The Sindhi Language Authority has organized an online discussion titled Digital Era Children and Sindhi Language, in which several prominent personalities shared their views, according to a report from Hyderabad. The speakers discussed how children in the Sindhi speaking community are entering a new digital era, and what this means for the language and for the way that young people learn. The discussion looked at the use of technology in teaching, the effect of mobile phones on children and the responsibilities of parents, teachers and the government, and it also considered the book of a local writer on the subject, which several speakers recommended to families and educators.
Broadcaster Naseer Mirza said that rhymed and prose materials were added to the curriculum in earlier periods for the interest of children, and that these were presented on radio and television using the electronic resources of the time. He said that the language authority preserved educational songs for children on audio and video CDs, but that the world has since moved further, with mobile applications now available for books and children’s songs. According to him, it has become necessary to digitize material for children through animation, and the curriculum that children read is now presented in the form of graphics and music. He also spoke about the book Digital Door Ja Digital Child by writer and journalist Ghulam Mustafa Solangi, which he described as a guide for society, parents and teachers, since it explains the advantages and the possible disadvantages of the digital world.
Computing expert Professor Dr. Azhar Ali Shah said that the world has become a village, and that today’s young people are called Generation Z. He said that many countries have set screen time limits according to age and have made laws on the subject, while Pakistan has no such rules, so children keep their eyes on screens for long periods, which has a negative effect. He added that some of the material that children see on mobile phones is helpful but some can be dangerous, and that the government, parents and teachers should watch over them to keep them safe. Educationist and writer Dr. Parveen Musa Memon said that a discussion on this topic is an important need of the time, and that parents give children a mobile phone to keep them quiet, as a result of which the child stops talking and moves away from the language, which harms mental development. She advised parents to read the book.
Author Ghulam Mustafa Solangi said that discussions of this kind give a positive message to society, and that children who use mobile phones heavily can be taught about the benefits and the risks of digital technology through interesting and informative content in online classes. He said that such content can also attract children to books, and that teachers should watch the activities of children while parents should stay particularly close to them. He explained that he has tried to write about cyber threats in his book, but he suggested that a separate organization should be established for children, and that parents should be informed about cyber threats according to current needs.
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