Critical Media Literacy for Middle Grade Students Roberta Linder. Ed.D. Presented May 13, 2007 Middle Matters Institute 52 nd IRA Conference Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Definitions Critical media literacypractice of engaging students in the analysis of textual images (both print and nonprint), the study of audiences, and the mapping of subject positions such that differences become cause for celebration rather than distrust. Critical media literacypractice of engaging students in the analysis of textual images (both print and nonprint), the study of audiences, and the mapping of subject positions such that differences become cause for celebration rather than distrust. Help students experience the pleasures of popular culture while simultaneously uncovering the codes and practices that work to silence or disempower them as readers, viewers, and learners in general. Help students experience the pleasures of popular culture while simultaneously uncovering the codes and practices that work to silence or disempower them as readers, viewers, and learners in general. Alvermann & Hagood (2000) Alvermann & Hagood (2000)

Definitions (2)

Why include CML in reading? Enables teachers to include texts of popular cultureacknowledge their value & pleasure to the students but also encourage a more critical reading of the texts Enables teachers to include texts of popular cultureacknowledge their value & pleasure to the students but also encourage a more critical reading of the texts Promotes beneficial connections to students & the texts of their culturedevelop personal connections & remain current regarding the literacies in teens lives Promotes beneficial connections to students & the texts of their culturedevelop personal connections & remain current regarding the literacies in teens lives Assists readers in developing skills to comprehend multimodal texts Assists readers in developing skills to comprehend multimodal texts Promotes the use of key comprehension strategies used by strategic readers Promotes the use of key comprehension strategies used by strategic readers

Deep Viewing Media Analysis (Pailliotet, 1999) Level One: observe, identify, and describe elements in the medium being analyzed Level One: observe, identify, and describe elements in the medium being analyzed Action/ sequence Action/ sequence Semes / forms Semes / forms Actors / words Actors / words Proximity / movement Proximity / movement Culture / context Culture / context Effects / processes Effects / processes

Level Two: respond, explore, and construct meaning using data gathered from level one observations to support their explanations Level Two: respond, explore, and construct meaning using data gathered from level one observations to support their explanations Summarize, question, compare, contrast Summarize, question, compare, contrast Explore meanings of key words, images, ideas Explore meanings of key words, images, ideas Form hypotheses, identify purposes & audiences Form hypotheses, identify purposes & audiences Make connections to other texts or experiences Make connections to other texts or experiences Note what is missing Note what is missing Identify contexts (social, cultural, historical) Identify contexts (social, cultural, historical) Note authors strategies & possible motivations Note authors strategies & possible motivations Describe thoughts & feelings Describe thoughts & feelings

Level Three: synthesize, extend, evaluate, and apply their knowledge Level Three: synthesize, extend, evaluate, and apply their knowledge Make connections among own personal observations & those of others Make connections among own personal observations & those of others Indicate personal likes & dislikes, supporting responses with recorded date Indicate personal likes & dislikes, supporting responses with recorded date Identify ways group members agreed or disagreed Identify ways group members agreed or disagreed Pose questions & develop ways to change the text and/or actions and responses Pose questions & develop ways to change the text and/or actions and responses Describe findings, themes, questions, or issues that seem important or interesting Describe findings, themes, questions, or issues that seem important or interesting

Strategies for students Message of the text Message of the text The makers of ______ (product) want ______ (audience) to think/feel __________________ so they will buy the product. The makers of ______ (product) want ______ (audience) to think/feel __________________ so they will buy the product. Target audience-- GRAM Target audience-- GRAM Gender Race Age Money

Response to the plugg advertisement What do you think is the setting for the ad? What do you think is the setting for the ad? Why do you think this setting was chosen? Why do you think this setting was chosen? Why do you think the male is closer and larger? Why do you think the male is closer and larger? What does the bone tell us about the male? What does the bone tell us about the male? What is the message of the ad? What is the message of the ad? Does the female look friendly or sexual? What things in the ad helped you reach this conclusion? Does the female look friendly or sexual? What things in the ad helped you reach this conclusion? Why do you think the advertiser chose not to use any words with this ad? Why do you think the advertiser chose not to use any words with this ad? What do you think about the way the advertisers pictured the female? Explain. What do you think about the way the advertisers pictured the female? Explain. What do you think about the way the advertisers pictured the male? Explain. What do you think about the way the advertisers pictured the male? Explain.

Questions for Critically Reading Media Who is in the text / picture / situation? Who is missing? Who is in the text / picture / situation? Who is missing? Whose voices are represented? Whose voices are marginalized or discounted? Whose voices are represented? Whose voices are marginalized or discounted? What are the intentions of the author? What does the author want the reader to think? What are the intentions of the author? What does the author want the reader to think? What would an alternative text / picture / situation say? What would an alternative text / picture / situation say? How can the reader use this information to promote equity? How can the reader use this information to promote equity? McLaughlin & DeVoogd, 2004 McLaughlin & DeVoogd, 2004

Questions for Critically Reading Media What are you thinking about or feeling while you are reading? How are these thoughts and feelings influenced by your background, your experiences, and other texts you have read? What are you thinking about or feeling while you are reading? How are these thoughts and feelings influenced by your background, your experiences, and other texts you have read? What is the text asking you to think or feel? Do you agree with the point of view offered by the text? Why or why not? What is the text asking you to think or feel? Do you agree with the point of view offered by the text? Why or why not? What events or points of view might have been left out of the text? What events or points of view might have been left out of the text? What view of men / women does this particular text promote? How is this different from the views constructed in other texts? Why? What view of men / women does this particular text promote? How is this different from the views constructed in other texts? Why? Do you agree / disagree with the images presented? Why or why not? Do you agree / disagree with the images presented? Why or why not? Kempe (2001) Kempe (2001)

Activities Exploration of magazines and their advertisements Exploration of magazines and their advertisements Advertisement scrapbook Advertisement scrapbook Videos Videos Why We Buy What We Buy Why We Buy What We Buy Sexual Stereotypes in the Media Sexual Stereotypes in the Media Merchants of Cool Merchants of Cool Plan & construct advertisements (target audience, advertising technique, visual images & text for the ad) Plan & construct advertisements (target audience, advertising technique, visual images & text for the ad) Advertisement web Advertisement web Create a poster of male or female stereotypes found in magazines OR examples in which the males or females go against stereotype Create a poster of male or female stereotypes found in magazines OR examples in which the males or females go against stereotype Create a poster of advertisements containing people who are not often featured in ads Create a poster of advertisements containing people who are not often featured in ads

Create a display or bulletin board about advertising

Create a truthful advertisement

World War II Posters