Guest Author - Marci Ann Peterson
In the Peterson house we have found a newer show to help with learning the English language, Word Girl. Word Girl is a PBS show that helps teach children how to use words correctly.
We don't watch every episode, but we do catch it about once a week. I like to use the show to emphasize to my girls how it's important to use the correct words when speaking or writing. It's a cute way to get the message across to my girls. They are learning something while having fun doing it, which in my opinion is one of the best ways to learn. This is also the way I try to teach most of the things we study in our homeschool.
Word Girl can be enjoyed by many ages though the target audience of the show is children ages 4-9. We can catch Word Girl on a couple different local PBS stations at different times throughout the day. Check your local listings to see when Word Girl is showing in your area.
Word Girl is also described as a show for those who are blind or visually impaired. Word Girl is also closed captioned for audience members who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Word Girl is an animated series that shows heroine Word Girl fighting evil and correct vocabulary usage. Word Girl is disguised as 5th grader Becky Botsford who crashed landed on Earth with her sidekick and pet monkey Captain Huggy Face.
In true superhero fashion none of Becky's family and friends know that she is really the superhero Word Girl. She also possesses super powers like super strength and a gigantic vocabulary, which she uses both to defeat the numerous villains that she comes across.
Fans of superheros will recognize the many different superhero plots, characters, and story lines. These devices should not be taken seriously by hard core super hero fans as the show is meant to be a spoof, a way to making learning fun and enjoyable to kids.
Each episode introduces about four new vocabulary words. The show reinforces the meanings of these words though the vocabulary does not drive the plot line.
My oldest daughter's favorite episode is when Word Girl meets the Birthday Girl, who is a spoiled brat that grows enormous when she doesn't get her way. Word Girl has to teach Birthday Girl to be generous. (Vocabulary Words learned are generous and enormous.)
My youngest daughter's favorite episode is when everyone in town is obsessed with the new walk and talk Word Girl dolls being made by evil villain Mr. Big. The dolls are continually misusing and misspelling words. Unfortunately this is not all the dolls do, they are programmed to hypnotize everyone to buy more dolls and things and make Mr. Big richer. Word Girl of course saves the day. (Vocabulary words learned are constantly and indignant.)
If you are looking for ideas on how to use Word Girl in teaching your children then check out the parents link on the PBS website listed below.
In my book this is a cute show that can help in reinforcing correct vocabulary usage. The show itself will not teach your children everything about the English language, but it can help you teach everything they need to know. Again TV shows are best used as tools in guiding you as you teach or reinforce concepts. The TV is not a teacher!
