How subtitles can help improve children’s literacy skills

When asked to define the purpose of subtitles, it’s safe to assume the most common answer would be that they are “captions displayed at the bottom of the screen that translate or transcribe the dialogue or narrative of a video or movie”. While this is true, subtitles are also a fantastic learning tool for children.

Watching movies, TV shows, and videos with subtitles enabled has been proven to be extremely beneficial for children. Subtitles can improve reading ability, help them to learn new languages, provide media access to those with disabilities, and to those who speak a language other than English. Turning on subtitles seems like such a simple adjustment; however, the impact of this small change in viewing routine has the power to make a big difference.

TOTS (Turn On The Subtitles) Campaign

TOTS is an initiative formed by Henry Warren and Oli Barrett, that collaborates with media outlets, regulators, parents and governments to increase literacy skills for children through encouraging subtitles to be switched on by default during children’s television programmes.

Research has shown that through turning on the subtitles during screen time, it doubles the chances of a child becoming a good reader.

In an ITV interview; Sian Smith, a mother of two, explains how she has been implementing literacy skills in to their every day lives in order to encourage her children to read every day.

“A lot of the way that we have taught our children to read is if we’re out walking, we’ll read a road sign, or a sign in a shop or a label. If there is words on the screen, I think that will back up that message and expose them to more English”

By no means are TOTS suggesting that watching television with subtitles is a replacement for reading books, however advise that this is a simple, free and effective tool to use in order to improve a child’s literacy skill, without them even realising it!

Oli Barrett said in an interview with The Henley Standard, “Three of the world’s biggest companies are encouraging this — they’ve really got behind it. That’s hugely exciting”. YouTube Kids has introduced a number of literacy channels, while Netflix and Amazon Prime have been urged to launch pilot projects in which subtitles are turned on automatically, which is definitely a step in the right direction.

TOTs have gained the support of many celebrities such as Stephen Fry, Sandi Toksvig and Lenny Henry, who been helping raise awareness of the campaign and speaking on the benefits in which subtitles can have on a child.

How else can subtitles benefit a child?

Children’s literacy isn’t the only area that can benefit from same-language subtitles. While the TOTS campaign is extremely admirable, it’s worth noting that subtitles have additional benefits beyond helping children learn to read. They serve the essential purpose of allowing those who are deaf or hard of hearing to enjoy content as much as everyone else.

There are over 50,000 youngsters in the UK who have some form of hearing impairment, and yet young people who are deaf or hard of hearing still have to advocate for improved subtitling in television and online media.

For further information on how subtitles are beneficial to video content, make sure to check out our previous blog post ‘Top 5 Benefits of adding Subtitles to your online content’, which can be found here!

A unique tool for learning new languages

Children can be encouraged to learn new languages by allowing them to watch foreign films and television shows with subtitles in their native tongue enabled. Research has shown that through doing this, children can start to pick up on vocabulary and opportunistically advance their language skills by viewing foreign-language movies and television shows.

Children’s multicultural awareness can also be greatly enhanced by exposing them to subtitled foreign language movies, television shows, and videos. Research indicates that American content predominates in children’s viewing, which is supported by the fact that most internationally sourced children’s programs on British television come from the US. Children in the UK consequently have little access to media created in non-anglophone nations.

Children all across the world are accessing more multimedia materials and spending more time in front of screens than ever before, so now more than ever seems like a brilliant time to cease the opportunity and turn on the subtitles.

Why not get in touch with our expert team today to find out how we can help you?

To find out how we can help your business with quality subtitling, translation, and voice over services, why not get in touch with us today? We provide services in over 80 languages including voice overs and subtitling.

Call us on +44 (0) 118 958 4934

Or email project@matinee.co.uk