A new educational resource being developed will encourage children to discuss sex and relationships though analysing storylines featured in advertisements, soap-operas and teen magazines.
David Buckingham, director of the Institute of Education's Centre for the Study of Children, Youth and Media, said that the materials, due out next year, had been developed after research commissioned by media regulators found that children preferred to learn from the media than any other source, including school.
Lessons at school were too functional and were aimed at girls being careful rather than looking at boys' needs, the research found.
He said: "Despite condemnation of some of the information in the media and teen magazines, kids look to them. They say they find them useful and accessible, so we are encouraging them to be more critical about the way issues are portrayed."
