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Computer Game Improves Children's Hearing 172
wiredbeat2000 writes "The BBC is running a story that claims children who play video games increase their hearing skills. There have been several studies over the last few months extolling the virtues of games and education. For example, Wired News ran a roundup of college programs, and USA Today published a recent story on Daphne Bavelier's findings that playing games could help children develop hand-eye coordination, in addition to Professor James Gee's Slashdot-covered video transcript and article on 'games that teach'." Things have come a long way since the time when schoolkids were dumped in front of a computer and left to play Oregon Trail.
Sadly... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Sadly... (Score:1)
The said: "playing games could help children develop hand-eye coordination", but left out the fact that thousands of pr0n sites exist to help date-less adults develop their hand-eye coordination.
Re:Sadly... (Score:1, Interesting)
That being said, it should be obvious to most that video games can be ve
Re:Sadly... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Sadly... (Score:2)
Some trolls would argue that this is a Good Thing.
Oh joy (Score:5, Interesting)
Nevertheless, it is refreshing to see video games recieving positive media. And despite this, games such as Grand Theft Auto will forever serve as targets for the anti-game pundits.
Now excuse me while I look up secrets to the new Mario Golf game. [nintendo.com] I love video games that neither benefit nor harm you in any measurable way, only aim to entertain. This is why I hope Nintendo is still around when I have kids. I would much rather have my daughter playing "Animal Crossing 4: Happy Fun Land" than busting caps into pilots heads in "Grand Theft Aero 2: Jumbojet Bane".
Don't forget (Score:1)
Can't read or write or add or subtract.. (Score:4, Funny)
And to think, my parents thought video games would never get me anywhere in life.
Re:Oh joy (Score:2)
Paragraph one: You do realize that not only will your Nintendo consoles still work if/when you have children, provided you take care of them, and that Mario Golf will be as fun tomorrow (or in five years) as it is today, I hope? (-1, Obvious)
Paragraph two: When the world outside is more like Grand Theft Auto than it already is today (plenty of carjacking, smash and grab, assassination, and so on taking place every day after all, though generally not by one person over and over all day) perhaps the pundi
other benefits (Score:2, Funny)
Oregon Trail (Score:5, Funny)
You can carry 100 pounds back to your wagon.
Was I the only one.... (Score:1)
Re:Was I the only one.... (Score:5, Funny)
Yes. Of the millions of children who have played Oregon Trail in school, including probably several hundred today still playing on ancient, creaky old Apple II's, you are the only one to leave so-called "Humourous" messages.
Damn, I wish I'd thought of that. My hat is off to you, Mao Che Minh. You truly are one of the cleverest children around.
Re:Was I the only one.... (Score:1)
back in elementry school, we used to get on these oxen on the computer on the trail during lunch time...
now, we just spend our time getting off with these oxens in chat rooms at work during lunch time...
life is a cycle afterall...
Re:Was I the only one.... (Score:2)
Re:Oregon Trail (Score:1)
Re:Oregon Trail (Score:1)
oh the memories....
all we had to do was to kill 1 buffalo, and that was sufficient food... and we didnt need to waste ammo... gotta miss those hunting scenes
Re:Oregon Trail (Score:2)
Re:Remake of Oregon Trail!!!! (Score:2)
(no, I can't say the name due to being a contractor under a silly NDA).
The original authors were with MECC, which is now owned by The Learning Company, so bug them if you want a remake.
sigh... just having a nostalgia moment - I had a college friend who worked for MECC - the first and only female game programmer I've ever known.
Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)
Oregon Trail (Score:1)
Re:Oregon Trail (Score:2)
news? It's one day old... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:news? It's one day old... (Score:1)
But not reading... (Score:5, Funny)
quote:
A simple computer game can dramatically improve children's listening skills by teaching them to distinguish between sounds, new research suggests.
The game is said to boost children's hearing by the equivalent of two years in just a few weeks.
Phonomena was devised by Professor David Moore at Oxford University as an aid for children with language problems.
Re:But not reading... (Score:2)
Actually, I've found that MOST video games improve my son's hearing ability... or rather the selectivity of it. You can ask him direct questions really loudly and he will ignore you. Mutter a side comment to someone else about turning off the video game, and he's all ears.
The "Real World" worked for me (Score:3, Interesting)
If you couldn't hear the dog disappearing into the bush ahead of you, the slithering of a snake on the left, and keep a bearing on the bellowing livestock you were fscked!
I feel this is more of a function of the cotton-wool swaddled worlds our children grow up in. We are overprotective by default, treated as social
dang ... (Score:2)
Re:Not reading?! (Score:2)
Also, there still is no better way of learning than reading
Computer Game Improves Children's Hearing (Score:1, Funny)
As a hearing impaired indvidual .... (Score:2, Interesting)
Whatever.
Sneaky Sneaky (Score:1)
Oh no! (Score:5, Funny)
Just what we need, an entire generation of audio-philes who extol the value of gold plated, 3 inch thick monster cables and $4000 Blaupunkt stereo recievers.
