Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
4515883
label
12/14/76 - Diplomatic Children's Christmas Party
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
4515883
sourceUrl
contentType
document
title
12/14/76 - Diplomatic Children's Christmas Party
citationUrl
collections
Betty Ford White House Papers
Local Events Files
subjects
First ladies
Holidays
Children
Ambassadors
Entertainment events
iiifBase
thumbnailUrl
largeImageUrl
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
4515883
coverageEndDate
logicalDate
1976-12-01
month
12
year
1976
coverageStartDate
day
1
logicalDate
1976-12-01
month
12
year
1976
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
url
mediaId
01252bb4a5c52331
ocrText
The original documents are located in Box 8, folder "12/14/76 - Diplomatic Children's
Christmas Party" of the Betty Ford White House Papers, 1973-1977 at the Gerald R. Ford
Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Betty Ford donated to the United States
of America her copyrights in all of her unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Date Issued11/30/76
ByP. Howa
Revised
FACT SHEET
Mrs. Ford's Office
Event Diplomatic Children's Christmas Party
Group T.H.I.S.
DATE/TIME December 14, 1976 (Tuesday)
4:30 p.m.
Contact Mrs. Swan Weber (Secty., Rebecca de Sugny)
Phone 232-3002
Number of guests: Total approx. 500 Women
X
Men
--
Children
X
Place State Floor
Principals involved
Mrs. Ford
Participation by Principal yes
(Receiving line) no
Remarks required
yes
Background Mrs. Ford's Christmas Party for the children of the Diplomatic Corps.
REQUIREMENTS
Social:
Guest list . yes (Pat Howard will distribute guest list. )
Invitations yes
Programs no Menus no
Refreshments Christmas cookies and punch
FORD
Entertainment yes
Decorations/flowers
yes
Music
yes
Social Aides yes
Dress Bus. Suits - Short Dresses. & Native Dress
Coat checkyes
Other
(Theatre)
--
Press:
Reporters
yes
Photographers yes
TV Crews
yes
White House Photographers
yes
Color yes
Mono.
Other
--
Technical
Support:
Microphones
yes
PA Other Rooms
no
Recording
yes
Lights
yes ?
Transportation cars (enter through SW Gate)
Parking South Grounds (for THIS volunteers, approx. 30 spaces)
Housing
--
Other
--
(Risers,stage,platforms) yes
Project Co-ordinator
Pat Howard
Phone 2927
Site diagrams should be attached if technical support is heavy.
Introduction, Diplomatic Children's Party
Christmas in our land
is full of good cheer
with stories of Santa
and his many reindeer.
Here at the White House
it makes us quite jolly
to have you join us
for some holiday folly.
And because you're so special
we asked that Big Bird
tell us some stories
we never have heard.
And we hope you'll enjoy
our big funny treat
with Big Bird and friends
from Sesame Street.
BERALD
TORD
LIBRARY
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 13, 1976
FOR:
MRS. FORD
FROM:
MARIA DOWNS
SUBJECT:
Diplomatic Children's Party
December 14, 1976 - 4:30 p.m.
Attached for your review and approval is the proposed
scenario for your Diplomatic Children's Party.
Also attached is a press kit about the entertainment.
Thank you.
ORD LIBRARY
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
MRS. FORD
Event:
Diplomatic Children's Christmas Party
Date/Time:
Tuesday, December 14, 1976 - 4:30 p.m.
Place:
State Floor
Number of
Attendees:
526 children from 87 foreign countries
FORD & GERALD LIBRARY
Schedule of
Events:
4:30 p.m.
The children will arrive through the
Southwest Gate and will be escorted to
the State Floor through the Blue Room
(around the Christmas tree) to the East
Room where they will be seated on the
floor facing the stage at the north end of
the room.
NOTE: There will be 7 clowns from the
Social Security Administration to amuse
the children before the entertainment
begins.
4:40 p.m.
As soon as all the children have been seated,
you will be escorted to the State Floor by
Maria Downs where you will meet Mrs. Weber,
Mrs. Preston, Mrs. Jackson, and Mrs. Pew.
(Mrs. Swan Weber is President of THIS;
Mrs. William Preston is Vice President of
THIS; Mrs. Aaron G. Jackson and Mrs.
Michael Pew are Chairman and Co-Chairman
respectively of the Children's Committee of
THIS.)
Maria Downs will then escort you to the East
Room. You will enter through the center door
and proceed to the microphone which will be
located in front of the stage. You will make
brief welcoming remarks and introduce the
entertainment -- Big Bird and his friends
from Sesame Street.
-2-
Diplomatic Children's Christmas Party
You will be seated with the children for
the entertainment.
5:05 p.m.
After Santa Claus arrives on stage, the
entertainment concludes. You proceed to
the stage to thank Big Bird and his friends.
You will remain on stage and pose for
photographs with Santa Claus and Big Bird
and his friends.
You will then invite the children to join you
in the State Dining Room for punch and
cookies.
NOTE: There will be full press coverage of
your remarks and of the entertainment.
5:30 p.m.
The party concludes and you will return to
the Family Quarters.
As the children depart, Santa Claus (Bill
Nicholson) will be in the Diplomatic Reception
Room and will hand out candy, pictures of
you, the President and your family, White
House booklets and Sesame Street finger
puppets.
NOTES:
Military Social Aides will be present.
THIS volunteers will assist with the party.
The Marine Brass Choir will play in the
Grand Hall.
A White House photographer will be present.
Background information about THIS is attached.
Pat Howard
GEBRAU FORD LIBRARY
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THIS
THIS (The Hospitality & Information Service) is a volunteer
committee of Washington citizens formed to be of service to
diplomatic residents and their families. Organized in 1961
at the request of the Chief of Protocol, THIS is a non-government,
non-profit, and tax-exempt organization. Its sponsors are the
spouses of the President's Cabinet and the Mayor of the District
of Columbia.
1
DEPART R. FORD LIBRARY
For immediate release
Tuesday, December 14, 1976
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary to Mrs. Ford
Mrs. Ford will host about 500 children of members of the Diplomatic
Corps at a party at the White House Tuesday, Dec. 14 at 4:30 p.m.
Special guest and entertainment for the party will be Sesame Street's
"Big Bird, 11 an eight-foot-tall canary played by Carroll Spinney.
"Big Bird"'s supporting cast includes four of his human co-stars from
the television program: Susan (Loretta Long), Maria (Sonia Manzano),
David (Northern J. Calloway) and Mr. Hooper (Will Lee).
"Sesame Street" is seen by about nine million viewers on public
broadcasting. Created by Children's Television Workshop, the educational
series for preschool children is approaching its eighth season.
Approximately 87 countries will be represented. The guest list was
coordinated through THIS, The Hospitality and Information Service, a
volunteer organization to help Diplomatic families in Washington, D.C.
Also greeting the children will be Santa Claus and clowns from the
Baltimore Social Security Administration.
The children will be given a photograph of the First Family, a brochure
about the White House, candy and Sesame Street finger puppets.
SEPARA R. FORD
# # # #
LIBRARY
pickup for photographers inpress lobby 4 p.m.
reporters - 4:15 p.m.
ITEM TRANSFER REFERENCE FORM
The item described below has been-removed.
New File Location:
A-V collection
Document Description:
4-8x10's of Sesame Street
performers
FORD R. GERALD LIBRARY
Old File Location:
Betty Ford's Files
Box 8 - 12/14/76 Diplomatic
Children's Christmas
Party
By K. Kennelly Date 5/17/83
GERALD R. FORD LIB
NLFP - 11/4/77
I
R.
GERALD
FORD
RRA
'SESAME' HOSTS GATHER on the street for their new season which debuts Monday,
November 29. Newcomers among the human and Muppet cast include Alaina Reed
(top) and Linda Bove (lower right). Seated in the front row from left: Luis
(Emilio Delgado) and Maria (Sonia Manzano) with their friend Ruby, David
(Northern Calloway) and Ms. Bove. Second row from left: Bob (Bob McGrath),
Bert and Ernie, Oscar the Grouch, Susan (Loretta Long), Count von Count, Rodeo
Rosie (behind Prairie) and the Cookie Monster. Standing at rear: Mr. Hooper
(Will Lee), Fred the Wonder Horse, Olivia (Ms. Reed), Grover, Gordon (Roscoe
Orman), Biff and Big Bird. Created by the Children's Television Workshop, the
Emmy award-winning educational series is broadcast on the 266 member stations of
the Public Broadcasting Service and several dozen commercial channels in areas
not covered by PBS.
- 0 -
LIBRARY
GERATI
HELLO JUDY! Grouch-style music pains the ears of musical super star Judy Collins,
who visits "Sesame Street" in search of a quiet place to practice a song. Her
impossible quest is capped by the worst noise-maker on the show, Oscar the Grouch.
Ms. Collins will fare better with her singing and her acting in other episodes. She's
a regular guest performer on the educational TV series for preschoolers during its
1976-77 season. Sesame Street is produced by the Children's Television Workshop.
- 0 -
FORD 2. GERALD LIBRARY
ONE BRUSH, TWO BRUSHES: Count von Count of "Sesame Street" models the proper
way to brush the teeth with the help of Melissa Padro. The educational TV series
GERALD
will for the first time teach simple health practices during 1976-77. The
experimental segments are designed to help preschool children learn the importance
FFORD
of such things as washing hands before meals and eating fewer sweets to prevent
LIBRARY
tooth decay. Sesame Street is produced by the Children's Television Workshop and
is broadcast daily on the 266 stations of the Public Broadcasting Service.
- 0 -
7>
FORD is LIBRARY
CTW
SESAME STREET INFORMATION KIT
SESAME STREET
INFORMATION KIT
New Season Debuts on PBS Nov.29
For more information write:
Office of Public Affairs
Sesame Street
CTW, 1 Lincoln Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10023
Tel: (212) 595-3456
NEWS
NEWS
NEWS
CHILDREN'S TELEVISION WORKSHOP
FORD a. GERALD LIBRARY
TV'S 'SESAME STREET' POINTS TO 1,000TH HOUR
WITH NEW TEACHING GOALS AND SOME NEW HOSTS
"Sesame Street" approaches its eighth season and 1,000th hour of original
television programming with several new teaching goals and some new hosts. The edu-
cational series for preschool children also heads for two natural environments that
are unnatural to the residents of Sesame Street: a mountain campground and the
seashore.
Health practices, expanded pre-reading skills and increased emphasis
on the role of women are among the elements that will be added in the 1976-77 season
that begins Monday, November 29 on the 266 stations of the Public Broadcasting Service.
New affect, or emotional, skills will be taught and last year's special segments for
mentally retarded children will be expanded to include self-help skills.
"Admiral" Big Bird takes his first seafaring rides in location-based
programming which includes fishing and boating segments created around Long Island
Sound. He and his urban dwelling friends on the street also take a humorous but
instructive camping trip Upstate New York.
On March 11, Sesame Street will reach a new landmark when it broad-
casts its 1,000th program.
Three Women Join Cast
Executive producer Jon Stone describes the new season as "exciting in
every aspect and one of the most ambitious in terms of new content we have ever had."
He stresses that many of the newer additions, like earlier innovations, are experimental.
"What we learn each year provides knowledge for future seasons," he says.
Alaina Reed, a singer and actress, will join the cast in the role of
November, 1976
(more)
ONE LINCOLN PLAZA, N.Y. 10023 / (212) 595-3456 / CABLE: SESAMEST / RCA: 236168 / TWX: (710) 581-2543
-- 2
Olivia, Gordon's sister. Singer Buffy St. Marie, who appeared in several programs
last season, will be back as will Linda Bove of the Little Theatre of the Deaf.
