A Sesame Street And Teletubbies Address And Construct Essay Example

producers and child experts, independent surveys to measure audience learning, and in-depth research to shape content (Cole and Lee 9-39).

The primary objective of the show is to provide early education to children from disadvantaged backgrounds and prepare them for school. Gettas states that Sesame Street's global popularity facilitated the examination of children's education on a mass scale via television, except when writing an essay, according to this source (113-119). Teletubbies is a British kids' series produced by Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport for Ragdoll Productions. The program premiered on BBC on March 31, 1997, featuring four bright-colored toddlers or "Teletubbies" who convey educational content through their actions, language, and short television clips displayed in their stomachs.

Teletubbies show design, according to Bignell (373-387), considers the attention span of its target audience, pace of delivery, and manner of communication. This is achieved through repetition and bright colors. The show targets children under 3 years old while Sesame Street focuses on those about to join kindergarten in the 2-6 year age group. Both shows aim at educating and promoting cognitive development in children. Sesame Street introduces numeracy, literacy, and spatial skills to prepare children for kindergarten as demonstrated in Episode 1 with segments such as Word of the Day, Letter of the Day, Number of the Day, and clips that use play to teach concepts like over, under, and through (Reiser et al. 15-21).

This article explores the differences between the television shows Teletubbies and Sesame Street in terms of their educational intentions. While both programs use puppets and visually engaging content, Teletubbies aims to enhance cognitive abilities, such as object recognition and sensory development, through simple messages

and physical routines. An episode shows Dipsy and Lala drawing a triangle in sand to relate the shape to its name. Conversely, Sesame Street uses puppets as a tool to impart educational lessons and get children's attention. The narrative structure of educational TV shows for young children differs from typical shows due to their shorter attention span and inability to comprehend complex storylines. For example, Teletubbies focuses on concepts and routines, as seen in an episode where the characters wait in a line for tubby custard.

The message conveyed in this sketch is focused on the significance of patiently waiting in a queue, especially for young children who tend to be restless. The storyline may not be prominent but it aims to impart a valuable social lesson. The Teletubbies adopted this approach as it was inspired by how kids play and interpret information. Consequently, the viewers are presented with two methods of communicating the message. Firstly, the Teletubbies use their distinctive language, which combines baby talk and play language, to reinforce good morals and enable children aged 3 or below to grasp concepts effortlessly.

According to Buckingham (38-60), children can improve their language skills by imitating spoken words and constructing simple sentences. The Teletubbies utilize repetitive actions and words set to music in order to familiarize children with sounds and ideas, as analyzed by Bignell (373-387). Sesame Street employs a basic storyline structure where live action puppet interactions with actors lead to different sketches, as seen in an episode where Gordon introduces Sally to the show's characters. This format appeals to older children and challenges their intellectual skills.

Similar to the Teletubbies, the repetition of words

and actions in children's shows helps teach fundamental skills. Segments such as Word of the Day, Letter of the Day, and Number of the Day reinforce basic concepts like hygiene, numbers, and interacting with others. These elements, along with humor, colorful characters, and audience participation in song performances, promote learning and skill development (Minton 141).

It's important to examine how gender is represented in children's TV because young viewers are easily influenced and can develop skewed perceptions of the real world. Research by Halim, Ruble, and Tamis-LeMonda suggests that exposure to television can increase children's awareness of gender hierarchies, which could impact their future academic and career choices in a society that values males more highly (128-135).

Regarding educational television programs, Teletubbies is a good example as it avoids gender stereotypes for young viewers. This is shown through the equal number of male and female characters, with Dipsy and Tinky Winky as males and Lala and Po as females. Despite not conforming to typical male and female behavior, the children are still able to recognize each character's gender - Tinky Winky carries a handbag, while Po rides a scooter (Lemish and Tidhar 558-574). In comparison, Sesame Street, though highly esteemed, still reinforces traditional gender norms existing in media. Ditsworth has argued that the unequal representation of male and female characters on the show can shape young viewers' perspectives by suggesting that males hold power in society while females are subservient (214-226).

The screened episode of Sesame Street depicts a dominance of male characters and gender stereotypes, with most characters being male and the two older female characters portraying traditional housewife roles. Such perpetuation of societal gender stereotypes

impedes the development of an open mind in young viewers, reinforcing the image of girls as submissive and appealing and boys as confident, controlling, and strong. Given that Sesame Street reaches over 100 countries, it is crucial for the show to avoid propagating such gender stereotypes that could limit children's potential. Both shows share similarities yet have unique styles that appeal to their respective audiences while considering their intelligence levels.

The Teletubbies and Sesame Street programs have been extremely successful in providing pre-school education to millions of children and their parents. These shows have set a standard for children's television programming in other countries. Although controversies over their content, including gender representation, have arisen, they remain an essential part of popular culture. However, there is still room for improvement and modernization to encourage open-mindedness and the realization of children's full potential.