Finally Some Good News... (Score:1)
Now if they can only start reporting that tar heroin actually prolongs life...
Re:Finally Some Good News... (Score:2)
Now if they can only start reporting that tar heroin actually prolongs life...
I have been finding the signal-to-noise ratio a bit low lately from the medical community. We have a baby girl on the way, and depending on who you ask, the medical community has a completely different atti
Don't knock down Oregon Trail (Score:1, Informative)
4 Oxen
3 Wagon Wheels
3 Wagon Axels
4 Changes of Clothes
0 Food
999 Boxes of Ammo
Re:Don't knock down Oregon Trail (Score:2)
But what a fun life it was until you died of dysentery...
Ahh..memories.. (Score:2)
Re:Ahh..memories.. (Score:2)
Re:Ahh..memories.. (Score:2)
Re:Ahh..memories.. (Score:1)
The difference? Realizing that you didn't have to stop to hunt every day. Especially if you couldn't even carry any more food.
Bang! Bang!
5.1 (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:5.1 (Score:2)
Not the stupid parents, for sure. If they did, you can bet that at least one speaker is in the wrong place and at least one other speaker is not properly connected.
This doesn't just occur with children of stupid parents, but also any children I am around, because I'm a sadistic bastard and would cross-wire all the speakers, so that your kids get seriously messed up when it comes to spatial positioning.
Re:5.1 (Score:2)
Oh, wait, kids no longer play that. Now they play cowboys and native americans, and the natives simply runs the casinos...
That's because ... (Score:1)
Re:That's because ... (Score:2)
Logically... (Score:2)
It could be argued that the same is true of games that have no time constraint, i.e. final fantasy in wait mode, turn based "civ" style games, et
Re:Logically... (Score:2)
Re:Logically... (Score:2)
An excellent argument.
hear or die situations (Score:1)
Personal story (Score:3, Interesting)
The point is, my learning (or desire for learning) never really stopped. I soon became a daily slashdot reader, and I wait for where my hunger for knowledge will take me next. I know this is perhaps not usal for many kids, but that's my story.
Re:Personal story (Score:2)
You are now an offical MCSE - Multi Certified Slashdot Examiner. Good luck!
Re:Personal story (Score:1)
Re:Personal story (Score:2)
Unfortunately (Score:3, Insightful)
The Only Way To Learn (Score:5, Interesting)
All animals are the same. Take a look at a kitten playing with a ball. They didn't evolve to please humans for being cute. That's a learned hunting skill.
That's one of the reasons why we have a pleasure sense. It propels us to learn and helps us survive.
and browsing /. improves reading skillz... (Score:2)
Re:and browsing /. improves reading skillz... (Score:2)
And most of those children are in their late 20s and early 30s.
Duke Nukem Forever (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Duke Nukem Forever (Score:3, Funny)
I didn't realize Simon and Garfunkle went with FPS games. Normally I'm blaring heavy metal or punk when I empty a chain gun on someone.
Hell, lets see if playing Quake to Jim Croche or Cat Stevens improves my concentration.
Even the BBC has lost its edge (Score:1)
justification for my games (Score:2)
huh? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
So are there any games for developing abilities? (Score:2)
How about eyesight? (Score:1)
Re:How about eyesight? (Score:2)
Balancing out (Score:1)
Yup, all that extra hearing REALLY helps... (Score:3, Funny)
Now, truth be told, all of us had our sound maxed out; you have to have it, the slightest sound can be the determining factor of weither you kill or get killed, no music allowed. Unfortunatly, one of the guys had a 5.1 surround sound system in his room cranked to the max (who I will refer to as "billy".). There was also another guy I was playing with whom I will call "Kiddy".
So, there I was, the match on the prison level just started, and I decided to throw a frag grenaide, max power, up at 45 degree angle to see how far it'd go. So I throw it, watch as the projectile moves off into the distance, then I hear this little pop.
About a half a second later over Teamspeak2 I hear another boom, considerably louder, fallowed by a "Ahh! HOOOLY SHIT!!!".
Of course, "kiddy" asked "what was it" and "billy" said "fuck, a grenaide blew up right next to my fucking head, arrgh". Subsequently, "Billy" was going up a flight of stairs, and the nade hit the upper platform right next to his head.
After that I heard something that made both of us laugh our asses off; "Brb guys, got to change my pants".
It's understandable; you've had a bit too much beer, don't want to goto the bathroom becuase of the addiction of the game, and at the beginning of the map you don't expect a nade to explode right next to your head, a minute 4 or 5 seconds after it started.
Of course, up until the point I left smile, "billy" never heard the end of it, hehee. >:)
Doh... (Score:3, Funny)
my parents didn't buy me enough video games!
New Hearing Aid (Score:1, Redundant)
2. Market it as a hearing enhancement
2. ???
3. Profit!!
Pinball (Score:2, Interesting)
It was a lot of fun taking turns playing pinball with members of the other sex. Especially, if you stood behind them watching their playing motion.
