Closed Captioning: ESL and Literacy

It is estimated that over 1 billion people in the world are learning to speak English! English is now the most widely spoken language in the world. With adults and children across the world needing accessible ways of learning English, what better way to assist this population than with captioning?

English is a second language for 30 million people living in the United States. Studies show that Limited English Proficient (LEP) students represent nearly 10% of public school enrollment. ESL Adult Education courses are rapidly growing—it is estimated that nearly 25% of Adult Education courses are ESL. 

Additionally, literacy still remains a problem in the United States. The National Center for Education Statistics showed that over 40 million adults in the United States have limited reading and writing skills.

Captioning becomes the perfect solution for increasing English language and literacy in this country. Television is a huge part of American culture. 99% of homes in the United States contain at least one television! Children on average spend nearly 30 hours a week watching television. Studies have shown that children who watch captioned programs can increase fluency, comprehension, and language development. With this in mind, captioning of television programs becomes a readily accessible way to improve English language and literacy amongst the population.