Sarah Coyston

What is Media Literacy?

Media literacy is the ability to sift through and analyze the messages that inform, entertain and sell to us every day. It's the ability to bring critical thinking skills to bear on all media. Students in today’s world need this literacy more than at any other time in human history. Our challenge, as teachers, is to remain current and critical in our knowledge in a world characterized by accelerated change in media. -Media Awareness Network.

Implementing Media in Teaching ----Prior Learning:

Gary Anaka Brain Coach

Proven that “Information in your brain does not exist in isolation. Everything is connected to everything else. All new learning must connect to prior learning. When you introduce a new concept, it has to find a place in those already established memory networks.”

Teachers can take advantage of the media by linking something well known to a subject they are teaching.

Positive Effects of Media Literacy Media literacy education can be the spark that encourages students to

learn. Hooking students and getting students energized about a topic makes

students more ready to learn. Media is around students in so many ways everyday. It is a constant part

of children’s lives. So incorporating media literacy into lessons is simple because of the students’ vast interest. It’s not an add-on into the lesson or something teachers must do on top of their lessons. Instead it is simply part of the lesson. In the amount that is comfortable for the teacher.

It opens up different avenues for students and creative possibilities. Throughout the curriculum, teachers and education administrators are

discovering ideas to engage and motivate children in the classroom using the students’ common attraction in the media.

Skills such as critical thinking, reading and writing can undertake current meanings for students by using media.

Textbooks can be joined or exchanged with lessons and activities inspired by contemporary culture.

TelevisionSkills learned by incorporating media through television:o Critical thinking o Fostering consumerismo Establishing standards of behaviors and lifestyleso Citizenshipo Reading and writingo Journalismo point of view o Story structureo Teaching to understand Media in TV and what we should be aware ofo Reasons the message was sent o Fully understand messages effectivelyo Make better use of the mediao Have an educational perspective on the mediao Implications in the messageso Bias of communication

Parent SupportLike most things in schools, parent support is a great asset

for teachers because it allows more learning to take place at home.

Parents can give their children recourses that connect to what they are learning at school.

Parents can encourage their children to watch educational TV as well as make positive choices in what they watch.

Bilbliography

Media Literacy Awareness Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=7HXmawarM0w&feature=endscreen

Assignment: Media Literacy (elementary school intro) Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IysHjKE2D-Y

http://commercialfreechildhood.org//aboutus.htm http://www.commercialexploitation.org/events/consumingkids.html http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/index.cfm http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/lessons/elementary/violence/

ftv_media_violence.cfm http://www.cbc.ca/ageofpersuasion/ http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/blogsection/0/126/ http://openmedia.ca/ http://rabble.ca/books/reviews/2011/03/consuming-schools-commercialism-and-end-politics