The Effects of Watching Television on Adolescents

Question

An eighth-grade teacher has asked you to present information to her students about how watching television can affect adolescents’ academics and behavior. What important information should you share with this audience?

Write an essay that will serve as the basis for the speech you will deliver to the students. Include important details from the selection "Television and Adolescents" to support your discussion.

As you write, remember your essay will be scored based on how well you:

develop a multi-paragraph response to the assigned topic that clearly communicates your controlling idea to the audience.
support your controlling idea with meaningful examples, information, and references for the text.
cite direct quotes and any information that has been paraphrased from the passages that you have read.
organize your essay in a clear and logical manner, including an introduction, body, and conclusion.
use well-structured sentences and language that are appropriate for your audience.
edit your work to conform to the conventions of standard American English.

Passage:

Television and Adolescents

Did you know that the average adolescent spends three hours each day watching television?

As a society, we have grown to rely on technology to feed our appetites for entertainment. With all of the television and reality shows, funny ads and commercials, music videos, sports games, and movies that we can watch on our TVs these days, it’s no wonder that many households have more than one television. But television shows are not limited to TVs anymore. It is now possible for young people to watch “TV” while they are on the go, using their tablet computers, laptops, and smartphones. This makes it even easier to spend time tuned in to favorite programs, thereby leading to increased TV time during the day. These factors make it very important to understand the varied effects that television-watching can have on young audiences.

The content that is seen on TV can provide entertainment, persuade people to change their viewpoints on politics or current events, and educate audiences. Some TV shows, such as those about space travel, nature, or art history, are informational and inspire learning. However, while these programs can teach us new things and make learning fun, there are several downsides to watching too much television.

Television often takes the place of activities that are important for kids to be involved in, such as sports, reading, homework, studying, and time with friends and family. When people watch TV, they essentially disconnect from others and remain stationary, thereby not having much social engagement or physical activity. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), this can have a significant impact on children. For instance, kids who watch a lot of television may experience a more unfulfilling social life, because they tend to isolate themselves in order to pay attention to what they are watching. Kids who watch a lot of television are also missing out on time that could be spent exercising or playing sports, which are important activities for maintaining a healthy weight, overall health, and high self-esteem. The AACAP also says that children who watch a lot of TV have lower grades in school than their non-TV-watching counterparts. Lower grades and a decrease in school performance can be linked to students replacing their study and homework time with more television.

Television may also affect school performance by making students accustomed to a highly stimulating environment, causing students to lose interest in reading and in-classroom learning. Such children may prefer to learn through more engaging mediums, such as computer games, shows, podcasts, or interactive digital modules, rather than traditional textbooks and lectures. Television could be leading a generation of kids to demand a more stimulating learning environment that matches the entertainment and engagement they experience from multimedia.

Too much television has also been linked to behavioral issues in some young people. Violence and adult language and content in media (including television shows and video games) have led many to believe that television brings out more aggressive and inappropriate behaviors in children. For instance, television may expose young audiences to content related to alcohol, tobacco, drugs, junk food, violence, war, criminal activity, and other adult themes. All of this exposure can influence the choices young people make about the recreational activities they participate in, the food they eat, and the way they relate to and interact with their peers, parents, teachers, and others. Some young audiences even begin to mimic the aggressive or violent behaviors they witness in television shows and video games. Sometimes these behaviors are mimicked in a playful way, but sometimes they are mimicked more seriously and can lead to negative consequences.

So while watching a television show may seem like a harmless and entertaining pastime, it is important to consider how television affects young viewers and the many aspects of their lives.

Sources:

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. “Children and Watching TV.” Facts for Families 54 (December 2011).

Answer 1

The Effects of Watching Television on Adolescents

Hello everyone! Today, I want to talk to you about an issue that impacts many of us: the effects of watching television on adolescents. As eighth graders, you may find that your daily routines include a significant amount of television viewing, but it’s important to understand both the positive and negative implications that come with it.

To start, let’s consider just how much television adolescents actually consume. According to the passage “Television and Adolescents,” the average teen spends about three hours a day watching TV. This number is staggering when you think about all the important activities that could happen in that time, such as doing homework, engaging in sports, or spending time with friends and family. The question then becomes, how does this extensive TV time actually affect our academic performance and behavior?

On the one hand, television can provide educational content that helps us learn. For example, documentaries about space, nature, or art can ignite curiosity and inspire new interests. However, the majority of content we consume is not educational and can have harmful effects on our social lives and academic performances. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) points out that excessive TV watching can lead to a more unfulfilling social life because kids may isolate themselves in front of the screen instead of interacting with peers and family. Instead of going outside to play a sport or read a book, many adolescents are opting to binge-watch a series. This change in activity can directly impact physical health; we need physical activity to maintain a healthy weight and build self-esteem.

Moreover, the passage emphasizes that a significant amount of television viewing is linked to lower grades in school. Adolescents who replace study time and homework with TV tend to perform worse academically. They develop a reliance on a highly stimulating environment created by television which may lead to disinterest in traditional learning methods, such as reading or listening to lectures. This shift may cause students to prefer more entertaining forms of education, such as video games and interactive multimedia, relegating books and writing to the sidelines.

Television not only affects academic performance but also has implications for behavior. The content we absorb influences how we perceive the world and interact with others. Many TV shows and games portray violence, adult themes, and unhealthy lifestyle choices like drug use and junk food eating. These portrayals can lead to adolescents mimicking aggressive or inappropriate behaviors they see on the screen. Sometimes, kids might only imitate these behaviors playfully, but other times, it could lead to serious consequences, including poor decision-making and strained relationships with peers, parents, and teachers.

In conclusion, while television may seem like a harmless way to unwind, it is important to be aware of its potential impacts on our lives as adolescents. The information presented in the passage shows that excessive viewing can lead to lower academic performance, reduced physical activity, and behavioral issues. Therefore, as you think about your daily habits, I encourage you to consider how much time you spend in front of the TV, and to recognize the importance of balancing screen time with activities that promote learning, social engagement, and healthy lifestyles. Thank you for listening, and I hope this information helps you make mindful choices about your television watching habits!