Lesson: Screen Time
A Japanese city will introduce an ordinance requesting residents to limit their smartphone screen time to two hours per day. I watched a TV news item in which an interviewer was asking people to show their screen time for the day as displayed on the Digital Wellbeing section on their phones. One woman with a small child in her arms had ten hours and 44 minutes of screen time, and the sun was still shining. She had plenty of time to rack up more screen time. Excessive screen time is a problem in today’s digital age, impacting physical and mental health. People are glued to their screens for work, entertainment, and socializing, leading to a sedentary lifestyle, obesity and related health issues. Furthermore, prolonged screen exposure can cause eye strain, headaches, and disrupted sleep patterns, as the blue light emitted by screens interferes with circadian rhythms.
Mental health is also at risk, as too much screen time can lead to feelings of isolation and anxiety, particularly among young people who may replace face-to-face interactions with online ones. It can also contribute to addictive behaviours, as social media platforms and online games are designed to keep users engaged.
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Example Article
Each conversation topic is based on a theme. In order to help students acquire a basic understanding of that topic, four media articles are provided for them to read. I will never test you on the articles, but I strongly suggest you book lessons far enough in advance to give yourself enough time to properly prepare. The better prepared you are, the more benefit you will receive from our conversations.
Below is an example article for this conversation topic.
