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Why Sesame Street may not be good for your child
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Did you know that Sesame Street may not be the best reading-readiness TV show for your child?
Many early reading experts such as Glynne Sutcliffe and Jean Clyde support the proven theory that young children should be taught the letter sounds, not the letter names. The Godfrey Method also strongly supports this position.
As Ms. Sutcliffe writes to a mother’s inquiry about her daughter, “I recommend that you keep up with three areas and that you keep them separate from one another:
1) lots of talking about anything and everything, and include here telling her stories that you may have read up beforehand, but without reference to the book if that was your source,
2) reading stories from books, and
3) drawing letters and short words and telling her the sounds of the letters, NOT the names of the letters at this point.
(If Sesame Street has beaten you to the gun on this one, then tell her the difference between the names and the sounds, and spend your time on the sounds.)”
Sesame Street and other shows like it may help create the letter-sound confusion that is the basis of Jean Clyde’s Visual Attention Span (VAS) Theory of childhood reading problems. One of the best shows for phonics reading-readiness on public television was the Electric Company, which regularly stress the sounds of letters and sounding-out words in a fun, energetic, engaging way. The Electric Company also used humor and kept the children’s attention, even children too old for Sesame Street.
Public broadcasting would do well to bring back the Electric Company and give kids a real chance to become good readers. The earlier a child learns to read with phonics, the greater his capacity for learning later. Almost every child can be a gifted child with the right exposure during the developmental window of ages birth to 5 years.
Did you know that refunds are being given for Baby Einstein, since TV-media is not the best learning tool for young children? Go to: http://www.kidstodayonline.com/article/CA6703993.html and check out the article by Gerri Hunt in Kids Today on Oct. 27, 2009. Refunds are available until March 2010.
Spark your kids’ imaginations by eating at interesting theme restaurants in Kansas City. In the Crown Center there are
the Crayola Café (http://www.crayolacafe.com/about.html) and
Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant (http://www.visitkc.com/things-to-do/member-details/index.aspx?id=37813). Nearby in the Legends at Village West shopping area is
the T-Rex Café (http://www.visitkc.com/member-details/index.aspx?id=36204). Check them out for an interesting, creative family dinner!
Resources:
Glynne Sutcliffe MA (Chicago) BA (Hons Hist) Dip Ed (Melb), Principal
Early Reading Play School
Chandlers Hill, S Australia 5159
Ph/fax : 08 8270 3548, or overseas : exit code + 618 8270 3548
Mail : PO Box 486, Blackwood, SA 5051
Email : glynnesutcliffe@internode.on.net
Web : http://www.earlyreadingplayschool.com.au
Blogspot: http://review100childrenturn10.blogspot.com
Recent articles in Online Opinion: Google: Online Opinion>Authors>S>Sutcliffe
Jean Clyde, masters degree in Education, neuro-anatomy of memory. Co-founder of 'Basic Concern', Tasmania's leading remedial centre. One of Australia's finest remedial teachers.
Post: to VAS Research Pty Ltd, 15 Roslyn Ave., Kingston Beach, TASMANIA 7050, Australia. Phone: (61) (3-62296417)
http://www.vasresearch.com/page4/page4.html
jean@telcoplus.com.au
The Godfrey Method
http://godfreymethod.com/default.aspx
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