MeLiTa

This lesson focuses on how we consume media, no matter which media we consume. We look at different reading techniques and focus on critical reading skills. The lesson focuses on the use of language in media, and how that shapes our interpretations.

This interactive lesson has students learning to critically engage with media in different countries by exploring how they cover specific issues. They present, compare, and contrast their findings to gain a deeper understanding of the ways different perspectives can influence reporting.

Understanding the role of different stakeholders in a given news bite (or, indeed, a media environment) provides students with a deeper comprehension of the complex dynamics that influence media content, production, distribution, and reception.

Learning how to identify different stakeholders and their importance is a key step to becoming a more informed and critical media consumer.

Media messages are not created in a vacuum; they are shaped by various stakeholders (individuals, groups, or organizations) with specific interests and goals.

Moreover, the media we choose to consume, whether by choosing to watch one YouTube video on a certain topic over another or gravitating towards certain news outlets over others, often reveals our own biases.

In this lesson plan, students assume the roles of various stakeholders and provide input on contentious events or polarising news stories.

The exercise enables them to become more comfortable identifying the arguments underpinning specific stances towards contested social issues and public speaking without having to master the key elements of formal debating.