Kids nowadays are digital natives, and one way to help with their language development is through watching good quality educational videos, like TigerAndTim!
Learning While Having Fun
I love learning and exploring new things, just like all Tiger Cubs! One fun way parents can help cultivate your own cubs’ natural curiosity and love for learning is through watching educational videos at home.
Not a lot of parents realise that viewing is a skill. But it is considered as a language skill, because it will greatly help with your Tiger Cubs’ language development. Most educational videos (like Tiger and Tim!) make viewing more interactive and exciting , so your Tiger Cubs are learning A LOT without them even realising it! So it’s definitely a win-win for Tiger Cubs and parents!
Read on to find out how you can make the most out of learning through viewing below!
Viewing as a Skill
We are all too familiar with the four macro skills – reading, writing, listening and speaking. But language researchers believe that there is a fifth macro skill, one that resonates with the times: That skill is none other than viewing!
Viewing as a language skill is defined as the process of understanding visual texts that come in various formats, such as TV shows, advertisements, films, videos, and images. In short, viewing is the act of ‘reading’ visual cues. So it’s like reading a book while looking at pictures, animations, and listening to accompanying sounds!
When it comes to acquiring and developing language understanding, it makes sense that viewing is considered valuable, especially nowadays. Online video-sharing platforms have also made audio-visual, multi-sensory texts even more available for children. With so many schools and families opting to do distance and online classes this school year because of the global pandemic, the role of learning through videos for kids plays a significant role in their language development.
Make the most out of viewing
Parents often dismiss viewing as an essential skill, thinking that most of the videos for kids are only meant for entertainment purposes. However, when using age-appropriate learning videos, viewing can aid in various aspects of a child’s language development.
Videos are purr-fect tools to learn English or any other language. Furthermore, viewing is an TIGER-RIFFIC way to develop children’s literacy as learning English through stories – that combine pictures and sounds – is considered more exciting and stimulating for your ever-so curious cubs!
One way to make the most out of viewing is to ensure that you choose learning videos for kids that are of good quality. Not all learning videos are created equal, and young learners are not yet able to accurately discern which ones are good for them. Therefore, Tiger Cubs would need their cool parents and educators to watch these videos and their children and students to ensure that learning actually does occur. And wouldn’t it be more fun to watch videos together?
Try asking your kids simple comprehension questions after watching a video, such as “Who are the characters in the story?” or “Where did the story take place?” to gauge whether they understood the material or not. It could also help them be more engaged in the story and fosters bonding between you and your Tiger Cubs.
Tiger and Tim Learning Videos
Stories infused with animation are sure fire hits for young children. These learning videos for toddlers and even for older kids not only entertain them, but they can also help build language skills such as comprehension and vocabulary.
Tiger and Tim episodes come with the Storytime segment, wherein a fun and creative story is presented with vivid graphics and animation. Storytime’s unique stories are targeted at preschool-aged kids and above, but older children (and even adults!) also find them enjoyable. It’s my most favourite part of the show. Well, the ENTIRE show is actually my favourite!
After the story, you should ask simple comprehension questions to check for understanding, and words that may not be familiar to them. You may then proceed to talk about what they liked about the story or what they might have found interesting in the video. As parents, you are very much encouraged to share your own insights with your Tiger Cubs, to make way for some nice casual conversation over snacks. (Okay, so snacks are not really necessary, but are very much welcome!).
Viewing, when used correctly, is an effective way to aid children’s language development. Parents can use learning videos readily available online to nurture the literacy, curiosity, and creativity of their young learners at home. So make the most out of screen time with Tiger and Tim!