Sesame Street:
A...B...C, C is for Communication
Long-Term Impact of Sesame Street
Can Sesame Street Truly Impact Children Cognitively and Emotionally?
(Sesame Schoolhouse)
Cognitively, Sesame Street was a breath of fresh air for teachers all around the world. "Independent research found that children who regularly watch Sesame Street gained more than nonviewers on tests of letter and number recognition, vocabulary and early math skills in classrooms. One study, in 2001, revealed that the show's positive effects on reading and achievement lasted with them through high school" (Lisa Guernsey).
One episode example that shows cognitive learning is called "Biscotti Karate," which is a segment of Cookie Monster learning how to full-body listen. He gets stuck throughout the way, and the teacher keeps telling Cookie Monster "Eyes watch, ears listen, mouth quiet, body calm" multiple times, which is a good example of children learning through repetition, a technique that Sesame Street is famously known for (Sesame, Street, director. Sesame Street: Cookie's Crumby Pictures).
A 2015 study was conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research on a test group of adults who watched the show as children vs. young adults who had not. The results show that the young adults who watched the show as children had 16% higher GPAs in high school than their peers (Kearney and Levine).
So, how can Sesame Street affect preschool children's emotional wellbeing? "While traumatic experiences cannot always be prevented, the new material from Sesame Street, released entirely online, aims to help prevent childhood trauma from defining a person's life and lessen the adverse effects of it" (ABC News). When Sesame Street gives all these tools to preschool children, the academic and social skills have such a big impact on them when they go to school and help further them in their education.
Accelerating Children's Learning
Researchers have shown that educational television can accelerate a child's learning. "A single episode of the preschool educational television program Blue's Clues was shown once or repeated on 5 consecutive days for 3- to 5-year-old viewers. A comparison group watched a different preschool program one time. Viewer behavior was videotaped, and comprehension and learning of Blue's Clues content was tested. Verbal and nonverbal interactions with the program (such as answering questions and pointing at the screen) increased, especially during educational content. Comprehension improved with repetition. Episode repetition is an effective strategy for enhancing learning and program involvement for a preschool audience" ("APA PsycNet").
(Sesame Workshop)
Teaching Kids Acceptance Through Social Messages
(Sesame Workshop)
"This is Ysenia. She struggles with autism on a daily basis. That's when Ysenia met Julia. Juila also struggles with autism, and Sesame Street had a special program called, 'Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing In All Children.' Julia’s television debut was greeted with hundreds of media stories and an outpouring of support on social media" (Sesame Workshop).
"One awareness study found that nearly 52% of American adults were aware of Julia; among parents of children with autism, that awareness is even broader. But the most touching marker of her impact has been the overwhelming response from the autism community and beyond. Parents say their autistic children have more playdates because of Julia. Teachers report that their students are more inclusive in their play." (Sesame Workshop). This research shows that the acceptance rates toward autistic children and adults has dramatically increased since Seasame Street aired its autistic awareness episodes.
House of Representatives Recognizing 50 Years of Sesame Street
"Whereas, as the longest running program on PBS, Sesame Street has continued to bring critical early learning to generations through the beloved and iconic Muppets of Sesame Street, including Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie, and Elmo; Whereas Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization that set a new standard with Sesame Street, has created an entire genre of educational media to help children around the world grow smarter, stronger, and kinder" (United States).
Sesame Street Impacting Lives Today
"Sesame Street is adding two new Black Muppets to help teach kids about race...'Sesame Workshop has always stood for diversity, inclusion, equity, and kindness. As a trusted source for families, we have a responsibility to speak out for racial justice and empower families to have conversations about race and identity with their children at a young age,' said Kay Wilson Stallings, Executive Vice President of Creative and Production at Sesame Workshop" (Watkins).
Even later in life, Sesame Street has impacted Bobbi Dempsey's life as she remembers, "My actual family moved at least a dozen times before I started kindergarten. Given our poverty — we never rose above the eligibility line that qualified us for government safety net programs — and my father’s frequent encounters with the police for domestic violence or drug offenses, we rarely stayed in one place for more than two or three months...I learned basic math skills by watching the Count. I taught myself how to read by the age of two and by the time I started school, I had advanced far beyond my grade level — an advantage I can’t imagine having gained without the lessons offered by Grover, Kermit and Big Bird" (Dempsey).
(Sesame Education)
"A legacy is when something's over. And this isn't over; it just goes on."
~ Joan Ganz Cooney