Now let me tell you about foosball...
intellivision (Score:1)
It only increases selective hearing. (Score:2)
[galaga ringtone]
M@
Coordination, Problem Solving, Hearing (Score:2)
Say what? (Score:1)
Playing Quake for ten hours at a time with headphones that lacked a hardware volume control sure didn't improve my hearing ;) This was on Windows 95, in the days before Alt-Tab functioned properly in most games. My hearing has never recovered.
Not my kids (Score:5, Funny)
here is the new scientist link (Score:5, Informative)
here is the new scientist link:
Computer game boosts children's' language skills [newscientist.com]
The game, based on distinguishing between sounds, is claimed to deliver the equivalent of two years improvement in just a few weeks
Vision (Score:2)
Maybe these kids' hearing is improving to compensate for worsened vision....
ObSimpsons (Score:1)
Thank God for Atari (Score:2)
Now, if only I could play Sim-Hoop-and-a-Stick, in a MMPORPGLORPS setting!
Really, how did society come this far without computer games? And what about the children!
Except for the words: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Re:Oregon Trail (Score:2)
Lemonade lives on. [yahoo.com]
speak up (Score:1)
Hearing vs. Listening (Score:3, Insightful)
That headline should probably read:
Since children are probably born with all of the physical hearing capabilities they will ever have, the video games would increase their ability to interpret the signals sent by their hardware (ears). In other words, they are capable of recognizing more sounds.Games that I learned from and were fun (Score:4, Interesting)
Speaking of learning things from computer games (Score:3, Funny)
sensory compensation (Score:1)
No... nevermind, I take that all back.
This only means... (Score:3, Funny)
Don't worry about me, though. I broke out my Mark Lanegan CDs. It's gonna be okay.
Another interesting factoid (Score:2)
Coincidence? I think not.
Paid to state the obvious... (Score:5, Insightful)
Oregon Trail? (Score:2)
Any other Canadians remember what that was called? Maybe "Voyageur"?
Re:Oregon Trail? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Oregon Trail? (Score:2)
Yeah, that was it... I played it on the Commodore 64 - one of the ones that they wheeled arou
Chalk one up to economics (Score:2)
Regarding that headline (Score:2)
Re:Yeah but... (Score:2)
Did no ones else notice...
He said: "In future, every child's dream of homework consisting of hours spent playing computer games may well become a reality."
In future? Maybe in the future. :p
Re:And for the deaf? Misleading headline (Score:5, Insightful)
By age 5, they will have learned how to speak well enough that they won't have any trouble picking up new words or even languages with hearing aids. Of course, that depends on the severity of the hearing loss. If they start to slip in their speech, then get them on speech therapy as early as you can. They would also have a good basic grasp of the English language and it's grammatical structure. Most deaf children struggle with this area.
Additionally, if you choose to get them fitted with hearing aids, then I highly recommend they get some musical training. Violin, piano, trumpet or even a recorder. Playing those instruments will help tune their hearing, for both tone and notes. This will help in their listening and speech skills. Let them play it through middle school, and it's their choice if they want to continue through high school.
I am deaf myself, though my situation differs from your children. I'm born with a severe-to-profound sensori-neural hearing loss, an approximately 95% hearing loss. With powerful hearing aids, I make the best use of my remaining hearing.
This is basically what my parents and I've done. Though, I got fitted for hearing aids at a VERY early age (1 1/2). My parents made the choice to put me on an oral education and they stuck with it. I didn't learn sign language until I met a few deaf students in high school. By then, my speech and writing skills were indistinguishable from that of a hearing teenager.
This is only my experience and what I grew up with. I count myself lucky that I even have any speech skills at all. This was only because of years and years of regular speech therapy, starting at age 5.
If you care enough about your children, they can be just as productive in society as a hearing person can.
Now, to be on topic with this slashdot discussion, I will say that video games has helped me, mostly in hand-eye coordination.
The first video game I played was Super Mario Brothers on the NES. I loved that game so much that I managed to learn the timings well enough to beat the game in one sitting (worlds 1 through 9). That hand-eye coordination has served me well in my touch typing and juggling skills.
A 24 year old deaf man says,
Sincerely,
-Cyc
Re:And for the deaf? Misleading headline (Score:4, Interesting)
The big issue with cochlear implant surgery is when to get it.
At my age right now, it won't bring any additional benefits over hearing aids. I've worn hearing aids for almost my whole life that it's become natural for me to wear them. I'm used to hearing the sounds of the world through those digital ears and I'm doing just fine.
Cochlear implants have their biggest impacts at an early age, preferably before age 5. The key is being able to allow the child to hear some sounds before the language center of the brain stops its rapid development. The earlier the surgery, the better chance that the child will be able to have normal language development.
With that said, I wouldn't want one. I see no need to and I'm just fine with my hearing aids. It's likely that if I have deaf children, they too will not have cochlear implants.
I recommend you watch Sound and Fury [imdb.com], a PBS documentary about cochlear implants. It's a very well made documentary, presenting both sides of the debate with about as fair as one can get. It's a very moving piece.
-Cyc