Today, children are surrounded by screens with regular exposure to television and other media texts. The Digital Beginnings Report demonstrates that most young children are at ease with this multi-modal world, assimilating as if by osmosis the numerous skills required to operate within this mode of communication. The report also provides evidence that young children's interactions with media are not necessarily the sedentary, solitary experiences we often assume them to be.
The children are ready to jig in a world that they jointly make. The grown-ups might best flex their knees, bend their elbows, and show the children some new (literacy) steps as well. - Anne Haas Dyson, Popular Literacies in Childhood and School Cultures
Within this world children are offered huge choice, a recent Ofcom Report (2007) stated that in the UK there are 25 dedicated channels and 113,000 hours of programmes each year targeted at children. This then raises the question: how well do our educational establishments prepare children to become discerning consumers who can decode these multimodal texts, make informed decisions about them, and use them as effective literacy and communication tools?
young learners enjoying moving image education
Moving image education explores the often neglected and richly expressive language of film, enabling children to engage, analyse, create and make informed responses. However, it is not solely about literacy; it maps out rich cross-curricular learning journeys created through relevant contexts, providing many opportunities for learners to construct and extend their thinking.
Screen content is an excellent and accessible medium for parents to support and develop their child's communication, literacy and play skills. Investigation of the place and potential of these new texts alongside traditional ones can assist in alleviating concerns about the impact of our media-steeped environment on young minds.
To conclude
Moving image education in the early years creates a synergy between modern and traditional pedagogy, making a valuable contribution to the life-long learning processes that empower individuals to participate effectively in modern society.