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Multiculturalism in Children`s TV

Copyright Microsoft Clipart
Copyright Microsoft Clipart
One of the primary goals of educational programming is to emphasize pro-social behavior that will encourage young viewers to develop strong relationships within their community. Yet, as U.S. children are growing-up in an increasingly diverse and multilingual nation, do these community building exercises recognize the necessity of appreciating difference? Furthermore, are they providing children with the access to different cultures and different languages necessary in this increasingly globalized world? The following news items discuss several children’s shows that have taken the initiative in focusing on bilingual education and multiculturalism, and the research studies below examine the effectiveness of such shows in assisting children with making positive associations in a multicultural environment.

Resources on this topic
News
» Mining for Kid TV Gold

The Ledger, Lakeland FL
» Bilingual ‘Maya’ promotes multiculturalism

Herald Tribune, Southwest Florida
Research
» Multicultural media portrayals and the changing demographic landscape: The psychosocial impact of television representations on the adolescent of color
» The impact of a prejudice-prevention television program on young children’s ideas about race
» The Bible tells me so: Depictions of race, gender, and authority in children’s videos
» Developing children and multicultural attitudes: The systemic psychosocial influences of television portrayals in a multimedia society
» Sunny days on Sesame Street? Multiculturalism and resistance postmodernism
Comment
» Multicultural media portrayals and the changing demographic landscape: The psychosocial impact of television representations on the adolescent of color