Media Literacy
link to recommended texts
see recommended videos below		 Background and articles for basic introduction and understanding
newly added links in red

KEY QUOTES  (more quotes in the listings below)
"We need a lot more critical thinking and media criticism taught in schools at a very early age."
John Stauber author of "The Best War Ever" (from Sept.2006 interview)

"The more I grasp the pervasive influence of media on our children, the more I worry
about the media literacy gap in our nation’s educational curriculum.  We need a sustained
K-12 media literacy program—something to teach kids not only how to use the media
but how the media uses them.  Kids need to know how particular messages get crafted
and why, what devices are used to hold their attention and what ideas are left out. 
In a culture where media is pervasive and invasive, kids need to think critically about
what they see, hear and read.  No child’s education can be complete without this."
FCC Commissioner Michael Copps (prepared remarks at June 2006 event)

 “the set of abilities and skills where aural, visual, and digital literacy overlap.
These include the ability to understand the power of images and sounds, to
recognize and use that power, to manipulate and transform digital media, to
distribute them pervasively, and to easily adapt them to new forms.”   
2005, New Media Consortium's definition of New Literacies

"Media literacy empowers people to be both critical thinkers and creative producers 
of an increasingly wide range of messages using image, language, and sound. It is 
the skillful application of literacy skills to media and technology messages. As 
communication technologies transform society, they impact our understanding 
of ourselves, our communities, and our diverse cultures, making media literacy 
an essential life skill for the 21st century."
(The Alliance for A Media Literate America, 2000) 


"Media literacy is concerned with helping students develop an informed and critical understanding of 
the nature of mass media, the techniques used by them, and the impact of these techniques. More 
specifically, it is education that aims to increase the students' understanding and enjoyment of how 
the-media work, how they produce meaning, how they are organized, and how they construct reality. 
Media literacy also aims to provide students with the ability to create media products. "
( Media Literacy Resource Guide, Ministry of Education Ontario, 1997)

 
“It would be a breach of our duties as teachers for us to ignore the rhetorical power of visual forms
of media in combination with text and sound…the critical media literacy we need to teach must
include evaluation of these media, lest our students fail to see, understand, and learn to harness
the persuasive power of visual media.”
(NCTE Resolution on Visual Literacy)

"Media literacy refers to composing, comprehending, interpreting, analyzing, and appreciating the language 
and texts of...both print and nonprint. The use of media presupposes an expanded definition of 'text'...print 
media texts include books, magazines, and newspapers. Nonprint media include photography, recordings, 
radio, film, television, videotape, video games, computers, the performing arts, and virtual reality...constantly 
interact...(and) all (are) to be experienced, appreciated, and analyzed and created by students."
 (SOURCE:  NCTE, Commission on Media, Carole Cox, 1994, p.13)


 

      Recommended DVD/videos:
    
     Media Literacy Toolbox (2008)
      provides a complete introduction to media literacy concepts, skills and applications.
     It’s an interactive DVD-ROM containing over 100 selected media examples - television commercials,
     magazine ads, excerpts from TV and radio shows, newspaper and magazine articles and other media messages.
     The disc also includes over 30 printable activity and discussion guides you can use to lead a conversation
     or teach a class using the media examples on the disc.

      Media Literacy For Teens (2007)
     This video features the core ideas of media literacy, as well as numerous examples from
     various types of  media. This is perfect for showing in the classroom and will help generate
     a lot of  discussion.
    
      Research Skills: Media Literacy
     (23 minutes) Grades 7-12
     Producer: Schlessinger Media  Distributor: LibraryVideo.com 

     Media Literacy: The Audience; Creating Media; Ethics
     Distributor: First Light Media Publishing

     Discovering Language Arts:    Beginning Media Literacy  ISBN: 1-59527-792-7
      Producer: Discovery Education   Intermediate Media Literacy ISBN: 1-59527-694-7

      Scanning Television 2     "I know of no other product as good as Scanning Television....
     Rich, relevant content, packaged in a way that makes it easy for classroom teachers
     to integrate into instruction. Two thumbs up...way up!"  (Frank Baker's original testimonial)

     Media Literacy: TV- What You Don't See (In The Mix series)

      The New Normal: Get the News? (In The Mix series)

      Tuning Into Media: Literacy For the Information Age


      Recommended texts
     
    

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