Shifting focus from phone to classroom

Smartphones have become an essential part of our daily lives. However, to protect younger students’ eyesight and make sure they focus on their studies, primary and middle schools will have more specific rules to limit students’ mobile phone use on campus.
手机已经成为我们日常生活中必不可少的一部分。然而，为了保护低龄学生视力，确保他们专心学习，中小学校将推出更具体的规定来限制学生在校使用手机。

The Ministry of Education released a notice in January that restricts primary and middle school students from carrying mobile phones to school. Those who still require their phone for some reason must get their parents’ and teachers’ approval and must hand their phones over during class time.
今年1月，教育部下发通知，要求中小学生原则上不允许将手机带入校园，确有将手机带入校园需求的，需征得家长与老师的同意，在校时将手机上交。

The policy aims to improve students’ focus on study and fight addiction to the internet and games.
这条新规旨在帮助学生专注于学习，防止他们沉迷于互联网和游戏。

According to a 2020 report by the China Internet Network Information Center, China had 175 million internet users under the age of 18 in 2019, with 74 percent having their own mobile devices.
中国互联网络信息中心2020年的一份报告显示，2019年，中国18岁以下的网民达1.75亿，其中74%拥有自己的移动设备。

This is worrying, as long-time use of smartphones harms children’s eyesight, cervical vertebrae and even the brain, according to the World Health Organization.
这种情况令人担忧。据世界卫生组织介绍，长期使用手机会伤害孩童的视力、颈椎甚至大脑。

On Feb 19, Beijing Municipal Education Commission released a notice that asked all local primary and middle schools to include rules regarding smartphone usage in campus management. Schools should clarify where, how and who will take care of the phones for students who have received approval to bring them.
2月19日，北京市教育委员会发布通知，要求全市学校将手机纳入学校日常管理。对于获准将手机带入校园的学生，学校应该明确统一规定手机的保管地点、保管方式和保管负责人。

Many schools have taken measures to limit students’ phone use on campus. According to Zhou Dandan, an English teacher at Beijing No 20 High School, every classroom in her school has a deposit box to store students’ phones during class.
许多学校已经采取措施，限制学生在校园内使用手机。北京市第二十中学英语老师周丹丹表示，学校的每一间教室内都有一个用于上课时存放学生手机的储物箱。

Before the new regulation, she noticed that many students were preoccupied with their phones. Some even played games on them during class. Zhou said that most students lack self-discipline. Spending too much time on the phone will distract them and prevent them from learning, she added.
在新规出台之前，她注意到许多学生都有沉迷手机的情况，有些同学甚至在课堂上玩游戏。周老师说，大多数学生缺乏自律。在手机上花太多时间会让他们分心，干扰学习，她补充道。

Li Jisen, an 18-year-old from Beijing 101 Middle School, agrees with the new policy. “In general, there are more advantages than disadvantages,” he said. Li believes that regulating phone use at school is the only way to put the focus back on academics.
北京101中学的18岁学生李吉森赞同这项新政策。“总体来说，利大于弊，”他说。李同学认为，规范校内的手机使用是让同学们专注学业的唯一方法。

Kathy Chen, a parent from Shanghai, allowed her daughter to take her phone to school. Chen said it’s more important to cultivate kids’ ability to self-manage and develop good habits of phone usage.
来自上海的家长凯西·陈允许女儿把手机带到学校。她表示，更重要的是要培养孩子的自我管理能力，养成良好的手机使用习惯。

以上文章内容选自《21世纪学生英文报高中版》，详情请见《21世纪学生英文报高中版》高一821期