‘PBS Kids Raising Readers’ Offers Powerful Fun!

It takes a community to raise a reader.

Thanks to a major grant awarded to WNED, Buffalo is among the first 10 cities in the nation participating in PBS Kids Raising Readers, an innovative program that aims to build literacy skills among children ages 2-8.

Beginning in 2008, WNED will receive nearly $200,000 over four years for the initiative. Locally, efforts will reach WNED’s entire viewing area, but a special focus will be placed on the 14215 Zip Code, Buffalo’s designated “Literacy Zone.”

PBS Kids Raising Readers is centered on literacy-based television programs for preschoolers. Five are now airing on WNED-TV and ThinkBright-TV (Time Warner 21/Digital 43.3): “Super WHY!” and “WordWorld” premiered fall 2007; “Martha Speaks” joined the line-up in September 2008; and “Between the Lions” and “Sesame Street” are continuing. “The Electric Company,” a whole new version of the 1970s hit, will premiere in early 2009.

With colorful graphics, animated characters and involving story lines, the shows are fun and engaging for children, but are based on extensive research, with input from educators. They incorporate techniques proven to help kids learn to read, write, communicate and understand words.

Related online and print resources (such as activity books, literacy games and “Tips for Raising Readers”), geared to both children and adults, also will be available. In addition, training events and materials will be offered to teachers, day-care providers, home-care providers and parents.

“Through new partnerships and creative new PBS content, the entire community now has an exciting opportunity to emerge as a national leader in fostering literacy,” said Donald K. Boswell, WNED’s President and CEO. “Working together, Buffalo can become a model city, developing strategies and solutions that other cities will want to emulate.”

New in 2008!

MARTHA SPEAKS – (Premieres Sept. 1, 2008)
Weekdays at noon on WNED-TV

Sit. Stay. Watch out world! Here comes Martha—the loveable, talking dog.

When this charming canine eats alphabet soup, the letters go to her brain instead of her stomach — and Martha discovers she can talk!

Using her newfound abilities, Martha gets jobs, wears disguises, foils bad guys, wins contests and orders lots of steaks. Plenty of messes and hilarious entanglements ensue for Martha, her family and the unsuspecting people in her hometown. Follow her adventures in the latest PBS KIDS animated series based on the best-selling children’s books by Susan Meddaugh.

The educational goal of the series is to bolster the vocabulary of 4- to 7-year-olds within the context of engaging, comical stories. Related additional short features reinforce the target words.

When Martha wants to be just like the hero of her favorite book, Firehouse Freddie, she introduces kids to the words reality, fantasy, fiction and imagine. And when she decides to find homes for all the dogs in the animal shelter, the audience learns the words deserted, neglected, abandon and embrace.

MARTHA SPEAKS is part of PBS KIDS Raising Readers, a national initiative designed to use media to help children build reading skills. Through a grant awarded to WNED, Buffalo is one of 20 sites targeted for Raising Readers outreach activities.

PBS Kids Raising Readers: The Television Programs

		Super WHY! Weekdays at 9 am on WNED-TV With their literacy-charged powers, fairytale characters jump into books to find answers to preschool challenges and embark on exciting adventures.
		WordWorld Weekdays at 11:30 am on WNED-TV A wacky troupe of WordFriends™ have fun and solve problems by “building” the right word.
		Between the Lions Sundays at 8:30 am on WNED-TV A family of lions runs a library that leads to a magical place. Characters pop off the pages of books, vowels sing and words come alive.
		Sesame Street Weekdays at 10 am on WNED-TV Big Bird, Elmo and their friends help preschoolers build skills they need for reading, such as rhymes, vocabulary and letter sounds.
		The Electric Company (Premieres early 2009) ‘Reading is cool.’ Targeting kids ages 6 to 9, the all-new “Electric Company” carries the same message as the original series. Combating the literacy crisis facing America’s second graders, this PBS classic has been re-energized for today’s media-driven generation. It’s sure to spark a current of learning.
		Martha Speaks (See above) Weekdays at noon on WNED-TV
		SID THE SCIENCE KID – (Premieres Sept. 1, 2008) Weekdays at 8:30 am on WNED-TV Sid begins each day asking a question and then sets out to discover the answer. He gets help from his gang of friends, his teacher and his family, especially his Internet-savvy mom. This fun and engaging animated series embraces and celebrates the curiosity of young viewers. Preschoolers discover the foundations of science in the world around them ― from melting popsicles to household germs. It’s the latest product of The Jim Henson Company, creators of the Muppets.

Your Ticket to Fun Learning: Visit PBS Kids Island
Grand Opening: September 30, 2008
Oscar’s bumper cars. Word Morph. Red’s Rhyme n’ Roll. Chicken Stacker.
The online amusement park, PBS Kids Island, has some outrageously cool rides and games just for kids ages 2 to 5. To earn points toward downloadable prizes and get “tickets” to ride, kids have to apply their reading skills, such as recognizing letters and sounds.
The many learning activities on this colorful, interactive Island involve characters from PBS KIDS programs, including Between the Lions, Sesame Street, SUPER WHY! and WordWorld.
Parents, teachers and caregivers can track children’s progress and get activities, lesson plans and tips to help young readers-to-be.
New features will soon be added, including a Word of the Day and games for older children (ages 6-8). Come back to the Island often for more learning adventures.

Two New Teachers Join PBS KIDS®
Preschoolers have fun learning Spanish and making music!

• 8 to 10 am weekdays on WNED-TV

Well before they enter kindergarten, kids who want to have fun learning know that PBS is “the place to be.”

Two new teachers have joined live host Miss Lori (Lori Holton Nash) — and the loveable, animated guinea pig Hooper — to offer an even more engaging and exciting learning experience during a two-hour block of award-winning children’s television programming.

“Miss Rosa” (teacher/actress Jennifer Peña) guides kids through learning activities that revolve around themes such as transportation, rhyming and counting. She introduces Spanish words and phrases as well as episodes of SUPER WHY! and WORDWORLD.

“Mr. Steve” (musician Steve Roslonek) plays original songs with clever story lines and catchy melodies, including “Rhythm Safari” and “Stop, Look, Listen.” Preschoolers embrace the day’s theme by interacting, singing and dancing along.

All of the hosts help motivate and involve kids during the program block that includes CURIOUS GEORGE (the #1 preschool series among kids ages 2-5); SUPER WHY!; and CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG.

“We’re not only introducing kids to a variety of new faces and helping [children] become familiar with people from diverse communities, but also preparing them for multi-cultural experiences they are likely to have in school and life,” said Lesli Rotenberg, senior vice president for PBS KIDS Next Generation Media.

“By infusing Spanish and adding more original music, we are helping to enrich our youngest viewers’ engagement. The results of our ongoing research with parents and children points to music as a … powerful element of a child’s learning environment.”