These three women will be regular performers on the series this season. In addition,
singer/composer Judy Collins will appear on the street occasionally and in several
of the segments created on New York's City Island.
The newcomers join the resident company that includes: Northern Calloway
(David), Emilio Delgado (Luis), Will Lee (Mr. Hooper), Loretta Long (Susan), Bob
McGrath (Bob), Sonia Manzano (Maria) and Roscoe Orman (Gordon).
Sesame Street has been criticized for not having enough women on the program
and for showing them in stereotyped roles. "We continue to review the role of women
on the series," says associate research director Lewis Bernstein, "and this season
will pose several additional alternatives to traditional career roles. For example,
Ms. Reed portrays a professional newspaper photographer and Maria investigates various
career possibilities."
Other female performers will make guest appearances. Clarice Taylor
drops in occasionally as David's grandmother and Anne Revere plays Ms. Sharpe, a
temporary worker in Mr. Hooper's store.
New Goals Added
Vocabulary development and sight phrases represent a major addition to
the show's teaching of cognitive skills and are designed to sharpen pre-reading
skills.
In vocabulary development the effort will be to develop a child's sense
of word play and at the same time attempt to teach the meanings of the new words.
Sight phrases to be introduced in both English and Spanish will be words that
children encounter frequently. The method of presentation will be similar in form
and content to that used in schools.
The health practices to be introduced will be simple activities that chil-
dren can perform unassisted to maintain their health and thus exert control over them-
selves and their environment. In addition, they might encourage child/parent inter-
(more)
-- 3
action in these practices.
Among the practices to be presented are: dental care including brushing
the teeth daily and eating a well balanced diet to help prevent tooth decay; exercise
which helps strengthen muscle tone to keep the body in shape; and personal hygiene
habits such as washing hands before eating.
Some new elements of affect behavior will be taught: coping with loss of
security, issues of peer and sibling rivalry, and maintenance of self-esteem. The
goal of affect behavior has continuously expanded over the years. Producer Dulcy
Singer says: "This has been greatly responsible for developing the characters played
by cast members. The cast members by modeling emotions have become more real to the
viewer."
Sesame Goes to Sea
The success of the location-based programs from New Mexico last season
have led to the continuation of this innovation that was designed, in part, to
show the cultural diversity that exists in the country.
This season, Sesame Street viewers will see a number of segments on
fishing and boating, some of them videotaped on and offshore New York's City Island.
A film episode will also show lobster fishing in Maine.
Sesame Street hosts including Big Bird visit City Island in the Bronx.
To David's surprise there is a garden and greenhouse at the home of Margie
Batista that contains plants he thought grew only in the tropics. Big Bird heads
to sea as a self-proclaimed admiral and Maria and David discover they know
nothing about rowing.
Judy Collins participates in many sketches including a song titled
"Water Cantata" that ends up with everyone dashing off into the water.
Programming for the mentally retarded also introduced last season will be
expanded. In addition to having children with Downes Syndrome appear on the
street, children with other types of retardation will be included.
(more)
--- 4
Sesame Street's appeal also continues overseas. Portugal has joined
several other countries in presenting "Open Sesame," the locally adaptable series
taken from the original production. It's titled "Abre-te Sesamo" there and under
different names in five other nations.
Co-productions which involve locally created materials along with
adaptable Sesame Street materials are underway in four nations in Europe and Latin
America. Germany's "Sesamstrasse" is about to start production of a new season.
Holland's "Sesamstraat," seen both in Holland and in Dutch-speaking Belgium, will
increase the air time for the program. "Vila Sesamo" in Brazil and "Plaza Sesamo"
in Mexico and other Latin American countries continue to be top-rated programs.
Outreach Efforts
In the U.S., the Workshop's Community Education Services division pursues
its efforts to bring Sesame Street to as many children as possible and to encourage
parental and teaching reinforcement of its curriculum. A cooperative program with
the Federal prisons system that involves the tutoring of visiting children of inmates
has expanded to several new institutions.
Other new programs scheduled for 1976-77 by this unique grassroots
utilization arm of the Children's Television Workshop include a training program
for migrant workers in Illinois, a parent education project in Mississippi, work
with Portuguese-speaking families and bringing Sesame Street to children confined
for long-term care in several hospitals.
This fall the Workshop will introduce two new educational programs based
on the television series. "Sesame Street Skills for Growing," a primary grades
social studies program, was developed jointly by CTW and Guidance Associates, a
leading producer of instructional materials for the behavioral sciences.
A bilingual program developed with the National Textbook Company is
titled "Trabajemos con Calle Sesamo!" This multi-media program places special
emphasis on language arts but covers other areas as well.
(more)
-- 5
Meanwhile the "Sesame Street Magazine" published by CTW will add a new
feature this fall -- special activities based on the program's curriculum for
the mentally retarded.
Sesame Street has received more than 100 awards and this year earned
its eleventh and twelfth Emmys.
-0-
1176
IVENVO
NEWS
NEWS
NEWS
CHILDREN'S TELEVISION WORKSHOP
Research:
CURRICULUM INNOVATIONS COMING FOR TV'S 'SESAME STREET':
HEALTH PRACTICES, PRE-READING SKILLS, AND ROLE OF WOMEN
Health practices, expanded pre-reading skills and increased emphasis
on the role of women are the three new goal areas to be included in the 1976-77
season of "Sesame Street," the internationally acclaimed television series for
preschoolers.
Two of the new goals -- vocabulary development and sight phrases -- are
designed to sharpen pre-reading skills. Sight words, the initial step in this
process, were introduced several years ago. The research staff reports that they
are looking for more ways in which to present these goals that are similar to
those used in school.
Dr. Edward Palmer, CTW vice president of research, says, "In presenting
these skills we are attempting to match the form and formats of the program to
those the child is likely to encounter in classroom reading instruction." In
sight phrases, for example, Sesame Street will be teaching not only the words but
will be stressing the "left to right" sequence in reading as well as the fact
that there are spaces between words.
Sight phrases to be introduced in both English and Spanish will contain
useful and important words which children have occasion to encounter frequently
and will include words from the existing sight word list. Associate research
director Lewis Bernstein says there are two aims in this area: "First we want to
highlight pre-reading goals and, second, we want the child to know the functional
-more-
ONE LINCOLN PLAZA, N.Y. 10023 / (212) 595-3456 / CABLE: SESAMEST / RCA: 236168 / TWX: (710) 581-2543
-- 2
meaning of the phrases. For example, phrases like 'don't walk' and 'bus stop'
teach the child that symbols have meanings."
In the area of vocabulary development the child may be introduced to
words where the formation sounds like what is referred to such as in "bang" and
"buzz." "These words," says Bernstein, "would attract the child's attention be-
cause of their sound and at the same time increase his vocabulary because they
are real words."
The preschool audience will also be introduced to simple health practices
such as brushing teeth after meals and exercising to build strong muscles.
"Although parents are the real dispensers of children's health," notes Bernstein,
"children can learn to model simple health practices especially when they are
clearly presented by Sesame Street characters they know and love."
He adds: "It's a challenge to present these concepts and teach them to
children. What we can learn from this experiment may serve as a model for future
curriculum experiments with nutrition and safety information."
Sesame Street, which in the past was criticized for not having more women
in the program and for showing women in stereotyped roles, will expand both the
number of female hosts and the roles they play.
Alaina Reed, a singer and actress, will join the cast as Gordon's sister,
Olivia, a professional photographer. Linda Bove of the Little Theatre of the
Deaf will also be a regular performer as well as Buffy St. Marie. Judy Collins, the
singer and composer, will make several appearances during the season. Other women
guests will appear from time to time: Clarice Taylor, who plays one of the wicked
witches in Broadway's "The Wiz," will be David's grandmother and actress Anne
Revere will be a guest performer.
Producer Dulcy Singer says that as far as careers are concerned, the series
has presented women in non-traditional roles. "For example," she says, "Maria has
-more-
-- 3
had a job in Luis' Fix-it Shop doing repairs on appliances. When Ms. St. Marie
was on last season she found work as a taxi driver."
This season, Maria will be trying out different professions in her effort
to reach a decision on what to do with her life after college.
Series' executive producer Jon Stone adds: "The program has always taken
into account current trends and social changes. We included ecology several seasons
ago. What must be understood is that it takes some time to fashion these changes
into a workable format that preschoolers will understand."
Three new subgoals will be added under the category of affect behavior ---
loss of security, peer and sibling rivalry, and maintenance of self-esteem. The
curriculum area of affect behavior has expanded considerably over the years and
includes such goals as dealing with fear, expressing anger, and recognizing
emotions in one's self as well as others.
"These additions to the curriculum," says Stone, "are the reasons the
program continues to change from one season to another. It is essential that the
series not stand still."
- 0 -
1176
NEWS
NEWS
NEWS
CHILDREN'S TELEVISION WORKSHOP
Around the World:
IN SIX LANGUAGES THERE IS STILL
MAGIC IN THE WORDS 'OPEN SESAME'
After more than a thousand years when Ali Baba gained entrance to the
cave of the forty thieves by saying "Open Sesame," children in more than 50
countries on six continents are still able to conjure up a kind of magic with
variations on the same words.
"Open Sesame," a 65-program series drawn from the original version
of "Sesame Street," is being broadcast in six countries under varying names.
Children of 42 countries and territories enjoy the original production in
English. Four co-productions of Sesame Street are on the air in Europe and Latin
America.
This season Portugal's Radiotelevisao Portuguesa begins broadcast of
the latest adaptation of Open Sesame under the title "Abre-te Sesamo." Other
editions of the 65-episode series are being seen in France, Belgium, Sweden,
French-speaking Canada and Spain. Each program is dubbed by local broadcasters
in their own language and the Sesame Street Muppets, who are the stars of the
Open Sesame series, often take on new names in the process. For example,
Portugal has renamed the Cookie Monster "Monstro Comilao" and Bert and Ernie are
"Becas" and "Egas."
Four co-productions involving locally created materials are being
broadcast: "Vila Sesamo" in Brazil; "Plaza Sesamo" in Mexico and more than a
dozen other Latin American countries; "Sesamstrasse" in Germany and "Sesamstraat"
in Holland and Dutch-speaking Belgium.
(more)
ONE LINCOLN PLAZA, N.Y. 10023 / (212) 595-3456 / CABLE: SESAMEST / RCA: 236168 / TWX: (710) 581-2543
-- 2
CTW's International Department has also reached agreement with several
broadcasters to start new seasons of the program and, in some cases, for the pro-
duction of new programs. In Germany, for example, where Sesamstrasse has been on
the air since 1973, an entire new year's production is to be produced for the
1978 season.
In Holland, where Sesamstraat started last year with an experimental
showing of 20 programs, 60 additional programs will be made. Early findings from
a research study conducted in both Holland and Belgium proved so positive that
the broadcasters were able to increase the air time for the program. The 60 new
half-hour shows are to be produced for broadcast in 1977.
In Canada, the original English-language series has undergone some
changes. This year the Canadian Broadcasting Company will subsitute 20 minutes
of material in the English-language version with film and animation segments done
in Canada, as well as with some bilingual segments.
Meanwhile Brunei and Haiti have joined the long list of nations
broadcasting the English-language version of Sesame Street.
