November Topic: World Television Day

Get set for World Television Day on Saturday, November 21st! This day was officially identified by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996 to acknowledge and commemorate the role that television has played in providing the world with ongoing information and communication.  Television has not only provided the world with universal links to social, economic and political developments, but has also been one of the most important drivers of technological developments in entertainment and communication. Television can make for an interesting and entertaining topic for ESL learners as they look into the history of television and how it has helped shape our world as we know it today! >>>

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS ON THE TOPIC OF TELEVISION BY ESL MADE EASY:

1. Are you a big fan of TV? How many hours do you and your family members spend watching TV or online shows/movies/news a day? What are some of your favorite and least favorite programs?

2. How have television sets physically changed over the years? What are some new and interesting features on a TV and in the cable industry today?

3. When you were growing up, was having a TV important in your household? Did you have any rules when it came to watching TV? If so, what were they and have these rules changed in your family today?

4. How do you think society has benefitted from television over the years? Are there any negative implications associated with television? If so, what are they?

5. Do you think television has helped to promote cultural diversity? If so, how?

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ESL STUDENTS ON THE TOPIC OF TELEVISION:

YouTube: A Brief History of Television
Early Television: Links to "the history of early television" worldwide
Mashable: How Television Has Changed Over 10 Years - Visual Graphic
Fiction Press: A short essay on the advantages/disadvantages of watching TV 
- Get your students to summarize them -
Strategy Online: Infographics - TV By the Numbers - Canadian
World Television Day: 9 Reasons Why the World Loves TV
EL Civics: Easy picture and vocabulary lesson on types of TV shows
5 Minute English: Reading with vocabulary activity on television shows
ESL Holiday Lessons: Reading and follow up activity on World Television Day
ITESLJ: Conversation questions about television
Heads Up English: Reality TV conversation questions
English Page: Television vocabulary and follow up activity
ISL Collective: Let's Talk About Television worksheet  - donation site
Breaking News English: Invention for Kids - Less TV - reading and activities
ESL Printables: TV program worksheets and activities - membership site
ESL Pod: Readings around television and movie vocabulary
ESL-Lab: Listening activity with quiz script - TV Guide
Learn English Feel Good: TV/radio vocabulary lesson
Fluentu: How to learn English with TV sitcoms - I'd like to add Everybody Loves Raymond to the list! -

Choosing the Right Size TV for Your Room
Many people who have recently bought a TV say they wish they had bought a bigger one. But how big is big enough and how do you choose the right screen resolution to make sure you get the best result without overspending?

Find out more on this infographic by Kagoo here which shows how screen size, resolution and viewing distance are all connected.