Starter: read this article. How might the issues it raises affect the way text producers communicate on the internet?this article Language and Technology Lesson 4: how language is used on web pages; how we refer to technology

What are the norms (features that web pages generally have in common) and variations in these features are there. Can you account for them?

How do online texts achieve this? For websites, the number of views, ‘hits’, or shares is the key way of identifying success. How do online texts achieve this? A framework for analysing webpages Graphology & design How does the layout/appearance of the home page appeal to its audience? (How much text? Font? Size? Colour? Images/Graphics? Tone/ Relationship to reader How is the reader addressed? How are they ‘welcomed’ to the site? How does the lexical choice of the page ‘match’ the assumed interests and personality of the target ‘visitor’? Identity of site How does the site claim for itself any authority or authenticity? How does the text producer (who may of course be more than one individual!) represent themselves? Navigation aids How does the home page direct the ‘visitor’ to the rest of the site? Style/ Register Focus on the level of formality and technicality, any references that assume shared knowledge, audience positioning, and any evidence of informalisation/colloquialisms

Find the website that you use the most – apply the framework and be ready to share with the class in 5 minutes.

Mini-investigation Read this article by Jakob Nielsen, who is a ‘web usability’ consultant – i.e. he investigates the way in which humans and computers interact.this article How do the following websites live up to Nielsen’s guidelines? (Are they scannable, concise, objective?) Don’t forget to use the language levels! Graphology Lexis Semantics Pragmatics Discourse structure Grammar

‘clickbait’ headlines What do you notice about the discourse structure of these headlines? How do they try to encourage people to click?these headlines Do they work?

Using metaphors in our interactions with technology Consider these lexical units: how do the metaphors employed help us understand how we conceptualise technology and computers? Surf the internet My computer crashed I’ve got three tabs open Find a search engine Virus protection Infected files Your computer is at risk I can’t access my s at the moment Enter the website Escape (Esc button on keyboard) Are you sure you want to exit the page? Visit our website Find out more on our website Launch your page Build a website Upload Download Follow the links Sign up Log in Register Forum Thread Update Shopping basket Quit Streaming Buffering Checkout Forward an Copying Pasting Burn Rip Mail Unlock Zip Scroll Browse Tablet Load a page Trash Recycle bin Drag and drop Open/Close tab It went viral Zoom Corrupted file Redirect Attach Spam Don’t forget the visual metaphors through symbolic signs – what is the referent of these signs?

Plenary Write down 5 things that you learnt today. Write down 3 things that will help you analyse your social media website.

Homework You have your social media websites to continue exploring for NEXT lesson. Please ALSO apply Nielsen’s criteria for websites to each others’ learning spaces. Please send an to the student you are peer-assessing, copying me in, with your feedback on how they can ensure their websites are scannable, concise, objective.