Comments on: This is a See-We-Us Problem http://moorethoughts.com/2007/08/10/this-is-a-see-we-us-problem/ Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:31:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: ipier http://moorethoughts.com/2007/08/10/this-is-a-see-we-us-problem/#comment-152730 ipier Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:36:22 +0000 http://moorethoughts.com/2007/08/10/this-is-a-see-we-us-problem/#comment-152730 parental aesthetic appeal? I can hardly believe you mean that. A speech impediment is NEVER cute. I would think almost nobody would want to hear it. parental aesthetic appeal? I can hardly believe you mean that. A speech impediment is NEVER cute. I would think almost nobody would want to hear it.

]]> By: nate http://moorethoughts.com/2007/08/10/this-is-a-see-we-us-problem/#comment-143823 nate Fri, 17 Aug 2007 18:17:07 +0000 http://moorethoughts.com/2007/08/10/this-is-a-see-we-us-problem/#comment-143823 I can't claim any direct knowledge of the creators' intentions for the duck character (named Ling Ling or Ming Ming). But I doubt they gave nearly as much weight to her educational value as you suggest when you say: "I suppose the intention of the shows’ creators is to allow children who struggle with speech impediments to hear others who sound like them and therefore know they aren’t alone..." I strongly suspect that Ling-Ling's speech impediment is there for only one reason: it's cute. And that's for the parents, not the kids. The programming people know that many parents turn on whatever shows provide the least annoying background noise as they go about their household routine. Ling-Ling's lisp, the catchy tunes of the Backyardigans, etc. are designed not as much for education as for parental aesthetic appeal. I can’t claim any direct knowledge of the creators’ intentions for the duck character (named Ling Ling or Ming Ming). But I doubt they gave nearly as much weight to her educational value as you suggest when you say:

“I suppose the intention of the shows’ creators is to allow children who struggle with speech impediments to hear others who sound like them and therefore know they aren’t alone…”

I strongly suspect that Ling-Ling’s speech impediment is there for only one reason: it’s cute. And that’s for the parents, not the kids.

The programming people know that many parents turn on whatever shows provide the least annoying background noise as they go about their household routine. Ling-Ling’s lisp, the catchy tunes of the Backyardigans, etc. are designed not as much for education as for parental aesthetic appeal.

]]> By: joe lance http://moorethoughts.com/2007/08/10/this-is-a-see-we-us-problem/#comment-142309 joe lance Fri, 10 Aug 2007 17:00:33 +0000 http://moorethoughts.com/2007/08/10/this-is-a-see-we-us-problem/#comment-142309 You misspelled pwob-wem. You misspelled pwob-wem.

]]> By: Kay Brooks http://moorethoughts.com/2007/08/10/this-is-a-see-we-us-problem/#comment-142303 Kay Brooks Fri, 10 Aug 2007 16:55:23 +0000 http://moorethoughts.com/2007/08/10/this-is-a-see-we-us-problem/#comment-142303 This is the same reason I wouldn't let my children watch an otherwise very good science program back when Channel 8 actually carried academic programming. The program came out of Chattanooga or Knoxville and the teacher had a very pronounced accent that I didn't want the children to pick up. I still wish Channel 8 would provide some of that programming. Most of it was far superior to the cartoons they now run. This is the same reason I wouldn’t let my children watch an otherwise very good science program back when Channel 8 actually carried academic programming. The program came out of Chattanooga or Knoxville and the teacher had a very pronounced accent that I didn’t want the children to pick up.

I still wish Channel 8 would provide some of that programming. Most of it was far superior to the cartoons they now run.

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