-0-
1976
NEWS
NEWS
NEWS
CHILDREN'S TELEVISION WORKSHOP
Offscreen Utilization:
IMAGINATIVE OUTREACH PROJECTS AND
SHOW-RELATED TEACHING APPLICATIONS
HEIGHTEN IMPACT OF 'SESAME STREET'
The Children's Television Workshop's effort to reinforce the curriculum
of "Sesame Street" beyond the television screen itself takes some new and
innovative turns during the 1976-77 season.
CTW's Community Education Services Division - the only utilization
unit of its kind in American television -- is embarking on a training program for
migrant workers, a new parent education project involving classes for mothers,
outreach services for Portuguese speaking communities and dissemination of bi-
lingual learning activity books.
An unusual prison program that involves the tutoring of visiting children
of prison inmates with the help of the popular educational TV series, is expanding
to several new federal penal institutions this year.
CTW vice president for CES, Evelyn P. Davis, reports that CES also has put
together a course on television as a teaching tool that is designed for college
education majors and for teachers in early childhood education. "The program can be
given by any college instructor and integrated into an existing course or used as a
special short course," she says of the updated curriculum offering which was
conducted by CES staffers at several colleges.
Migrant Service
The division has also established a program to train migrants in early
childhood care with the Illinois Migrant Council in cooperation with Kishwaukee
-more-
ONE LINCOLN PLAZA, N.Y. 10023 / (212) 595-3456 / CABLE: SESAMEST / RCA: 236168 / TWX: (710) 581-2543
-- 2
College in Rochelle, I11. Parents will attend the college over a two-year period
and receive stipends. At the end of the training period they will be certified to
work in child care centers. "Sesame Street is a basic component of the program,"
says Ms. Davis. "We will even establish a Sesame Street learning center for children
where they will watch the program while their parents attend classes."
TV sets and other materials for the center are being provided by the
women's auxiliary of the American Optometric Association which has assisted CES in
this way in other "reach and teach" efforts.
For Portuguese-speaking families, CES is arranging for distribution of
Sesame Street program highlights in Portuguese and has produced a film in that
language instructing parents on the best uses of the TV series to teach their kids.
Prison Program A Success
Meanwhile, the prison program that was initiated in 1975 at Federal
correctional facilities at Seagoville and Fort Worth, Texas, continues to expand.
CES now has programs operating in six institutions and hopes to start several new
programs this fall.
Inmates are its strongest boosters. As one at the Seagoville institution
comments: "I am planning to learn how to deal with my two children when I get out
and other kids as well." Another says: "I like the program because the kids are
learning not to be afraid. When I was a kid, I was afraid of everything and every-
one but my parents." A Vietnam veteran adds: "I do it because I love kids. When
one parent is in jail or not at home, there is a void. In our program we can help
fill this void."
"Being in the program," said a Seagoville prison inmate, "gave me a feeling
of reward and made me feel I was doing something worthwhile with my time."
All the participating prisons now have a staff person assigned to the program.
At Lompoc, Texas, the staffer is bilingual and CES and prison officials are exploring
ways to make the program completely bilingual for application where the prison
-more-
3
population has Spanish-speaking inmates. Though the basic program is the same
in all the institutions there are certain variations. For example, in Alderson,
W. Va., the emphasis is on parenting. Inmates also develop puppet shows based
on Sesame Street and then present them in the community. "This is an experiment
in many ways," Ms. Davis says. "We hope that the interchange between community
and the inmates will make more local resources available and also foster better
understanding between the two groups."
Other new CES projects include:
--A parent education project in Mississippi conducted with the cooperation
of WBLT-TV (the NBC affiliate in Jackson) in which mothers attend evening
classes on parenting and early childhood behavior.
--A project in selected hospitals to provide the Sesame Street experience
for children confined for long-term care.
-Videotaping a teacher training workshop for close circuit broadcast
for teachers in several states with a phone-in component to provide
for questions and answers.
To enhance its efforts in bilingual education, CES will also distribute
a learning activity book in English and one in Spanish. The activity books are
based on the instructional goals of the television series and contain play
activities designed to reinforce the educational objectives of the series.
Classroom Aids Launched
CTW's School and Day Care Materials division also extends the impact of
the TV curriculum. Two major educational packages make their debut in classrooms
during 1976-77: one bilingual, the other for social studies.
"Trabajemos con Calle Sesamo!" is a multi-media program developed by CTW
in cooperation with the National Textbook Company. Division director Robert Oksner
says the program is based on the principle that "the child be taught in his own
language before he learns another." It features language arts but also covers
career motivation, concept development, values and culture. Consulting editors
are Dr. Alma Flor Ada and Maria del Pilar de 0lave, both prominent bilingual experts.
-more-
-- 4
"Sesame Street Skills for Growing," is a primary grades social studies
program developed jointly by CTW and Guidance Associates, a leading producer of
instructional materials for the behavioral sciences.
The full-color, sound filmstrip program includes one of the first
attempts to help young students develop both reasoning and coping skills. The
filmstrips cover the skills of reasoning, problem solving, dealing with difficult
emotions and getting along with others. These skills have been identified as being
needed to cope with the initial move from home to school.
Both "Trabajemos" and "Skills for Growing" employ the same Sesame Street
characters including Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Ernie and Bert -- who have
endeared the television show to millions of children.
Last fall CTW introduced "The Sesame Street Prereading Kit" developed
with the Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. In a review of the kit, Dr. Susanna W.
Pflaum, associate professor in the department of curriculum and instruction at
the University of Illinois, said: "It is pleasant to find a kit as complete as
this one. The workmanship of materials and learning activities are all excellent.
The program is highly recommended for use in preschool and kindergarten classrooms
where children are preparing to learn to read." Dr. Pflaum's review appeared in
the August, 1976 issue of Early Childhood Education.
- 0 -
1176
IVENVO
NEWS
NEWS
NEWS
CHILDREN'S TELEVISION WORKSHOP
'SESAME STREET'S' PROGRAMMING FOR MENTALLY RETARDED
TO INCLUDE SELF-HELP SKILLS AND SOCIAL GOALS
During 1976 and 1977 "Sesame Street" will expand its television programming
for mentally retarded youngsters. Preliminary research indicates that the first
experimental segments created during the past year have been well received among
retarded and non-retarded viewers of the educational series.
Self-help skills and social goals will be included and the number of
segments in which these children appear will also be increased. In addition, chil-
dren with other types of retardation will be on the program this season. Last
season only children with Downes Syndrome were included.
The special segments based on the "Families Play to Grow" program of the
Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation were introduced last season on a experimental
basis and aired every Wednesday. Initial research suggests that the first experimental
episodes effectively reached their objectives.
Both the production and research staffs of the Children's Television Work-
shop report that the special programming has been one of the most rewarding
experiences they have ever had. Executive producer Jon Stone says: "It has been a
pleasure working with these children and I think the program is better because
of them."
Audience Response High
A research study has found that viewer attention to the first experimental
segments aired in 1975-76 has ranged from "moderately high to high" among both
mentally retarded and non-retarded children, and that the target audience participated
-more-
ONE LINCOLN PLAZA, N.Y. 10023 / (212) 595-3456 / CABLE: SESAMEST / RCA: 236168 / TWX: (710) 581-2543
-- 2
actively in the segments designed for them.
Non-retarded viewers tended to focus on the activity in the various
episodes rather than on the child performing it, the research found.
Viewer reactions to the slower-paced experimental segments were tested
along with faster-paced Sesame Street material such as computer animation and
"pixilated" or speeded up film. The producers and experts in the field expected
that the mentally retarded children would have difficulties processing the latter
type of material. To the contrary, Professor Dana Ardi found that viewer
participation among the mentally retarded to these segments was actually high.
Professor Ardi, of the special education department of Fordham University,
tested for attention, participation and comprehension in two phases of research.
A third phase sought to determine if older non-retarded children had positive images
of mentally retarded ones.
When the older kids (second graders) were asked about the way mentally
retarded children performed on screen, their comments were concerned with the
children's differences in physical competency and language facility. There was,
however, a distinct absence of negative attitudes and stigma. "Since many of the
mentally retarded children were selected as most liked or most desirable to play
with, tolerance for individual differences may be a positive effect of the addition
of the 'Play To Grow' segments on the program," the report concluded.
Segments Fit 'Sesame'
Though Sesame Street is specifically targeted for low-income children,
there has been a continuing attempt over the years to make the program's curriculum
appealing and useful to the widest possible range of children. The present material
for mentally retarded youngsters fits well into this concept.
The "Play To Grow" program which was the basis for the special programming
attempts to encourage the motor, cognitive and affective development of these children
through physical activity. At the same time it seeks to improve social attitudes
toward the retarded.
-more-
-- 3
Because mentally retarded children were included with non-retarded children
in the TV segments, the social curriculum goals of the program such as entering
social groups, cooperation and differing perspectives were also served.
Associate research director Lewis Bernstein says that in addition to
presenting more physical activities in 1976-77, Sesame Street will attempt to provide
more social and affective information in this area. "We would like to be less
subtle about the problem of mental retardation. We will try to point out that these
children do need more help in performing certain tasks. However, we must be careful
of the images and models that we are projecting about the mentally retarded, while
at the same time we must focus on the abilities and limitations that these children
have," Bernstein says.
Off-Screen Activities Expanded
The Community Education Services Division of CTW has distributed infor-
mation on the special segments to teachers and parents of the mentally retarded.
Positive response to last season's program highlights encouraged the utilization
coordinators this year to add other segments of the program that may be helpful for
this audience.
CES will also distribute a manual of activities based on the segments and
designed for teachers and other caretakers of mentally retarded youngsters. Evelyn
P. Davis, vice president for CES, says that the manual will be especially helpful
to the teacher who is preparing these children to enter the educational mainstream.
In an effort to find out just what kinds of activities these children need, CES
will include mentally retarded children in the Sesame Street viewing center so
that they can be observed in a regular preschool-type situation.
Ms. Davis says that the division is also working closely with the Council
for Exceptional Children in an effort to find what the needs are and to determine
how CES can be of help. Ms. Davis adds: "We will also be participating in a number
of conferences. and conventions because we want to maximize our efforts in designing
activities for these special children."
- 0 -
1176
Editorial Backgrounder
SESAME STREET
1,000 hours of a Perpetual Television Experiment
This year "Sesame Street" will create its 1,000th hour
fascinated by statistics that showed that a child would
of original television programming. That program will be
watch more TV by the time he finished high school than
vastly different from the first show back in 1969. Perhaps
he actually spent in classrooms. Now I'm astounded by
the strongest testimony to the vitality of the series at age
the implications of an estimate that between the ages of
eight is the fact its producers and researchers will scarcely
five and fifteen a child will see some 13,000 killings on
pause to celebrate this landmark. They are busily engaged
the medium.
looking ahead, and not behind, to curriculum innovations
A family hour was created by the TV industry to limit
in such areas as affect behavior, health and mental retarda-
violence to programs after 9 p.m. (8 p.m. in the Midwest).
tion and to carrying the "street" to new settings: the forest,
The people who study audiences, the A. C. Nielsen Com-
the sea, the rural South.
pany, found that the curtain didn't drop when the family
* *
viewing hour ended. In fact, this season they found-to
no one's surprise-that children can't be separated from
An economist once noted that 1910 was a crucial year
the television mainstream audience. More than seven mil-
in human history because that was the year when the medi-
lion youngsters under age twelve were found watching TV
cal profession began to do more good than harm. I liked
after they supposedly had gone to bed at 9 p.m. (or 8 p.m.).
to think that 1969, when Sesame Street became a part of
The family hour is to be applauded, but is it enough?
our culture, presented a similar watershed for children's
Perhaps the best answer for the moment is to deal with
television. I had a glimmer of it again two years later when
this problem the way we should be dealing with every kind
"The Electric Company" burst on the TV scene as a potent
of television program: liberal use by parents of the off
and pervasive tool for classroom teachers.
switch. But for much of the population, the answer is going
I have been buoyed by what Fred Rogers, and "Zoom,"
to have to come in the programming itself, not in the
and the bilingual programs of "Villa Alegre" and "Carras-
scheduling. It is imperative for us to avoid undifferentiated
colendas" have accomplished on public television, and by
violence on a mass medium, especially when we know
the occasional positive programming on commercial out-
the young people are watching.
lets such as ABC's "Multiplication Rock" and "After
* * *
School Specials," CBS's "In the News" and NBC's "Spe-
cial Treats."
