Loud TVs can have a big impact on our children’s ability to learn new words, according to a new study.
New research has revealed that background noise from things like televisions or radios can make it much more difficult for children to learn new words.
The research involved experiments which tested children’s ability to remember words they had learned with loud background noise, in comparison to a quiet environment.
The research proved that children who were surrounded by quieter sounds where much more successful at remembering the words they were given.
Further investigation also showed that the children in quieter environments had a better understanding of the meaning of the words.
The study was carried out at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with 106 children between the ages of 22 and 30 months taking part.
Psychologist Brianna McMillan said of the findings: “Learning words is an important skill that provides a foundation for children’s ability to achieve academically.
“Modern homes are filled with noisy distractions such as TV, radio, and people talking that could affect how children learn words at early ages.
“Our study suggests that adults should be aware of the amount of background speech in the environment when they’re interacting with young children.”
