Sesame Street Helps Ohio Preschoolers Prepare for Global Economy

Elmo and Friends Featured in Pilot Program Aimed at Teaching Chinese Language

May 1, 2008 (Columbus) – The Ohio Department of Education (ODE), The Ohio State University and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, have joined together for a four-week pilot program to help preschool and kindergarten students begin to learn Mandarin Chinese and Chinese culture. The program provides teachers with tools to engage children to succeed in a multicultural and multilingual global age. Interactive online games and classroom lessons along with DVD segments featuring Sesame Street characters are designed to easily integrate into existing curricula and daily routines.

“For our students to be successful in the global economy, they need to be able to communicate effectively and understand the culture of those they are working with,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Tave Zelman. “Through this engaging program developed along with Sesame Workshop, our children can learn about children in other cultures and be introduced to a language spoken by hundreds of millions of people around the world.”

ODE has encouraged the development of lessons that weave together different subject areas with the purpose of introducing the Chinese language and culture. Sesame has developed Mandarin language lessons that build upon mathematics skills, incorporate social studies and spur creativity through art lessons, all while teaching students a new language. The lessons also show students what they have in common with children halfway around the world, like families and pets.

“We are proud to partner with the Ohio Department of Education in their efforts to help expand children’s views of the world,” said Dr. Lewis Bernstein, Executive Vice President, Education, Research and Outreach, Sesame Workshop. “With their Sesame Street friends, we hope Ohio’s young students will develop a love of all languages and foster understanding of what it means to be a global citizen.”

The four schools participating in the pilot program are Gearity Elementary School in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District, Weinland Park Elementary in the Columbus City School District, Chapelfield Elementary and Jefferson Elementary in the Gahanna Lincoln School District, and The Ohio State University Laboratory School. Funding for the program was provided by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, Cleveland Foundation and The Ohio State University.

ODE has additional efforts underway to help students learn Mandarin. The Department received a three-year Foreign Language Assistance Program grant from the U.S. Department of Education to develop and pilot professional development on a year-long Chinese language curriculum. Beginning next school year, 12 Ohio schools will pilot this K-4 content-enriched Mandarin curriculum.

In March 2008, Ohio received the state prize for Excellence in International Education from the Goldman Sachs Foundation and the Asia Society for its efforts in promoting international education.