Marshall McLuhan notwithstanding, television is like
Such efforts, however, must be viewed as bright but only
any technology: it exists to be used. It has the power to
occasional blossoms in the arid desert of television pro-
illuminate and convey ideas. Some of the applications
grams for children. This society is spending more money
might go astray, but the potential remains. Among other
on advertising to children than in creating TV programs
things, I would like to see much more television for spe-
for them to watch-not to mention quality programs. A
cialized audiences, such as the old and the young, who
commercial network news reporter recently noted that
are ill-served by a medium whose economic underpinnings
about $400 million dollars a year is spent on advertising
dictate programs that will reach viewers who control
to children.
spending dollars: the 18-to-49 year olds.
Unlike so many institutions in American society, the
I believe that the talent and the economic resources exist
problem of children's television is one of motivation, not
to address the problems of TV and to exploit its potential in
money. Reallocating many of the resources that already
the marketplace of education and ideas as well as the
exist in the industry could go a long way toward improving
marketplace of products. There is still much more to be
the content and variety in children's programming.
accomplished for our children. Meantime, Sesame Street
promises to continue to demonstrate in its arena that tele-
***
vision can be applied positively, effectively and inno-
I am very troubled by the most immediate and potentially
vatively to serve social and educational purposes.
disastrous misapplication of the medium: televised vio-
lence. Americans are faced with an obsession with vio-
lence on the airwaves. One new study reports that more
than half of all characters on primetime TV are involved
in some violence, about one-tenth in killing. I used to be
Joon Sy Comey
Joan Ganz Cooney
President
Children's Television Workshop
September, 1976
-- TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Page 1
THE SERIES GOES GLOBAL
Page 15
As it begins its eighth year of broadcasting, "Sesame Street" is
such a familiar and accepted piece of the television landscape that few
English Language Versions
16
people consider the program revolutionary or, indeed, even highly unusual.
A PERPETUAL EXPERIMENT
3
Localized Versions
16
After all, why shouldn't such a powerful and pervasive medium as
Early Objectives
3
television teach intellectual skills and other useful concepts to preschool
Open Sesame
17
children? And why shouldn't the teaching be done with the sophisticated
'Continuing Presence'
4
and entertaining techniques of commercial television, especially the
commercials?
THE IMPACT OF THE SHOW
18
AN EVOLVING PRODUCTION
4
But in 1966, when Sesame Street was only a germinating idea,
Results Confirmed
19
these were, in the context of the television of that day, revolutionary
Innovation and Improvisation
5
concepts.
PBS Audience Survey
19
The Muppets
7
Until Sesame Street flashed on the nation's screens in late 1969,
Inner-City Studies
20
the underlying purpose of any television for a mass audience of U.S. children
Celebrities
7
was to sell products. Sesame Street, on the other hand, was about to
Parental Favorite
20
court that same audience with lively entertainment that, in effect, would
Residents of the Street
8
try to 'sell' an educational curriculum. The rest, of course, is television
Strong Impact Overseas
20
history.
A Flexible Approach
8
International Acclaim
22
******
THE ROLE OF RESEARCH
9
Accolades in Europe
22
That Sesame Street no longer is considered a breakthrough in
Formative/Summative Research
9
TV's Most Honored Show
23
children's television is one measure of its achievement. Other children's
shows -- including Sesame Street's first companion production, "The Electric
Research and Production:
10
Company" have used Sesame Street either as a model or a standard, or both.
Making the Concept Work
SESAME STREET' LESSONS
23
That Sesame Street proved television to be a superb teacher of
Testing Pilot Shows
10
TV Can Teach
23
children when used imaginatively is another measure of its achievement. The
fusion of education with entertainment was not incompatible after all.
Universal Appeal
24
ATTRACTING THE AUDIENCE
11
The success of the series is evident in many areas. For one, it has
Value of Repetition
24
always ranked among the top preferences of public television stations in
Spreading the Word
14
their program selections. According to data from the A.C. Nielsen Company,
TV Doesn't Punish
24
the series accounted for one-third of the total public television audience
Audience and Cost
14
during a four-week period in November and December 1974.
Non-Target Audience Viewing
15
CHART: CURRICULUM INNOVATION 12-13
Other measures of the show's achievement might include the devoted
following of children from virtually all social backgrounds, the enthusiasm
Other Media
15
and acclaim of parents, the praise of educators and, perhaps even more
remarkable, the generally strong (and often unsolicited) approval of adults
in a diverse range of activities. Then there are the awards -- more than
100, including twelve Emmys, a Peabody, a Prix Jeunesse and the Japan Prize.
For additional information
contact: Public Affairs Division,
CTW, One Lincoln Plaza, New York,
Today the program is broadcast on the 265 stations of the Public
New York 10023. Phone: 212/595-3456
Broadcasting Service and on commercial channels where no public television
is available. It's success has been such that an important aspect of the
-1-
program often tends to be overlooked: the essentially experimental, and
A PERPETUAL EXPERIMENT
hence evolutionary, nature of the show.
The fact is Sesame Street never is quite the same from season to
"Sesame Street" was created by the Children's Television Workshop
season. At first glance the "street" may look the same, and Bert and
(CTW) as an experiment in children's television -- a laboratory designed
Ernie, Big Bird, Susan and Maria and the other favorites do turn up from
to stimulate the educational development of preschool children. Now,
year to year.
seven years and more than 900 hours of videotape later, the program is
still an experiment. As with any long-term experiment, the series has
But the show's goals and content have been changing all along in
undergone change. This is especially true of the show's curriculum goals.
response to the needs and reactions of the audience.
Ever since Sesame Street's first season in 1969-1970, the program's
The more traditional educational goals that formed the original
curriculum goals have continued to expand each year. There has been a
basis of the show have been changing and expanding in all areas,
steady move from a primary emphasis on teaching basic cognitive skills
cognitive, social and affective. During recent seasons, for
to those that deal with the child's behavior teaching viewers something
example, the series stressed the creative aspects of divergent
of what emotions are and how they function, how their feelings influence
thinking the idea that often there are many ways of dealing
their behavior, and how they as individuals work within society. At the
with a problem or situation.
same time the curriculum went on to explore, for example, such themes as
ecology, the Spanish language and Hispanic culture, career awareness,
Some of the major currents in the country also find their way into
mental retardation and simple health practices.
the program's content. Ecology, for example, filtered into the curriculum
a few seasons ago. And, in response to the concerns of the Spanish-
As CTW's president, Joan Ganz Cooney, notes, "Sesame Street is
speaking community, bilingual elements began appearing as integral parts of
the only series in the history of television where the audience
the show. During the eighth season not only will the portrayal of women
has played a role in shaping the content. Of all our critics,
continue to receive special emphasis but several women will be added to
we pay most attention to the criticism of our target viewers,
the cast as regular performers.
the children. As a result, we probably know more about how
they react to any given character, sequence or show than anyone
In production values, too, the show has hardly been static. In the
else. By the time observations are made from the outside,
seventh season, a number of programs were taped on location for the first
we're well on our way to implementing what the children have
time and this trend will continue during the eighth season. In earlier
already told us. That's part of the experiment -- being our
seasons the street picked up snow, night scenes, seasons, and new live
own worst critic."
characters and Muppets.
EARLY OBJECTIVES: Initial curriculum goals were set during seminars
in the summer of 1968 that brought together more than 100 leading specialists
in early education and child development as well as researchers, writers,
artists, musicians and television producers. Under the chairmanship of
Given the basically experimental and evolutionary nature of the show,
Dr. Gerald S. Lesser of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the group
Sesame Street undoubtedly will continue to change in significant ways in
agreed to a set of specific instructional objectives. These focused on the
coming seasons.
traditional skills the group believed would be most helpful to a child,
particularly a disadvantaged child, when he entered school. The underlying
One purpose of this backgrounder, then, is to touch upon the notable
premise of the show rested on research strongly suggesting that the first
changes since Sesame Street went on the air in November, 1969.
five or six years of a child's life were critical. It was during this
period that his development was most rapid, and most subject to positive change.
Another is to review the entire Sesame Street experience, mainly
through the people who created the series and worked on the show during
For the first season the show had 40 curriculum goals mainly in the
the past seven years.
cognitive area. Over the years the curriculum has grown to reflect the
natural progression of the original goals and also new areas of concern.
The aim of this report is to offer a fresh perspective on a show that
For example, in the first season there was specific instruction in numbers,
started, and still represents, a continuous revolution in children's television.
letters and geometric forms. By the second season number sets, simple
addition and subtraction were added.
The chart on pages 12 and 13 highlights new curriculum goals for
each season and shows the development that has taken place in the various
goal categories. Over the years, affect or social behavior is the area
that has undergone the most expansion.
-2-
-3-
"When the series first started," says Dr. Palmer, "there was a
us some footage of his children in a supermarket, with their random
question of whether television could teach at all. Now we know it can,
comments, which demonstrated that small children remembered product
but there has been some difficulty in dealing with affect behavior
names and ingredients even on products in which they had no vested
because there are no clearly defined parameters here whereas in the
interest. What this suggested was that whatever we came up with for
cognitive areas there are. In dealing with emotions one has to be
Sesame Street should be patterned after those commercial messages."
careful not to confuse negative and positive models."
However, as Morrisett remembers, "We knew that a quality program
'CONTINUING PRESENCE': The show's year-to-year continuity has
would cost a lot of money, but far less than the cost of any other
become an increasingly important aspect in determining the curriculum
viable alternative." As it turned out, CTW was able to attract an
goals. "Now that we're producing the show season after season," says
initial underwriting of $8 million to launch the Workshop and produce
Dr. Palmer, "it has become a continuing presence on the American scene.
the first season of 130 hour-long shows. Half of the total funds
The child grows up through the program over the course of two, three,
came from the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare and
four and perhaps five years. Given we have the child for that long,
the remainder from the Ford Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation, the
and given we don't have to get across everything we have to teach in
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the John and Mary R. Markle
one year, we have been able to expand our curriculum very considerably.
Foundation.
This is part of the reason the show is a continuing experiment. If
we had kept the goals of the series the same -- knowing as we do now
The sizeable funding provided CTW with the resources to acquire
that we were going to have the children three, four and five years as
a top notch staff and the lead time to develop a format and production
compared with the initial assumption that we were going to have them
that could give young viewers "the quality they were accustomed to."
only one year we would be missing a lot of good bets. There are a
lot more things we can do."
The fast-paced magazine format that finally emerged became the
Sesame Street style and standard. Typically each hour-long episode
The curriculum goals, he adds, will continue their evolutionary
consists of from 40 to 50 separate segments, each with a specific
course. "We're always changing Sesame Street, and we probably always will."
curriculum goal. Through seven seasons, this format has inspired the
creation of thousands of live-action and animated films, Muppet sequences
and the "street" segments which give the show its continuity.
