Table of contentsIntroduction and research questionLiterature reviewHow screen-based media is used in current practice in early childhood educationConclusionIntroduction and question researchScreen time includes all electronic media accessed through television, computers and mobile phones, and video games. Children today engage more in screen-based activities, and high levels of screen-based activities during early childhood are detrimental to their well-being. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay The recommended screen time, based on physical activity and sedentary behavior guidelines, is zero screen time screen time for children under 2 years old, i.e. less than an hour per day. for children aged two to five and less than two hours for children aged five to seventeen. Apart from this, the government recommends that parents limit their access to screens, monitor the content of screens and spend time watching with their children. A recent study in Australia found that at the age of twelve months the average screen time was 50 minutes on weekdays and 58 minutes on weekends, at the age of 2 it was 91 minutes on weekdays and 105 minutes on weekends. Exposure to screen time has exceeded the recommended exposure for children aged 1 to 4 years in Australia. Hinkley et al. (2012) found that in Melbourne, Victoria, children aged 3 to 5 spent an average of 113 minutes per day on screens. It varies between Australian families when it comes to children's access to screens, different rules and regulations within homes. Spending a lot of time watching media on screen, less interaction, repeated exposure, and age-inappropriate content can interfere with a child's language development (Sousa, 2015). . The purpose of this literature review is to determine whether screen time has a negative or positive impact on young children's language development. Therefore, the research question designed is: What impact does screen time have on the language development of children aged under five? Literature Review Several theories have been proposed to understand the impact of screen time on language development, some focusing on negative outcomes, others on positive outcomes, verbal interactions, and repeated exposure . A large number of existing studies in the literature support the association between excessive screen time and language delays. Lin et al. (2015), in a quasi-experimental study of young children aged 15 to 35 months, argued that television exposure was linked to an increased risk of language delays. The exposure group of 75 children watched an average of 137.2 minutes per day and the control group watched an average of 16.3 minutes per day. The results indicated that the risk of language delay in the exposed group was 3.3 times higher than that of the control group. Byeon and Hong (2015), in a cross-sectional survey of 1,778 Korean toddlers aged 24–30 months, stated that toddlers who spent 2–3 hours watching TV were 2.7 times more likely to have language delays than those who watched it less than 2.7 times. an hour. The cross-sectional and longitudinal study of a sample of 119 Hispanic infants and young children explained that children watched television during or on average3.29 hours per day, of which 2.09 hours were led by children and 1.29 hours by adults. Using the Ages and Stages questionnaire, the authors recognized that infants and toddlers who spent more than two hours per day viewing media had delayed scores in the area of ​​language development compared to children who spent less than two hours a day (Duch et al., 2013). Weerasak Chonchaiya (2008) also demonstrated that children who began using media before the age of twelve months and watched it for more than 2 hours per day were six times more likely to have a language delay. Many studies have been conducted to investigate the role of verbal interactions in language development. Whether using verbal interactions with caregivers while watching media can minimize negative impacts on language development. This longitudinal study examined 253 low-income mother-child pairs and found that verbal interactions had a positive impact on verbal skills (Mendelsohn et al., 2010). Similar results were also recognized by Tanimura, Okuma, and Kyoshima (2007) in Japan in an observational study. The children received between 500 and 1,000 words for every hour they watched television. The study concluded that interactions between adults and children decrease when the television is on and the authors found that reduced conversations were associated with an excessive amount of television watched and that this decrease in two-way interactive experiences with parents may have an impact on language development. Some previous studies have highlighted the positive impact of screen time on a child's language development. Barr and Lerner (2014) found that screen time can be helpful if two factors, content and context, are considered. A longitudinal study conducted by Alloway et al. (2014) investigated the relationship between television viewing and vocabulary skills. The study suggested that besides watching television, there are many other factors responsible for vocabulary development, such as educational books, home environment, and parental interaction. Educational television viewing has a positive relationship with higher vocabulary scores, while non-educational television viewing may be correlated with lower vocabulary scores for children on assessments (Alloway et al., 2014) . However, the study results cannot be considered conclusive as no clear evidence was found. This could be because the content is not understandable to children and the sample size is smaller. Another longitudinal study conducted in the United States collected data from 51 infants and young children aged 30 months through multiple sources. Although a positive relationship was found in most cases, a negative relationship between television viewing and language development was also observed in three children-specific programs due to their complex content. It has been successfully established that age-appropriate educational programs can have beneficial effects on language development. Some authors have also studied whether or not repeated exposure to infant media can help infants and toddlers learn new words. In a cross-sectional study of children aged 24 months, it was suggested that repeated exposure to children's programs does not lead to the learning of new words in children younger than 22 months, but that these same children learn new wordssimilar in a natural environment. Repeated exposure only improved the attention span of children under 2 years old. Although there are numerous studies, research on the effects of touchscreen tablets on language skills remains limited. A survey conducted in the United States among children from infancy to age eight to examine the role of touchscreen tablets in improving language skills. The results indicate that 52% of children had access to tablets and of these 52%, 11% used a touch screen 43 minutes per day. The survey also looked at the use of e-books and literacy apps. The effects of media on language development are difficult to understand because different research methods have been used to collect data and studies have produced multiple opinions. There are few studies on the relationship between screen time and delayed language development. These are limited to observational or quasi-experimental methods, although the results remain consistent across these studies. Studies have been carried out by numerous authors but the problem is still insufficiently explored and produces mixed results. More systematic and theoretical analysis is needed.How screen-based media is used in current practice in early childhood educationThe use of technology and screen-based media can support and enhance practice in early childhood education. When technology is used appropriately, it can serve as a learning tool. Technology can also increase access to learning opportunities for all children. Technology helps build relationships between children, parents, educators and caregivers. When adults co-view with children and interact, technology can be more effective for language development. Developmentally appropriate technology can help in early childhood settings. The use of screen time should be culturally appropriate and support science, technology, environment, and mathematics (STEM) learning. Through social interactions and guidance from educators, when screen-based media is integrated into early childhood contexts in this modern world, it can improve critical thinking and language skills. Children with disabilities can participate in educational content and activities through technology because it provides appropriate access for all learners. Educators can also increase communication with children of different linguistic backgrounds through the use of digital tools. Today, early childhood professionals use technology to share content with parents, which helps strengthen and build relationships for the benefit of children. However, care should be taken to ensure that technology does not diminish meaningful face-to-face interactions between adults and peers. Adult involvement in screen media use can help children experience real-life situations. Adult guidance can contribute to active use of technology in early childhood and is most effective when used together. Educators can use intentional teaching strategies and scaffolding. Early childhood educators must ensure content is appropriate, informed and up-to-date to ensure technology has a positive impact. Parents lack knowledge about the risks of excessive screen time and need to be informed about the risks associated with excessive screen time..