Portrayals of Print Literacy in Children's Television Programming

Abstract

Television continues to be an important part of young children's daily lives. Therefore, an important question lies in how popular television programs depict aspects of children's development and learning, including literacy. Through a content analysis, this study analyzed the top 10 programs for viewers between the ages of 2 and 5 for portrayals of literacy, specifically looking at the amount of and affective qualities of print literacy events in these programs. Print literacy events were defined as any time print appeared and was read, written, or listened to by characters in the sample episodes. They were coded for characteristics of the print literacy events, the print used within events, and the literacy user(s). Major findings included: (a) little print included and used, (b) a limited variety of texts, and (c) a lack of gender or racial balance in the characters who interacted with print. Relatively few positive messages about literacy were found, and negative messages about literacy were observed. Missed opportunities to include print literacy in programs were also noted. These findings address gaps in current bodies of research on television, literacy, and young children. They also can help to inform decision-making by families, educators, producers, and policymakers about television and young children.