AN EVOLVING PRODUCTION
INNOVATION AND IMPROVISATION: While the Sesame Street set
remains basically the same -- a bit of an inner city street -- it has
Unlike many other children's television programs, Sesame Street
undergone some modifications since the first season.
does not turn on a single star or central character. If there is any
one star, it is the format. Like the curriculum goals, it too has
"At first it was a straight row of houses and shops," recalls
changed over the years if not in basic style and structure, which
executive producer Jon Stone. "We changed that to one with a corner,
have proven remarkably durable and effective, then in production
primarily for more interest and better camera angles. And along the
techniques, settings and cast number.
way, we have added a second story, more business settings and a play
area for the street children."
While the format evolved from a working relationship between
producers and researchers, its starting point was an insight by Joan
Later the seasons were added including snow along with night
Ganz Cooney, CTW's president. Sometime before CTW was formed in May, 1968,
action on the street. The original shows were only in daylight.
she became convinced that the children of the television age possessed
a high media literacy and that they were especially attuned to television
As the show began to stress the outside world, more live action
commercials. In other words, they constituted, relatively speaking, a
film went into the programs. "We now might have a sequence on how
visually sophisticated audience.
bread is made in a bakery or show, through time-lapse photography, how
a bean is grown, harvested and delivered to the corner store," says
As CTW's chairman, Dr. Lloyd Morrisett, recalls, "The whole
Stone. "We now show children in the rural settings more than we did
premise was that, since you're going to be competing with commercial
the first year," says producer Dulcy Singer.
programming, you've got to give the viewers the quality they were
accustomed to, particularly in the commercials."
Two major innovations during the seventh season bear special
mention location-based programs and specially designed segments for
David Connell, vice president for production, also recalls the
the mentally retarded. For the first time, the show's hosts performed
early interest in commercials. "Joan had the idea that the television
outside the New York studio when they went to New Mexico's Rio Grande
commercial would work. All of us from differing disciplines and back-
Valley to tape five programs. The series' executive producer, Jon
grounds proved that the approach was sound. I remember a young film-
Stone, says, "by presenting children in the settings where they live,
maker who came in to see us early in our planning session. He showed
we add realism and dramatic impact to our goal of teaching about different
-4-
-5-
cultures." The shows involved Spanish-speaking Americans and Indians.
but not without some improvisation. "On our test shows, and on some of
In 1976 the producers took the "street" to an Upstate New York camp-
the early on-air programs, we did not use original music except for the
ground, a beach and boating setting on Long Island Sound, and planned
theme," says Dave Connell. "What music we did use was of the 'let's
a sojourn to Appalachia.
dance' variety. We would buy records and try to fit them into the
sequences. Later when we were told it would be faster to write the music
The special segments for the mentally retarded were included on
than to go out and buy it and then try to make it fit, I thought the idea
an experimental basis and were designed not only for their value to the
was the most absurd thing I had ever heard. But we tried it and it
mentally retarded youngsters, but also to expand the applicability of
worked. We still do most of the music that way."
one of the program's goals -- differing perspectives -- in which the
child demonstrates that he is aware of and values the feelings,
THE MUPPETS: Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch were created
preferences and modes of behavior of other individuals.
especially for Sesame Street. "Big Bird was not in the test shows,"
puppeteer Jim Henson remembers. "But when the decision was made to
Sesame Street's associate research director Lewis Bernstein says,
include puppets on the street, the subject got around to the story of
"Our initial approach to these special segments was one of caution. In
the 500-pound canary, and that was the answer."
the past, the program had included handicapped people, most notably
members of the Little Theatre of the Deaf. But mental retardation was
Snuffle-Upagus, the giant fantasy character, was created for
new to us and an area in which not much had been done. That is why we
the third season with a distinct purpose in mind. Part of the rationale
based the segments on the Families Play To Grow' program of the Joseph
was to sprinkle the street scenes with surprises. By letting only Big
P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation, which has proven expertise in this area."
Bird and the kids see the Snuffle-Upagus, the producers found they could
achieve one of the show's curriculum goals: seeing things from another
The Kennedy program highlights physical activities that help
person's perspective, an important cognitive and social concept for
the retarded child develop motor coordination and performance as well as
children.
self-pride and social interaction skills.
Other Muppets have emerged through the years: Count von Count, the
Reactions to these segments from parents and teachers of mentally
compulsive tabulator, Poco Loco, a parrot-like character who is used to
retarded youngsters have been very positive.
demonstrate "differing perspectives," hardhats Biff and Sully, the Twiddle
Bug family, Rodeo Rosie and Betty Lou.
A woman from East Norwich, N.Y. wrote: "Your decision to include
a segment for retarded children on Sesame Street is just about the
In addition to making curriculum points, the Muppets have another
greatest step taken, in my opinion, for the exposure and acceptance in
purpose as well.
life's mainstream that these children need
The
service
you
are
rendering to the handicapped and their families, as well as to humanity
"Our aim with the Muppets -- whether it's Big Bird, Cookie Monster,
at large, is beautiful. Bless you all!" And from Mrs. Thomas S. Supple,
Grover, Ernie and Bert or any of the other assorted big and little
vice president of the Finger Lakes Special Education PTA: "I am
creatures is to give children something to identify with on the show,"
writing to you in regard to a recent Sesame Street program showing mentally
says Henson. "They can see a bit of themselves in every one of the
retarded children as part of the program. It is so rare to see these
characters."
children shown in the real light of day. The only time we ever see these
children is on a program specifically dealing with the mentally retarded
Dr. Palmer points out another aspect of the Muppets. "They helped
The producers of this fine program should be commended for being one of
turn the concept of monsters from the Gothic character and style of years
the few who have shown the mentally retarded children as they are
ago into a set of characters who are appealing and lovable. They managed
children
to do this without losing their appeal or audience, and without falling
into another of the pitfalls the show itself tried to avoid early on.
Bernstein says, "We are pleased with the reactions and have
We had to learn to be soft and gentle without being condescending."
made note of the many suggestions sent to us by both parents and teachers
of mentally retarded youngsters. In the upcoming season, we will expand
CELEBRITIES: Almost from the start celebrities have volunteered
the segments and other program segments will be slowed down so that this
to appear on the program. "There are no problems with booking 'name'
audience will be able to follow them more easily."
personalities they all know the format and have an idea about the
goals of the show," says Ms. Singer. "The celebrity segments appeal
In recent seasons there also has been a significant shift in mood.
not only to preschoolers but also to their older siblings and parents
"The show has softened quite a bit from the slam-bang shows in the
who often control television set tuning."
beginning," observes Dr. Palmer, the research vice president. "A great
deal of material now is soft and gentle and gives the child an opportunity
Among those who have appeared are Bill Cosby, Carol Burnett,
to relax. The show is in a much lower key."
James Earl Jones, Lena Horne, B.B. King, Burt Lancaster, Johnny Cash,
Ruby Dee, the cast of Bonanza, Joe Namath, the New York Knicks, the New
The approach to the music, however, was set relatively early,
York Mets, the Harlem Globetrotters, Arthur Ashe, Flip Wilson, Stevie
-6-
-7-
Wonder, Lou Rawls, Pete Seeger, Buffy St. Marie, Judy Collins, Margaret
Hamilton, Lily Tomlin and members of the Alvin Ailey dance company.
slap-stick than any other comedy form we have tested that's why we use
it so heavily," says researcher Tricia Hayes O'Donnell. "What children
Singer Judy Collins comments: "I feel committed to children's
haven't found very funny are satires on adult soap operas and we once had
enlightenment and Sesame Street is the way that one can reach children.
a Muppet character named Dr. Hastings who was always falling asleep. All
I have yet to see this achieved on commercial television."
he did was put the children to sleep."
RESIDENTS OF THE STREET: The number of permanent residents on
Says production vice president Connell: "We've tried to be
Sesame Street has fluctuated over the years -- from a low of four during
flexible in our approach to the show. Within the confines of the
the first season, to a high of eleven during the third season. The cast
curriculum we've made every attempt to give the children what they wanted
size has remained at seven since the fifth season. However, during the
and to give the production people what they wanted. We've also made an
eighth season there will be an addition of what producer Singer calls
effort to adapt our programming to the suggestions of the many thoughtful
"semi-permanent residents."
people who have commented on the show or have written to us."
"In the past," she adds, "we have been criticized for not having
THE ROLE OF RESEARCH
enough women on the show, so we are addressing ourselves to that.
Buffy St. Marie, who was on several programs last season, will be back
as will Linda Bove of the Little Theatre of the Deaf. In addition,
Research plays a fundamental role in the season-by-season
singer Alaina Reed will join the show. These three performers will be
development of Sesame Street. To a large degree this is because of its
included on a regular basis."
unique place in CTW's operations.
This is just one of the ways in which the show continues to
reflect the changes in society. To meet the need for portraying women
Prior to Sesame Street, educational television had either an
in roles other than the traditional one of wife and mother, the producers
educator or a producer in charge. CTW changed that. It gave the educator
have given Sonia Manzano, who plays Maria, a job in the Fix-It Shop.
and producer equal status in the synergistic decision-making process.
When Buffy St. Marie moved onto the street in the seventh season, she
Hence CTW is both a television production unit and an educational laboratory.
One cannot exist without the other.
found a job as a cab driver.
Actress Loretta Long also notes a change in her attitude toward
"In a program like Sesame Street, it was necessary to plan the
herself and her characterization of Susan. "I was too nice at the
curriculum and to state the educational objectives in such explicit
beginning, the great dispenser of milk and cookies. Just as the role
terms that producers and researchers including those who would be
of women in our society has changed in recent years, so have the roles
carrying out pre- and post-season achievement testing could proceed
we created changed. Now I am something besides a wife. I have an out-
without ambiguity of purpose and in a coordinated fashion," explains Dr.
side life as a nurse on the show. It's affected my relationship with
Edward Palmer, the research vice president.
the children I can 'rap' with them more and with my stage husband,
Gordon, who has also evolved in personality and dimensions from the
"In the beginning we put most of our attention on the goals we
character of seven years ago."
understood best," he says. "These were the goals that dealt with numbers,
letters, geometric forms, body parts, and alike as opposed to the more
But changes have been evident in other characters as well. Will
wispy kinds of things like attitudes, social objectives and emotions and
Lee, who plays the role of Mr. Hooper, the candy store keeper, says, "Far
how to cope with them. Later we were emboldened by our success in the
from being one-dimensional as were at the start, the characters have
more cognitively oriented areas and began to deal more explicitly with
the social and affective domains."
become real people, with real problems, to the children."
Bob McGrath, who plays the role of Bob, sees a major change in
FORMATIVE AND SUMMATIVE RESEARCH: "We use 'formative' and 'summative'
his relationships with the children. "We had the children just stand
research," Dr. Palmer explains. "Formative research is part of the trial
around on those early shows. Today we are more natural with the children
and revision process. It consists of taking partially completed materials
and let them speak their own ideas on a problem."
out into the field, testing them, and feeding the information from that
testing back into the continuing production process.
McGrath credits part of the change to the younger children on the
set and to the music which has sharpened his role on the street. "What
"Summative research is undertaken to assess the extent to which the
I find particularly gratifying," he adds, "is that Sesame Street has
program has achieved its educational objectives once it is on the air. It
accomplished more than teaching letters and numbers to preschoolers.
consists of going out into the field and testing groups of viewing and non-
The show has affected the viewpoint of the parents, too. When we make
viewing children to see what learning advantage there is as a result of
personal appearances, parents will say 'thank you' for showing my children
viewing the show. It is usually done by an independent testing organization.
a broader point of view of life that I couldn't show them myself."
