Genre: Children's educational
Runtime: approx. 40 minutes
Age Range: Ages 1 and up
"Read-TV, Volume One: Do What You Love" Overview
Read-TV presents six stories which are captioned in order to help children learn to read. The stories are first told aloud along with the captioning, and then the story is presented without the reading voice, so that children may read the words themselves. In between each story, several kids read and talk about things they like to do.
The stories are filmed using real world footage of people and animals acting out the stories. Many times, the words are presented in a manner to help children derive the meaning. For example, the word “stripes” is written in stripes, and the word “big” is bigger than the other words in the captioning. The stories also contain rhyming and repetition, which also help children master reading.
Guide Review of "Read-TV, Volume One: Do What You Love"
What a great concept! The live footage stories about children and animals will captivate kids, and they will have fun reading the big words on the screen. For children who are beginning to read, the DVD can be a great confidence builder, as they learn the stories and are able to tell them along with the video. Younger children will enjoy hearing their parent or caregiver read the stories during the “Now it’s Your Turn” sections.
In addition to the literary value, Volume 1: Do What You Love brings together stories about children and animals doing activities they enjoy. The characters present a great example of being active and finding talents and hobbies to enjoy. Kids will probably want to try some of the activities from the stories, such as cooking or throwing rocks into the water.
The stories move at a pretty good pace. They are not the “See Jane Run” type of simplicity one might expect. I would love to see Read-TV produce a volume with simpler, slower stories for children just learning about letters and words, and maybe even some colorful and fun sets along with the real life settings.
Read-TV provides an educational and valuable experience for children. The DVD is rare in its ability to give children a truly interactive experience.
"Read-TV, Volume One: Do What You Love" DVD Special Features
- Flashcards: Several segments of flashcard words featuring images and action from the DVD
- Director Interview
Ideas for Expanding on the "Read-TV, Volume One: Do What You Love" Curriculum
- During the "Now it's Your Turn" segments, children who cannot read yet often make up their own words similar to or different from the actual story. Stay out of sight one time while your child watches, and you might be in for a cute surprise.
- Do one of the activities from the DVD with your child, such as painting or cooking, and talk about or even label the familiar words for the items you use.
*Visit the Read-TV official website for additional ideas and supplemental learning tools.
