PRESCHOOL CHILDRENS COMPREHENSION OF A SESAME STREET VIDEO TAPE - THEEFFECTS OF REPEATED VIEWING AND PREVIEWING INSTRUCTIONS

Twenty male and 20 female 4-year-olds viewed a 19-minute Sesame Street video tape once a week for three weeks to determine whether comprehen sion of the plot of the video tape would improve if the children were given ample time to process the tape, and if they participated in one of two previewing instruction conditions. Findings indicated that repe nted viewing of the tape was the most important factor in children's a bility to comprehend the plot. Previewing instructions and gender did not influence plot comprehension. It is suggested that repented viewin g allowed the children to process the formal features of the tape and use them to construct a framework within which to interpret the plot o f the show. Additional findings are discussed in terms of children's s cript representation and how such representationis acquired.