"At the beginning of the Sesame Street project we were not at all
A FLEXIBLE APPROACH: "Viewers have responded more favorably to
clear on just what functions formative research could "erve. After all,
there were no precedents of sufficient scope or generality to give us any
-8-
-9-
clear guidance."
actual broadcast conditions in Philadelphia. Summative research,
So Dr. Palmer and his staff began to develop their own research
conducted by the Educational Testing Service, (for a description of
techniques. One of these was the "distractor," a rear-screen projection
results see page 16) was completed in the spring of 1970 after the close
device which flashes various slides on the screen every 7½ seconds to
of the first season.
determine if the child's attention can be diverted from the television set.
Researchers note the child's eye movements and from this can determine
Formative research, of course, continues and the current
a segment's ability to hold his interest from moment to moment.
emphasis is on affective behavior. For example, a study of the social
goal of "cooperation," conducted by CTW's research and production
"We really began to believe in that research when the distractor
staffs with a research group in Oregon, suggests a sample of children
was used on the test shows," says David Connell, CTW's production vice
learned cooperative behavior from experimental segments inserted into
president. "Our instincts had told us that so long as we were showing the
Sesame Street programs.
Muppets or film, the child's attention could be held. But the street
segments worried us. It was just a street. Nothing exciting happened
The research staff is now conducting a comprehensive field
there. The researchers showed us our instincts were right. Youngsters
study to pin-point and evaluate the attributes that make a particular
responded to the fast-paced segments and lost interest when the street
show, segment or portion of a segment more or less appealing and
scenes came on. As a result, we decided to use puppets on the street so
comprehensible to children. "We're trying to identify the attributes
it could be a fantasy kind of place. This testing of actual shows led to
that typically are present in a winner," explains Dr. Palmer. Dozens
the creation of Big Bird and Oscar."
of attributes are under study, he says, such as pace, redundancy,
fantasy vs. realism, and so on.
RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION MAKING THE CONCEPT WORK: Researcher
Tricia Hayes O'Donnell and her then fellow researcher Sharon Lerner
In 1974, CTW completed an extensive bilingual and bicultural
remembered events that helped to create a practical working partnership
study to define a curriculum that would be relevant to the Spanish-
between researchers and production people, particularly the writers.
speaking child and also determine the linguistic and cultural symbols
"We had a writer's notebook which attempted to explain in lay language
that would help the child recognize and appreciate his Hispanic
the behavioral goals we were trying to achieve, but sometimes it was
heritage. "As a result of our work of the past few years," says Dr.
better to illustrate the point by first-hand observation," Mrs. O'Donnell
Palmer, "we now have a television show that makes a four-year-old
says. "So, we did a lot of systematic childwatching."
child of Spanish background feel that the show sees him out there and
that it is talking to him. We think this is an accomplishment."
Mrs. O'Donnell remembers one incident in particular. "We were
hung up on how to demonstrate cooperation to a three-year-old, so in one
of our field studies we went to a park. There were two small children
ATTRACTING THE AUDIENCE
sitting in adjacent swings both yelling 'Push me!' After awhile, it
occurred to one of them that if he pushed the other non-swinger, he might
be pushed in return. We included this in the writer's notebook and it
Long before Sesame Street's debut in 1969, CTW concluded that
was incorporated into the show."
off-beat approaches would be needed to build a large audience of pre-
school children, particularly in economically deprived neighborhoods.
TESTING PILOT SHOWS: Of the research undertaken before the first
season debut perhaps the most significant was the testing of five hour -long
CTW's advisors agreed that these efforts should involve parents
pilot programs.
and extend beyond the television set. As Dr. Chester M. Pierce, psychiatry
professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and member of CTW's
"It forced us to make decisions much earlier than we might have
advisory board, recalls: "We had a double problem that first year.
otherwise," recalls Connell. "It forced us to cast the show and this
The first was that before Sesame Street the audience for public television
gave the performers a chance to work together as a group. It gave the
was very small. The second was the matter of difficult-to-dial UHF
writers a chance to piece together a complete show from what, up until
stations in some of our target-viewer urban markets."
that point, had been individual segments. And it gave us actual
experience in checking out what formative research had indicated as
To meet these challenges, CTW's staff during the first season worked
promising."
closely with public television stations in selected cities across the
country. By the second season premiere in the fall of 1970, CTW had organized
As Dr. Palmer remembers, "for those of us in research the pilot
a field services department with full-time field representatives in
shows meant we could evaluate completed programs with children in their
several urban and rural centers. This grass roots activity, something new
actual viewing situations their homes. It would also provide us with
in television, now covers 31 states.
a check against what suggestions we already had made to production, and
we could do a pilot test on the summative research procedures that were
Coordinators, originally drawn from Vista and the Peace Corps, work
being developed by an outside research organization."
closely with educators, community-action agencies, neighborhood groups and
individuals to establish viewing centers for working mothers or parents
The testing was done in day care centers in New York and under
(Text continued on page 14)
-10-
-11-
CURRICULUM INNOVATION
Chart traces new curriculum developments on Sesame Street. Column at left
shows goal categories and summarizes the goals during the first season.
Successive columns chart season-by-season curriculum additions to the
experimental TV program.
Original Goal
Categories
Second Season
Third Season
Fourth Season
Fifth Season
Sixth Season
Seventh Season
Eighth Season
(1969-1970)
(1970-1971)
(1971-1972)
(1972-1973)
(1973-1974)
(1974-1975)
(1975-1976)
(1976-1977)
MAJOR NEW GOALS
Ecology; Bilingual/
Social attitudes; Spanish
J
Emotions; self-esteem,
Career awareness;
Education for the
Vocabulary development;
Bilingual skills
Bicultural education
sight words
coping with failure; enter-
Creativity/divergent
mentally retarded;
Sight phrases; Spanish
ing social groups
thinking
Bicentennial
sight phrases; Role of
women; Health practices
SYMBOLIC REPRESEN-
sight words; numbers
verbal blending
Spanish sight
more complicated
goals remain the same
goals remain the same
vocabulary development;
TATION: letters; numbers
1-20; number sets; addi-
words;
geometric forms
sight phrases; Spanish
1-10; geometric forms
tion and subtraction
measurement
sight phrases; revision of
sight word list
COGNITIVE PROCESS-
COGNITIVE ORGANIZA-
goals remain the same
sorting by activity
goals remain the same
goals remain the same
goals remain the same
goals remain the same
ES: perceptual discrimi-
TION: property identifica-
nation; relational con-
tion; multiple class inclu-
cepts; classification;
sion and differentiation;
ordering; reasoning and
multiple classification
problem solving
and regrouping
THE CHILD AND HIS
quality of the
the child and his powers;
coping with failure;
creativity/
location-based programs
role of women
WORLD: the mind and its
environiment/ecology
emotions; social attitudes
entering social groups;
divergent thinking;
initiated to add impact to
powers; audience partici-
(this goal given major em-
self-esteem
career awareness
goal of "cultural diversity"
pation; emotions, conflict
phasis this season)
resolutions
SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT:
now included under
BILINGUAL/BICULTUR-
Spanish sight words
goals remain the same
goals remain the same
goals remain the same
CULTURAL DIVERSITY:
social units/self; roles,
The Child
AL EDUCATION: Spanish
this now includes Bilin-
social groups and institu-
and His World
language performers;
gual/Bicultural Educa-
tions of concern to chil-
customs and art forms
EDUCATION FOR
tion; Spanish sight
dren; social interactions;
THE
phrases
differing perspectives; co-
MENTALLY
operation; rules which in-
RETARDED
sure justice and fair play
)
PHYSICAL ENVIRON-
now included under
THE BICENTENNIAL
HEALTH PRACTICES
MENT: the child and the
The Child
world around him; man-
and His World
made environment
REASONING AND PROB-
goals remain the same
goals remain the same
goals remain the same
now included under
now included under
now included under
LEM SOLVING: making
Child
The Child
The Child
inferences;generating ex-
and His World
and His World
and His World
planations and solutions;
evaluating explanations
and solutions
12
13
Saturday morning commercial half hours for children cost in the range of
without television. They also encourage follow-up activities by parents
"85,000."
to reinforce the lessons of the show, and distribute supplementary educational
materials related to the program's curriculum, such as the "Sesame Street
PBS President Lawrence K. Grossman had this to say about Sesame
Magazine."
Street in 1976: "Thanks to this long-running and expensive children's
series, television viewers in every community were first made aware of
"Many of the youngsters we especially want to reach are in low-
the splendid alternative that public television could offer in the way
income families," says Evelyn P. Davis, CTW's vice president for Community
of education, information and programming quality. Than came The Electric
Education Services. "Without special viewing centers, it would be
Company, Mister Rogers and Zoom. And the children of this country, for
impossible to get to precisely the children we want most to teach."
the first time, were served effectively and treated with respect by an
entire television system. Sesame Street, The Electric Company, Mister
SPREADING THE WORD: To develop nation-wide interest in the show
Rogres and Zoom are long-running and costly to produce. But they have
among young children and their parents, CTW launched a massive information
been more than worth every nickel of their cost to public television.
effort. As CTW's president Joan Ganz Cooney notes, "Changing the viewing
For most people, these programs quickly became the cornerstone of public
habits of preschool children from purely entertainment fare to an educational
television in their own communities."
show was a major obstacle we had to face and overcome. We had to take
every opportunity to spread the word about the show. Our publicity
NON-TARGET AUDIENCE VIEWING: A significant finding of an A.C.
effort was of a scope that few, if any, television shows had ever under-
Nielsen Company study is the increasing number of households with no
taken for preschoolers."
preschool child that nevertheless tune in to Sesame Street. More than
20 per cent of these households viewed the program an average of 2.3
That effort took many forms. The news media provided broad pre-
times on a six-week cumulative basis during one recent rating period.
show coverage. A nationally-televised news conference announced the
"This suggests to us that Sesame Street has a special appeal beyond the
series six months before its premiere. The series itself received a
primary target age group," says Dr. Palmer, the research vice president.
prime-time preview on a commercial network two days before its public
"It appears that older children and adults view the show."
television debut. National Educational Television, the predecessor of
the Public Broadcasting Service, helped. So did local stations. Even
OTHER MEDIA: The early success of the Sesame Street Magazine
commercial outlets that would not be carrying the show cooperated with
led to the development of other materials that involve physical mani-
advance announcements and special promotional features.
pulation and participation games, toys, books and records. CTW
eventually created a special division to license manufacturers to insure
In its seven seasons of broadcast, the media has continued to
that their products enhance the educational aims of the series.
report in detail on the progress of the Sesame Street experiment, including
observations of its admirers and critics.
Along those lines CTW during the 1975-1976 school year introduced,
with the Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., a major producer of educational
Executive producer Jon Stone says, "We thought we had a good show
materials, a set of multi-media classroom kits. The set uses curricula
that met the educational goals. But if we failed to attract an audience,
from both Sesame Street and The Electric Company to teach beginning
there would have been no place for us to hide." As it turned out, there
reading skills.
was no need to hide.
Bilingual materials are being designed for introduction to class-
AUDIENCE AND COST: By the end of the first season Sesame Street's
rooms during the 1976-77 school year.
audience, based on CTW studies, was estimated at nearly five million
children. Since then the audience has nearly doubled, reaching preschoolers
In addition to the instructional value of all CTW play items,
in all areas where the series is broadcast.
their production and sale provide funds to help support CTW's experiments
in instructional television.
