Sesame English facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sesame English |
|
|---|---|
| Genre | Children's television series Educational |
| Directed by | Emily Squires |
| Starring | John Tartaglia Kelly Karbacz |
| Theme music composer | Joe Carroll Peter Thom |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of episodes | 52 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Lewis J. Bernstein |
| Producer(s) | Jill Gluckson |
| Production location(s) | Kaufman Astoria Studios Queens, New York City, New York |
| Editor(s) | Scott Chosed Will Hall |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 15 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Sesame Workshop Berlitz International |
| Release | |
| Original release | 1999 – 2000 |
Sesame English is a TV show from America. It was created by Sesame Workshop (the people behind Sesame Street) and Berlitz International. This show started in 1999 in Taiwan and China. It's different from other Sesame Street shows made for other countries. Sesame English was made to help kids learn English as a second language (ESL). It was first aimed at children aged 4 to 7.
Later, Italy started showing Sesame English in 2004. Poland also aired parts of it from 2006 to 2008 as Sezamkowy Angielski, which was part of their show Sezamkowy Zakątek.
How the Show Works
The plan for Sesame English included 78 episodes, each 15 minutes long. It also came with learning materials like books, audio, videos, and CD-ROMs. However, only 52 episodes were actually made.
Dr. Lewis Bernstein, who helped create and produce the show, explained its goal. He said the show wanted to teach English words and phrases in a fun way. It used everyday talk, lots of repetition, rhythm, and cool music. It also had plenty of humor, just like Sesame Street. Each 15-minute episode mixes new scenes with clips and parts from Sesame Street.
Meet the Characters
The show features a new Muppet character named Tingo. Tingo is a colorful monster who looks a bit like a tiger. He is an exchange student living in America. Tingo's best friend is Niki, played by Kelly Karbacz.
Niki is a teenager who lives in her parents' basement. She has a big family and many friends. Her family includes her grandparents, her siblings Katie and Kevin, and baby Jake. Niki also has a band called "Children at Play." The band members are Mike, Sam (Samantha), and Tom.
Actors Roger Bart and Jonathan Freeman play different family members and friends in Niki's world. The stories in the show often focus on sports, music, family get-togethers, and other social events.
Tingo's Role
All the new parts of the show were filmed in studios in New York. Tingo is a special character because he can speak more than one language. About 30 to 50 percent of what Tingo says is spoken in the local language of the country watching the show.
Tingo talks directly to the viewers in their own language. But all the other characters speak only English. Tingo's explanations help kids who are learning English understand what's happening. He acts like a bridge between their native language and English.
Sesame Español
In 2003, Sesame Workshop announced a new version of the show called Sesame Español. This version used the same video clips. It was made for people learning Spanish at Berlitz Language Centers. In Sesame Español, Tingo spoke Spanish as his second language. The goal was to teach Spanish to people who only spoke English.
DVDs of Sesame English are available in the U.S. They offer Tingo's dialogue in five different languages: Spanish, Hmong, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, and Vietnamese. There is also an English-only option for students who are more advanced in their English learning.
