Ready to Learn Conference 2005 International Perspectives

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Sesame Workshop: Around the World

•Sesame Street is broadcast in 120 countries through dubbed versions or local productions.

•Coproductions include a combination of TV, radio, educational materials, and outreach programs.

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Global experience of children and media - an overall view

• Children are excited and eager to use new tools –e.g. India (computers), Bangladesh Rural Filmmakers.

• Children love seeing and hearing themselves represented -language, diversity and their surroundings including exposure to new things – e.g. Global Grover.

• Children don’t see obstacles that adults see – community viewing – e.g. South Africa, Bangladesh.

• Expanding and improving early childhood care and education for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

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What’s out there?

• There is a digital divide which can be seen as an opportunity looking at our international partners who are creating initiatives to reach the most vulnerable and disadvantaged – e.g. community viewing, workshops, Hole in the Wall.

• There are good and bad television programs – e.g. developmentally and culturally appropriate, versioning into home languages.

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Best Practices / Lessons Learned

• Research is critical in developing media. • Must work with key local experts who help shape and

define the educational, cultural and linguistic context of our program(s).

• Work in partnerships with governmental ministries to help build educational context that supports their national curriculum.

• Media literacy is often included in national curricula.• Educational Outreach makes a difference – workshops

must be a series to build capacity and skills.• Materials must be available in home languages. • Children learn best in their home languages and are often

multilingual.

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Expanding and improving early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children

• Through Community Outreach we address the needs of the most underserved populations by: training caregivers, parents, and local educators

to use media as an educational tool providing educational materials to extend the

impact of TV and radio