From a cost standpoint, Sesame Street turned out to be an
educational bargain. In its most recent season (1975-76) the program's
cost including production, research and evaluation -- was estimated
THE SERIES GOES GLOBAL
by CTW at 42 cents per viewer for the 130-program series, or much less
than a penny per viewer per each of the 130 one-hour programs. An
estimated nine million youngsters watch the program.
What started as a uniquely American television series has spread
rapidly around the world. As Sesame Street begins its eighth season in
Former U.S. Commissioner of Education Sidney P. Marland described
the U.S., the series, in various versions and languages, was being
Sesame Street as "one of the best investments the Office of Education has
broadcast in more than 50 other countries and territories.
ever made." The show's comparatively low cost per viewer stems primarily
from production efficiencies. As production vice president Connell says,
During 1975-76, new culturally adapted versions through a concept
"Look at what it costs us per hour versus the average Saturday morning
called "Open Sesame" went on the air in French-speaking Canada, France,
fare. Our average cost is about $35,000 per hour of show produced.
(Continued from page 11)
-15-
-14-
a crocodile-like creature named Abelardo.
Belgium, Spain and Sweden.
Plaza Sesamo's current cycle of new shows contains an entirely
Four overseas co-productions are also being broadcast: "Plaza
new format 260 half-hour shows (the first season's 130 one-hour
Sesamo," in Mexico and Latin America; "Vila Sesamo," a Portuguese-
programs). The new series, a joint effort of CTW and Televisa, Mexico's
language series in Brazil; "Sesamstrasse," in Germany; and "Sesamstraat,"
largest television network, is being distributed throughout Spanish-
in Holland and Flemish Belgium.
speaking Latin America as was the earlier series which was seen in
over a dozen Latin countries.
Meanwhile the English-language version is being shown in 40
countries and territories, including such places as Pago Pago, Japan,
Vila Sesamo, the Portuguese-language version produced jointly by
Singapore, Yugoslavia and Saudi Arabia. In addition, there have been
TV Globo in Rio de Janeiro and TV Cultura in Sao Paulo, went on the air in
experimental runs of Sesame Street in several other countries to test
Brazil in 1972, as a daily 55-minute series intended for the country's
the series' appeal and effect. Even Poland and Rumania have run a limited
11.5 million preschool children. The show, viewed in 18 Brazilian states,
number of programs.
featured Garibaldo, an immensely popular equivalent of Big Bird. As
with the Spanish version, educators and early childhood experts in that
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VERSION: Interest in Sesame Street abroad came
country advised the show's producers in the development of the curriculum.
quickly after the series went on the air in this country in late 1969.
A second series, in a new format of 260 half-hour shows, began broadcasting
Canada, Australia and New Zealand were the first to inquire and within
in 1974.
a few months there were requests from most of the English-speaking
world and from several countries where English is spoken or taught as a
The German-language "Sesamstrasse" has been seen twice daily on
second or third language.
most of Western Germany since 1973. The series, a co-production of
Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) and CTW, began its fourth broadcast year
in 1976. It is also seen in parts of German-speaking Switzerland and
Since CTW's funding was for the full-time production of the U.S.
Austria.
series, the Workshop had not considered the possible uses of the program
outside the country. For example, CTW had not provided for the dubbing
The newest co-production is the Dutch "Sesamstraat," which
of a foreign language, or even changing the English dialogue to reflect
premiered simultaneously on Nederlandse Omroep Stitching (NOS) in Holland
the idiom of another land. Videotapes of the show were made with a
single track so there was no way to separate voice, music and sound
and Belgische Radio en Televisie (BRT) in Belgium in January, 1976. It
includes puppet sketches, live action films and animated cartoons taken
effects. Hence the exportable product initially was the original English-
from the original and local sequences, produced by NOS featuring both
speaking version that was produced to reflect the culture of this country.
Dutch and Belgian performers.
However, CTW clearly stated at the outset that it would not tell
any country that Sesame Street would be beneficial to its preschoolers.
OPEN SESAME: This is a series of sixty-five 27-minute programs
While CTW had learned a great deal about the educational value of the series
which CTW has developed for adaptations by overseas broadcasters in various
in the U.S., it did not have the same knowledge of another culture and
languages. It employs many of the most popular features and characters
could not assume the same educational options would be appropriate for any
of the U.S. original.
other country.
Open Sesame consists of puppet sketches, live action films and
Thus CTW made the series available to educators and broadcasters
animated cartoons which make for a fast moving, entertaining and
outside the U.S. who believed the original version of the show would be
educationally balanced format. The choice of these components was
appropriate for their audiences. In Japan, for example, the series has
based on their easy adaptability to other languages and cultures.
been used to teach English to older children.
When dubbed, Open Sesame takes on the language and cultural nuances of
a given country. The voice track is produced locally and, in many
LOCALIZED VERSIONS: Plaza Sesamo is produced in Mexico City for
instances, the puppet characters involved take on names that have more
a potentially larger audience than the United States' preschool population.
significance to the viewers. For example, the Cookie Monster is known
There are an estimated 22 million preschoolers in Spanish-speaking Latin
as "Macaron" in France, as "Croque-Croque le Monstre" in French-speaking
America.
Canada and as "Kakmonstret" in Sweden.
Latin American producers, writers, and actors created Plaza
The first broadcast of the new series, a 15-minute French-language
Sesamo after consulting academic advisors and early childhood experts
adaptation titled "Bonjour Sesame," began in France in 1974 where it is
throughout the Southern hemisphere. While some of the animation and
seen on the widely viewed TF 1 five times weekly throughout the country.
puppet sequences are from the U.S. version, the series is basically
In Belgium, the program is being seen on Radiodiffusion-Television Belge
designed for Latin understanding. Even the puppet figures have taken on
(RTB). A similar French-language adaptation, titled "Sesame," specifically
Latin American overtones. Instead of Oscar the Grouch there is Paco,
adapted for French-speaking Canada and dubbed by Radio Canada, premiered
an opinionated parrot. And the Big Bird role has been transformed to
in 1975.
"Sesam," a Swedish adaptation debuted in 1975 on Sveriges Radio
-17-
-16-
Channel 2. And in Spain, " iAbrete Sesamo!" made its debut in the same
Street's prime purposes was to reach disadvantaged preschoolers.
fall on Television Espanola (TVE).
In another important finding, children who watched the show the
THE IMPACT OF THE SHOW
most, and hence learned the most, tended to have mothers who watched
the program with them. Moreover, these mothers often discussed the
"Sesame Street is the most responsible program that has
program with their children, reinforcing the lessons.
been developed for children as a way of introducing
them to some of the basic tools necessary for the
This finding supports the view of anthropologist Margaret Mead
attainment of literacy. Just as children can readily
who wrote, "It seems to me that a child will get the most out of
distinguish a toy that is, something that is
Sesame Street when the adult who spends the most time with her or him
specifically designed for them -- they also realize
watches the program often enough to know what is currently going on.
immediately that this is a program for them."
Otherwise, as with all unshared programs, the child's viewing may
-- Margaret Mead
separate child and parent or child and teacher instead of providing
background for more communication."
Sesame Street proved at least two things: it could teach youngsters
Dr. Samuel Ball and Gerry Ann Bogatz, ETS researchers who
basic facts and skills and at the same time attract a large and devoted
directed the national summative evaluation of Sesame Street from the
audience. The show did something else, too. It won the acclaim of persons
beginning, said after the first season results that, "To those of us
in many fields and in many countries.
who have been studying the show since its creation, a good deal of
what has been noted seems rather remarkable. We remember the pre-
Grace Hechinger, writing in the 1975 Education Supplement of The
Sesame Street days only two years ago when many educators were
New York Times said, "Sesame Street has made it impossible for television
questioning if nationally televised educational television was capable
networks ever again to say that quality children's programming will not
of teaching even the most simple skills, such as reciting the alphabet."
attract a mass audience
"
"Sesame Street has proved that television can be a very successful
Harvard psychologist Dr. Jerome Kagan commented, "Sesame Street is
educational medium, and its potential has only just begun to be realized.
telling millions of people that learning itself is important and maybe
Right now, through Sesame Street, it's teaching our children some basic
the youngsters will carry this attitude toward learning with them even
facts and important cognitive skills."
when the TV set is off."
RESULTS CONFIRMED: Later studies by ETS confirmed the first-
In 1974 Bob Wisehart of the Boca Raton Florida News wrote, "I
year results. Perhaps more gratifying were the new data turned up by
like it not because of its grandiose educational aims, which I have no
the studies. For example, teachers of even one-year Sesame Street
intention of slighting, but because it consistently provides fresher
"graduates" reported that these children were better prepared for school
entertainment than most of the so-called adult programming."
than youngsters who watched the show infrequently or not at all. The
report also noted that there was nothing to suggest that the change
As for Sesame Street's effectiveness, an evaluation after the
from a fast-paced television format "turned-off" children to conventional
first season by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), a non-profit
classroom instruction.
organization, resulted in these principal findings:
Other evidence suggested gains in favorable viewer attitudes
--Children who watched the program showed greater learning
toward people of other races. Likewise, Sesame Street seemed to have a
gains than children who did not, regardless of whether
positive impact in the areas of vocabulary, mental age and I.Q., as
they were from inner-city, suburban or rural homes or
measured by performance on one of the standardized tests used with
whether they were boys or girls or black or white.
preschool children. These results, it should be noted, have never been
among Sesame Street's objectives. The program also was found to be as
--Children who watched the most gained the most.
effective with five-year-olds as with three-year-olds, a conclusion
not drawn in the first year study.
--The skills best learned were those that had received the
most time and attention on the program.
PBS AUDIENCE SURVEY: A nationwide study of public television
audiences showed that the series continues to attract a large audience.
--Three-year-old children made greater gains than older
The Public Broadcasting Service study, based on data from the A.C. Nielsen
children.
Co., found that the series accounted for fully one-third of the total
public TV audience. Over a four week period in November and December,
--Children from disadvantaged situations who watched
1974, the study found that the program was viewed by almost 14 million
frequently made gains that surpassed those of middle
households or 19.7 per cent of all U.S. households.
class children who watched infrequently.
For the first time, Nielsen provided data on the cumulative PBS
The last point is particularly significant because one of Sesame
-19-
-18-
audience for "white" and "non-white" households, and they found near
parallel those in the U.S.
parity in the "reach" of public TV to these groups. Sesame Street was
viewed by a cumulative total of 20.8 per cent of "non-white" households
Plaza Sesamo's value has demonstrated through tests in Mexico of
and 19.6 per cent of "white" households.
comparable viewing and non-viewing groups of three-to-five year olds.
Included were tests before the show was aired, again after seven weeks
INNER-CITY STUDIES: Other surveys have pointed up the continuing
of telecasting, and finally post-tests six months after the show's
impact of Sesame Street in inner city homes. Daniel Yankelovich, Inc.,
debut. The tests -- which involved 173 youngsters and were conducted
conducted three studies between 1970 and 1973, including surveys in New
under the supervision of Dr. Rogelio Diaz Guerrero, director of the
York's East Harlem and Bedford Stuyvesant areas, and in low income
Center for Research and Behavioral Sciences in Mexico City -- showed
neighborhoods of Chicago and Washington, D.C. Mothers or other older
that viewers outperformed non-viewers in nine different achievement tests
persons surveyed reported the incidence of regular viewing by preschool
that reflected the educational curriculum of the series.
children from household to household. Here are the results:
Meanwhile, a team of educators of the Hebrew University of
Area
Households Reporting Regular Viewing
Jerusalem reported in a September, 1972 study that five year-old young-
1973
1971
1970
sters of low socio-economic background had registered gains after
watching Sesame Street for a few months.
