• News
  • Life
  • TV & Film
  • Beauty
  • Style
  • Home
  • News
    • Celebrity
    • Entertainment
    • Politics
    • Royal Family
  • Life
    • Animals
    • Food & Drink
    • Women's Health
    • Mental Health
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Travel
    • Real Life
  • TV & Film
    • True Crime
    • Documentaries
    • Netflix
    • BBC
    • ITV
    • Tyla Recommends
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Make-up
    • Skincare
  • Style
    • Home
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
Submit Your Content
Expert reveals why parents should turn on TV subtitles for kids

Home> Life> Parenting

Published 14:10 20 Mar 2024 GMT

Expert reveals why parents should turn on TV subtitles for kids

It follows new research into the impact subtitles can have on children

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

An expert has revealed why parents should turn on subtitles for their kids while watching TV, following new research.

Many people do all they can to reduce their kids’ screen time, whether it’s insisting that they sit nicely at the pub when all they want to do is watch Bluey on your phone, or refusing to give them a TV in their bedroom as they get older.

But technology is, of course, an inevitable part of life these days, whether we like it or not.

Advert

And it turns out that it could even be beneficial if we embrace the modern era – specifically, by turning TV subtitles on.

Parents are being urged to make this small change.
Getty stock photo

Henry Warren, co-founder of the Turn on the Subtitles campaign, believes parents should switch on the captions when kids are watching something as it gives them a chance to boost their literary skills.

It follows research that doing precisely that could double the chances of children leaving school as proficient readers.

Advert

Warren told The Times: “Turning on the subtitles can give children an opportunity to increase their vocabulary and help turn them into proficient readers.

“If you turn on the subtitles, then in just a year kids would ‘read’ the same number of words that are in all the Harry Potter, Narnia and Lord of the Rings books as well as everything Roald Dahl wrote.”

The research comes from education software maker Access Education, which found that showing youngsters popular TV shows like Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol with subtitles on improved the reading ability of those aged four to seven.

New research has found turning subtitles on could be hugely beneficial to kids.
Getty stock photo

Advert

Experts analysed transcripts from 1,000 episodes of well-known series, with Peppa Pig having the highest number of high frequency words.

A spokesperson for Access Education said: “Shows like Peppa Pig, Bing and Bluey could help children to become more confident in their reading, and, if watched with the subtitles, could double the chances of children leaving school as proficient readers.”

It follows the launch of a new initiative from the software platform’s Turn on the Subtitles campaign, fronted by celebrities including Jack Black, Stephen Fry, Sandi Toksvig and Lenny Henry.

Calling on 40 million households in the UK and US to turn on captions to improve children’s literacy, Access Education explained: “With the average child watching just over 3 hours and 15 minutes of TV a day, turning on the subtitles for the full year would amount to the same number of words being read that are in all of the Harry Potter series, the Narnia saga, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Roald Dahl’s entire collection, combined. It’s that simple.”

Featured Image Credit: Getty stock image/Netflix

Topics: Parenting, Technology

Jess Hardiman
Jess Hardiman

Jess is Entertainment Desk Lead at LADbible Group. She graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

X

@Jess_Hardiman

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 days ago
4 days ago
  • 3 days ago

    Doctors reveal one sentence they hear patients say that's actually a secret 'red flag'

    One phrase can be a sign that a patient is suffering from a 'serious illness', according to health professionals

    Life
  • 3 days ago

    Doctor reveals these three smells could be sign of 'invisible killer'

    The common condition is linked to the deaths of over four million people across the globe each year

    Life
  • 3 days ago

    Plastic surgeon reveals popular procedure they’d never get after revealing terrifying reason why

    The surgery has a shockingly high mortality rate

    Life
  • 4 days ago

    Devastated couple left in tears after spotting major typo on $640 Trump-themed watch

    The Rhode Island couple opened up about the major mishap

    Life
  • Travel expert warns parents not to say this one phrase to kids when taking them to Disneyland
  • Parents issued warning over why kids should have different bed time this week
  • Royal expert reveals ‘real reason’ why Meghan Markle and kids are using new surname after she speaks out about it
  • Food expert reveals 'gross' unexpected reason why you should never double-dip