Most young people in the UK have their own mobile phone and smartphones, such as the Android and iPhone, are becoming increasingly popular. According to Ofcom, 3 per cent of 5-7 year olds in the UK, 13 per cent of 8-11s, and around one third of 12-15s own a smartphone.
Did you know?
The popularity of mobile phones among 12-15 year olds in the UK is reflected by the estimated number of text messages sent per week - this has doubled in the past four years with 113 texts now sent per week compared with 54 in 2007 (Source: Ofcom Children's Media Literacy Report, April 2011)
All sorts of services and features are now available on mobiles - from internet access to games, social networking to photos and video clips - and they are now second nature to children and teenagers.
Teachers TV ‘Mobile Phones, Mobile Minds’ (primary and secondary)
This 30 minute programme looks at how young people use mobiles and their impact on schools and education.
Unlike home computers, which are often shared with other family members, mobiles are often used by one person and are potentially always on, so supervising a child's use of their mobile can be difficult.
It's therefore important that you help your students to understand how to use them safely and responsibly.
For example, did you know that they could run up large phone bills if they vote for the favourite reality TV show on a premium rate number every week? Or that they could receive malicious text messages from people they know...or even from strangers?
Just look at the questions below for more information on these issues and others related to mobiles and young people and read our tips on privacy and personal safety.