Bedford Stuyvesant
92%
77%
90%
East Harlem
94%
86%
78%
In Australia, K.I. Lemercier and G.R. Teasdale, reporting on a
Chicago
97%
95%
88%
Sesame Street study in that country, concluded that the "superior
Washington, D.C.
67%
59%
32%
performance" of the subjects in their study supported the conclusions
of summative research in the U.S. Their report was published in the
Washington's audience doubled between 1970 and 1973, and is
Australian Psychologist of March, 1973.
particularly significant because the program is on a relatively hard-
to-dial UHF frequency.
The introduction of Sesame Street in the Caribbean territory of
Curaçao has had the effect, according to Professor Harry Lasker, of
"On the basis of other similar studies, we might well by now have
Harvard, who directed an independent survey of the public's response to
anticipated a leveling off or decline in Sesame Street viewing,"
the program there, "of demonstrating the positive use of television as
Yankelovich's 1973 report observes. "Instead, the program has become
a means of educating the children in a country where an equal amount
virtually an institution with ghetto children."
of time is spent in the classroom and in front of a television set."
PARENTAL FAVORITE: A nationwide survey of parent reaction to
The survey in Curaçao, conducted four months after Sesame Street
television programs ("Television and the Public"), sponsored by CBS
was introduced in the Papiamento-speaking territory, revealed that an
and conducted in 1970 by the Bureau of Social Sciences Research, reports
estimated 59 per cent of the children whose homes have working television
that parents ranked Sesame Street first among the programs their children
sets watch the show almost every day, while about 80 per cent view the
watched and which they, the parents, considered best for them.
program from time to time.
In an unexpected finding, the 1970 report (conducted within
And in the nearby Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago,
weeks of the program's initial broadcast) reveals Sesame Street was
Farouk Nuhammed, program director of Trinidad and Tobago Television
the most frequently mentioned children's program when the series eclipsed
(TTT), reported that "Sesame Street is introducing new concepts to
traditional children's favorites by several percentage points. The
both the preschoolers and the older children to which they other-
study concludes that "the best-regarded programs are those that are
wise wouldn't have been exposed."
designed to educate and not just to entertain. Sesame Street lead the
list of favorite programs in 1970 despite the fact that half the samples
In Jamaica, youngsters responded to their first exposure to
of parents could not receive an educational television station."
television through Sesame Street. In an unusual research project, a
team of international researchers, working with Jamaican educational
CTW's advisory chairman, Dr. Gerald Lesser, believes Sesame
broadcasting officials, undertook a special study to assess the impact
Street's large audience is one of the show's greatest achievements. "We
of TV and its potential educational value among children who had never
weren't kidding anybody," he says. "We said we were going to do something
before been exposed to the medium. Using mobile video-cassette systems,
educational with this show. And we've done it. Sesame Street has
a Harvard University team took Sesame Street to remote mountain
demonstrated that educational television -- and I don't mean educational
villages to test the reaction of first-time viewers.
television in the classroom which has been a disaster from the word 'go'
The results showed that attention levels in these children who
can be successful in competitive terms; that is, in attracting a large
and loyal audience."
had never watched television before was comparable to those of more
experienced television viewers in the United States. It showed also
STRONG IMPACT OVERSEAS: Studies of Sesame Street's effectiveness
that programs that appeal to children in the U.S. also appealed to
have been conducted overseas and the findings, for the most part, closely
the Jamaican children. It was interesting also how quickly the
Jamaicans adapted to the television medium, the researchers said.
-20-
-21-
INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM: Educators from around the world, like
Federal Ministry of Education and Science, the program moved into
their U.S. counterparts, found that Sesame Street was indeed unique.
first place among all shows seen by children from ages three through
The International Commission on the Development of Education cited
ten. The program attracted 89 per cent of the youngsters who watched
Sesame Street as "the most important audio-visual experiment aimed at
television, a 17 per cent increase from a comparable period in 1973. And
preschool children so far." The commission, headed by Edgar Faure,
among parents, Sesamstrasse ranked first, with 79 per cent of those
former Prime Minister and Minister of Education of France, was
in the sample selecting the program as especially suitable for preschool
established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
children. This was a 13 per cent increase from the previous year.
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1971.
In Belgium, critic Andre Thirifays wrote in Le Soir: "Bonjour
Shortly after its original airing, Plaza Sesamo became the
Sesame opens the way to evidence, to nourishment, to books to come.
most popular children's program on Mexican television, and is has
and the doors of dreams and enchantment." Bonjour Sesame has received a
also been well received in Central and South American nations and
gold medal at Milan's MIFED international exhibition.
Puerto Rico.
Perhaps the most gratifying international reaction occurred in
E1 Heraldo de Mexico, a leading newspaper in the capital,
Great Britain. After the British Broadcasting Corporation decided
said, "Plaza Sesamo, a program which begins a new period in Latin
against the series, test showings and telecasts on London Weekend,
American television, is a complete success." A Mexico City TV
that city's commercial outlet, brought such favorable public and press
critic enthused: "A stupendous program one of the best presents
response that Sesame Street was shown regularly over stations covering
that children have received from TV."
over much of Great Britain, including London.
In Ecuador, E1 Telegrafo, the nation's largest daily newspaper,
The showing in the British Isles also brought some of the most
said of the Spanish-language series: "In this age of electronic
satisfying accolades that the program has received. In a London Times
pictures and miracles, a marvelous door opens to deliver the un-
editorial page essay, Nigel Lawson, once the editor of the intellectual
equalled treasure of education and easy learning of the ABC's and
journal, The Spectator, wrote: "I have little doubt that Sesame Street
numbers, in the original, beautiful, entertaining and exciting manner,
is the most important programme ever to have been shown on television.
to astonished eyes and ears of children -- Plaza Sesamo."
It is, in its way, a minor miracle."
Chile's Ultimas Noticas, the second largest newspaper in the
And British TV producer Sasha Moorsom, in the September 1973
country, commented: "Plaza Sesamo would seem to fill an important
issue of Encounter, wrote, "Perhaps we should admit that, at the moment,
gap, and as time will tell, will be an important contribution for the
this is something that the American Children's Television Workshop does
little people of our country."
better than anything we Europeans are doing, and go on to take advantage
of the outstanding skill (and money) that has gone into the preparation
Vila Sesamo, the Portuguese-language version, has also fared
of the remarkable Sesame Street."
well. The series received the Helene Silveira Award the Brazilian
equivalent of the American Emmy -- as the best educational program, and
TV'S MOST HONORED SHOW: Sesame Street has won more than 100 awards,
the actress playing the female lead, Sonia Braga, was selected as the
including 20 major honors, since its debut in 1969. Included are twelve
top actress of the year.
Emmys presented by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
for the series, its writing, its Muppets and its music -- and the George
Brazil's former top educational officer, Jarbas G. Passarinho,
Foster Peabody Broadcasting Award. The program also won the European
the then minister of education and culture, said that "Vila Sesamo
Prix Jeunesse International Award and the Japan Prize.
represents an excellent instrument of preschool education which is of
great value and power in the field of communications." He praised the
series particularly for the "variety of its offerings, for the charm
SESAME STREET'S LESSONS
of its characters, for the quality of its dialogue, and for the
appropriateness of the topics with which it deals."
Because of its experimental and evolutionary nature, Sesame Street
ACCOLADES IN EUROPE: Sesamstrasse, to has received accolades
has taught CTW and its advisors valuable lessons about television,
from private and professional sectors. Germany's leading news weekly,
education and young children.
Der Speigel, devoted a 14-page story to the program within a month after
the show's debut in 1973, calling Sesamstrasse "the supershow of the
TV CAN TEACH: As Dr. Chester Pierce, professor of psychiatry at
season." The same news weekly quoted the West German Science Minister
the Harvard Graduate School of Education and member of CTW's advisory
Hans Leussink as calling the series "so far the most successful TV
board, says, "There are very positive impacts of the program. The most
contribution to preschool education."
overt is that the show has demonstrated that you can teach by television
techniques at any age. In a covert manner, the series had led the way
In research conducted in 1974 by the Hans Bredow Institute
for a sequence of changes of attitudes whereby more dignity is directed
for Radio and Television, which is observing Sesamstrasse for the
to the needs of children. Sesame Street has fostered the role and the
-23-
-22-
worth of individualism kids can say, 'they're doing this for me.'
It has helped in the fight to make the child feel he has a first-class
citizenship, he means something, he is an individual."
UNIVERSAL APPEAL: Next is the matter of the visual and audio
appeal of television programming. "Unlike other studies of successful
applications of television to education which, in the main, have taken
"The advent of television constituted a quantum jump in
the form of a televised classroom course with required viewing, the
the relationship between the child and the world at
appeal of Sesame Street and the way it is presented is the sole incentive
large. Children learned by absorbing lessons that
to viewing," says Dr. Gerald Lesser of Harvard's Laboratory of Human
were not taught in the conventional way in school
Development and chairman of CTW's advisory board.
a new reality to which educators found it difficult to
adjust. Traditionally, the implict assumptions by
"It has taught us that entertaining television can teach without
parents and educators alike had been that children
hiding educational intentions and still attract a large and devoted
could only learn through formal schooling. It took
audience of young children from all parts of the country. Kids accept
the phenomenal success of Sesame Street to drive home
TV on TV's terms. They accept school on school's terms. And even with
the fact that these assumptions were obsolete.
the non-requirement to view," Dr. Lesser continues, "the program gave
Television had become a teaching tool, whether
us our first real evidence, beyond scattered anecdotes from parents,
educators themselves used it or not. Neither good
of the remarkable rate at which children can learn in response to
nor bad in itself, its influence is inescapable."
television."
"What this suggests is another of Sesame Street's lessons: we
"Growing Up in America," Fred M. and
must begin to appreciate how well and how rapidly children can learn
Grace Hechinger, 1976
at very young ages, especially from visual media."
VALUE OF REPETITION: To CTW's vice president for research,
Dr. Edward Palmer, the repetitiveness of Sesame Street's lesson segments
is one way learning can be accomplished. "Each time a child views a
segment, he sees something new, something he didn't see before," he
says. "And what he learns may not be at all what another child, viewing
the same material, takes away from the experience. What it does mean,
though, is that from repetitive education by television, each child has
an opportunity to gain increasing amounts of positive information,
regardless of his point of view."
TV DOESN'T PUNISH: "Even more important," says Dr. Palmer, "is
television's non-punitive nature. This greatly relieves the pressure
to 'pass' a child can flunk school, neighborhood, family, friends
and a host of other things, but he can't flunk television."
David Connell, CTW's production vice president, sees television
as an opportunity to expand both the intellectual and the emotional
content of learning. "I am convinced that there is no separateness to
the two if a child learns to count or to say the 'A-B-C's,' he has
a feeling about it," he says. "And, if he learns something about
emotions, he has a concept of them.
"To me, our experience with Sesame Street has proven that
television can be a flexible and responsive medium. It can be tailored
to the particular needs and desires of its audience. And despite some
criticism that television produces passive 'zombies', the show has
demonstrated that good television can result in active involvement."
-24-
SESAME STREET
© 1971 CTW-TM of CTW