Understanding the Under 12s (6 Parts)

Synopsis

Part 1: Focuses on the first day at primary school, seen through the eyes of children, parents and the head teacher of an infant school. Considers the fears and anxieties both children and parents may feel and ways that these can be anticipated and overcome.
Part 2: Examines the complexities, problems and fascination of communication with and between young children, both informally through touch, talk and sight and formally through the written word. Looks at the particular problems of isolated children and at the central importance, to any kind of communication, of children’s play.
Part 3: The programme is not for parents of handicapped children, but for others who normally have no contact with any kind of disability and do not know what it is like. Those directly involved, both parents and children, speak for themselves and the programme visits two schools - one catering for physically disabled children and one attended by children with a wide range of mental and physical disorders.
Part 4: Concerns the importance of taking children’s feelings seriously and helping them to cope with anxiety and stress. Children talk about their bad days, their good days, their imaginary friends and how they cope with stress. On 11-year-old sums it up: ‘When I want to speak about something I usually go and speak to my cat about it, because he never tries to give me advice - he just listens’.
Part 5: The transition from primary to secondary school can be fraught with anxieties for many children and the programme looks at some of the anxieties and the ways in which schools try to overcome them. It also confronts some of the long-term problems - truancy, learning difficulties, unsuitable friends - and discusses with educational psychologist Billy Conn, the help that is available at child guidance clinics.
Part 6: Eight parents with children in the 10-12 age range join in a studio discussion sharing their experiences with each other and with child psychologist Tom Crabtree. The issues discussed include homework, stealing, sex education and discipline and the programme stresses the importance of giving a child praise, prestige and responsibility.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 6 x 25 min.

Year of production

1985

Availability

OUT OF DISTRIBUTION

Documentation

Accompanying booklet.

Uses

Aimed at parents but also of value in child development courses undertaken by student teachers and social workers.*

Subjects

Psychology

Keywords

adolescents; children; psychological development; special needs education

Credits

Cast

Anna Ford

Sections

Title

Starting infant school

Synopsis

Part 1: Focuses on the first day at primary school, seen through the eyes of children, parents and the head teacher of an infant school. Considers the fears and anxieties both children and parents may feel and ways that these can be anticipated and overco

Title

Communication

Synopsis

Part 2: Examines the complexities, problems and fascination of communication with and between young children, both informally through touch, talk and sight and formally through the written word. Looks at the particular problems of isolated children and at

Title

Handicapped children

Synopsis

Part 3: The programme is not for parents of handicapped children, but for others who normally have no contact with any kind of disability and do not know what it is like. Those directly involved, both parents and children, speak for themselves and the pro

Title

Children’s feelings

Synopsis

Part 4: Concerns the importance of taking children's feelings seriously and helping them to cope with anxiety and stress. Children talk about their bad days, their good days, their imaginary friends and how they cope with stress. On 11-year-old sums it up

Title

Starting secondary school

Synopsis

Part 5: The transition from primary to secondary school can be fraught with anxieties for many children and the programme looks at some of the anxieties and the ways in which schools try to overcome them. It also confronts some of the long-term problems -

Title

Approaching adolescence

Synopsis

Part 6: Eight parents with children in the 10-12 age range join in a studio discussion sharing their experiences with each other and with child psychologist Tom Crabtree. The issues discussed include homework, stealing, sex education and discipline and th

Production Company

Name

Thames Television

Distributor

Name

Guild Sound & Vision

Notes

for management & training programmes, see Training Services Ltd