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Purpose: Authors of this content analysis examined how Sesame Street's Word on the Street initiative aligns with research-based practices for selecting and teaching vocabulary to young children and considered how speech-language pathologists can use educational media to supplement traditional vocabulary instruction.
Method: Study authors used a well-established vocabulary selection hierarchy to analyze 170 target words across 7 seasons of Word on the Street to judge appropriateness for preschool vocabulary instruction. The authors then coded vocabulary instruction across 96 episodes to determine frequency and types of teaching strategies used within this educational program.
Results: Target word selection was appropriate in 77% of episodes. Some instructional strategies were used frequently (e.g., exposure to a word, examples, and nonexamples), whereas others were used rarely (e.g., definitions, active learning). Across episodes, there was substantial variability in how many opportunities children had to learn words.
Conclusions: Vocabulary instruction during Word on the Street could be improved by targeting only high-utility words, maximizing learning opportunities during all segments, and increasing strategies that promote deep processing. Although research is needed to examine word learning during Word on the Street, speech-language pathologists may find selected segments targeting Tier 2 words useful for augmenting traditional intervention approaches.
In order to become successfulreaders, young children need to develop a strong foundation in language development. Oral language development, including vocabulary acquisition, forms an important basis for both early literacy learning (Dickinson, McCabe, Anastasopoulos, Peisner-Feinberg, & Poe, 2003; National Early Literacy Panel [NELP], 2008; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network, 2005) and reading comprehension (Dickinson, Cote, & Smith, 1993; NELP, 2008; Stahl, 1999; Stahl & Nagy, 2006). A child's vocabulary is a reflection of background knowledge and what a child knows about the world around him or her (Neuman, 2011; Stahl, 1999). Children with limited background knowledge and verbal skills are more likely to have difficulties learning to read (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998).
Children who are living in poverty often have oral language skills that lag behind their more advantaged peers (Halle et al., 2009; Hart & Risley, 1995). Research by Hart and Risley (1995) identified a large gap in vocabulary knowledge between young children living in poverty compared with young children from professional families. This word gap-differences...