
I am in the process of learning French. Correction, I am in the process of trying to learn French. As great as my learning app is, it is missing the option for me to hear conversations in French (at least this isn’t an option on my beginner level). I have a fair French vocabulary, but there is something special that comes when you can hear and read at the same time. Light Bulb! On the rare occurrence that I get to watch a TV show with exactly zero talking animals and without my monsters all over me, I now turn on the French subtitles. I read the French while hearing the English. Hopefully, fingers crossed, someday I’ll be able to listen in French and read in English.
Through my own learning with closed captioning, the brilliant idea was born to turn on the subtitles for me kiddos when they are watching one of their shows. As I looked more into this idea, I found many studies and reports about the power of subtitles for literacy development.
Click HERE to read a full article from Tennesseans for Quality Early Education about the studies supporting and benefits of TURNING ON THE SUBTITLES.
