Between The Lions

WGBH 125 Western Avenue Boston, MA 02134	Telephone:	(617) 300-5308
	Fax:	(617) 300-1040
	Email:	gay_mohrbacher@wgbh.org
	Website:	www.pbskids.org/lions

Program Description

Focus Area	Age Group
Early Literacy. Between The Lions (BTL) is a television program designed by PBS to foster skills that are prerequisite to achieving reading fluency. Children view at least (2) thirty minute episodes per week, read a book, and participate in classroom activities related to those episodes.	Preschool through 1st Grade

Research Description

Outcomes

In two independent studies, students in the experimental groups outperformed students in the control groups on a reading conventions subtest: understanding the difference between print and pictures, reading from top to bottom, and from left to right.
Experimental students scored higher than control students in their knowledge of letter/sound correspondence.
Experimental students outperformed control students on measures of receptive vocabulary and knowledge of word meanings.
In both studies, the experimental groups scored better and gained skills faster than the control groups on a test of initial sound fluency.

*Research Category*	1	Large scale, externally reviewed research. The program was externally evaluated by Mississippi State University, and the University of Kansas.
*Design*	Experimental	Pre/post design with control groups.
*Multiple Studies*	Yes	Two independent evaluations of the program have been conducted.
*Sample Size*	>50	In the Mississippi study, there were 285 children in the experimental group and 279 children in the control group. In the Kansas study, there was a total of 164 students in the experimental and control groups.
Valid/ Reliable Instrument	Yes	Standardized instruments were used: Test of Early Reading Ability; Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test; Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills.
*Results*	Yes	Statistically significant gains were achieved by the experimental groups in both studies.
*Published*	No	There were no published studies.
*Follow-up Data*	No	There were no follow-up studies.
*Award*	Yes	2002 and 2001 Emmy Nominations; 2001 Winner of Parents' Guide Children's Media Award; 2001 Broadcast Media Award for Television from the International Reading Association; 2001 Silver Award from New York Film Festivals