Chapter 23

Seeding Change

Using Children's Media to Promote Social Inclusion the Sesame Street Way

First published: 27 January 2017
Citations: 2

Summary

This chapter reviews Sesame Workshop's approach to promoting social inclusion on international coproductions of Sesame Street. It presents the curricular goals related to social inclusion that are used across the world on Sesame Street projects and describes the ways in which various production components are thoughtfully designed to support social inclusion. Sesame Street's initial success domestically was recognized early on by the international television community. Most notably, broadcasters in Germany, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico approached the producers expressing an interest in developing programs for their countries, but with content that would reflect the educational priorities of their respective countries. The content focuses on the daily lives of people at home, work and in their communities; messaging also appeals to children's emerging sense of justice and fairness. Sesame Street content largely promotes social inclusion through simple messages designed to show children from oppositional groups the aspects of humanity that they share.

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