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ScienceDaily (Dec. 9, 2010) — Children exposed to Jalan Sesama, an Indonesian version of the children’s television show Sesame Street, had improved educational skills and healthy development, according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Over a 14-week period, the children who had the greatest exposure to Jalan Sesama improved significantly in literacy, mathematics, early cognitive skills, safety knowledge and social awareness, compared to those with no or low exposure to the program. The study is available online in advance of publication in the International Journal of Behavioral Development.
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“I was amazed with how much television young children in Indonesia watch,” said Dina L.G. Borzekowski, EdD, the study’s lead author and associate professor in the Bloomberg School’s Department of Health, Behavior and Society. She continued, “Mostly the shows children were seeing were of adult nature or dubbed episodes of Sponge Bob Squarepants and Scooby-Doo. In contrast, Jalan Sesama was created in Indonesia for Indonesian children. With this study, we present evidence that when a culturally and age-appropriate show is offered, it can change the lives of preschoolers. Our data show that 4, 5, and 6 year olds learned important and healthy messages.”
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Jalan Sesama is produced by the Sesame Workshop with funding from the United States Agency for International Development. The program uses live action, puppetry (traditional and new), and animation to deliver relevant lessons on literacy, mathematics, safety, culture, environment and other subjects. Among the special MuppetsTM made for this specific show are Jabrik, a problem-solving and creative white rhino and Tantan, an environmentally-conscious orangutan.
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