Study Finds Kosovo’s Sesame Street
A new study conducted in Kosovo finds that children who watch the locally produced version of Sesame Street, Rruga Sesam (Albanian language)/Ulica Sezam (Serbian language) are more likely to respect other ethnicities and outperform their peers on basic skills tests.
Fluent Public Opinion & Market Research (New York), in collaboration with SMMRI (Pristina), conducted a randomized controlled trial of over 500 five- to six-year-old children across different demographic groups in Kosovo.
The results, released in June, show that children exposed to Rruga Sesam/Ulica Sezam have increased aptitude in math and other academic skills. Children were able to identify more numbers shown to them, more likely to express a willingness to cooperate and help another child, and demonstrated greater awareness of ecological concerns (such as the need for water conservation).
In addition to the positive gains in academic skills, Rruga Sesam/Ulica Sezam also has a major impact on children’s perceptions of individuals from other ethnic backgrounds.
The study also found the show to breakdown language barriers between ethic groups. Children exposed to the show were more likely to express acceptance of a child that does not speak their language.
“The empirical evidence documented in this study demonstrates that television can encourage respect and provide a window of understanding that can have a marked effect on children’s lives. We are both thrilled and humbled to know our work is making a positive difference,” Cole said.
