Teaching through Textbooks and TelevisionChildren's education has always been a major concern in our society. The standard form of education for children is through school: teachers, resources, textbooks. This method is somewhat “set in stone” as a reliable method for raising children. However, with continued technological advancements, the ways in which we educate our young people are becoming both broader and more complex. Since the invention and standardization of television in the 20th century, children's television shows have been a popular way to teach young children basic skills and knowledge, before or during their schooling. This teaching method comes with another level of difficulty that educators are learning more about with each passing day. The purpose of educating children differs greatly depending on genre (in this case, textbooks or television), but always has the ultimate goal of informing and empowering future generations for us as a people. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Textbooks have one purpose when they are written: to educate. School textbooks intended for children must sometimes take alternative educational paths (compared to traditional textbooks) in order to achieve their objective. Children have a basic education that they must acquire before progressing in school, whether or not they have a particular interest in the subject; this places a responsibility on textbook authors to make the information they publish not only informative, but also engaging. It comes down to what's inside the book, as well as its exterior. Children's textbooks are visually colorful on the outside and also include various illustrations on the inside, depending on the subject. Even when an illustration is not necessary, authors can include information in visual form to appeal to their audience. This image provided is an example of a cover from a children's textbook. Rather than getting straight to the point of the topics covered in the book, the author asks the question: "What is science?" » to interest young readers. There are also several illustrations on the cover, and probably more illustrations inside with the text. The appearance of the book greatly influences how the audience will respond to it, because the audience is children, who are attracted to the fun, bright colors. Educational television shows for children have two purposes, while textbooks have only one: they should not only educate, but also entertain. Children watch television to entertain themselves and avoid the textbook waiting for them at their desk. If a child knew that the purpose of a show was to teach, would they choose that show or a completely comedic cartoon? This is where the genre gets complicated for writers and producers. Unlike textbooks, which focus strictly on education with facts and a little fun, TV shows should be mostly fun with some education interwoven. One of the most successful producers of children's educational television is the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). In 2014, a national survey was conducted to determine how children are prepared for school, and "nearly two-thirds (63%) [said] that PBS KIDS 'helps a lot' in preparing children for school » (PBS). PBS Kids aired a variety of children's programs related to languages, reading,..