As screens occupy a predominant place in children's lives today, many teachers are beginning to notice how time spent on screens outside of school affects their students' behavior and learning. In order to better understand this phenomenon, our new collaborator and pedagogue David Bessette has learned more about the subject and shares his findings with you today.
First, screen time includes any interaction with a screen , whether it's a computer, tablet, phone, television or game console. While screens can be used in positive ways, such as watching a movie with the family or doing research, there is a limit beyond which their use can have negative effects . Experts recommend no screen time before the age of 2, a maximum of one hour per day for 2-5 year olds and two hours per day for those over 5. However, statistics show that this recommendation is often exceeded.
The negative impacts of excessive screen use include effects on motor skills, language development, attention span, working memory, impulsivity, emotion management, sleep quality, physical health, and even vision. There is also a direct link between screen time, sleep quality, and overall health, with these different aspects influencing each other.
To counter these effects, David suggests setting realistic goals as a family, limiting screen time to one screen at a time, avoiding screens an hour before bedtime, and discussing alternatives to screens as a family. He also encourages you to make a list of non-screen-related activities and follow these rules to promote healthy, balanced screen use.
Want to learn more about this topic? Take a few minutes of your screen time to watch this video!
To discover all the content of David Bessette, educator, it's here !
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