media6-8

Teaching Media Literacy to Middle School Students
The chart below shows the student expectations from the media literacy portion of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) middle school reading strand. This vertical format makes it clearer how the student expectations change and increase in sophistication across grade levels. When studying these expectations, it is important to identify what students were taught previously, as well as the embedded skills within each expectation. Identifying these prerequisite skills will help teachers determine what scaffolds students will need to be successful. Beneath each expectation are questions for teachers to consider as they plan how to teach the expectation. Below the questions is a link to a page of resources that apply to the expectation.

Students use comprehension skills to analyze how words, images, graphics, and sounds work together in various forms to impact meaning. Students are expected to: Resources for teaching emotional appeals || Resources for teaching how media informs and influences audiences ||  Resources for teaching point of view in media ||
 * =  Grade 6 ||= Grade 7 ||= Grade 8 ||
 * 13(A) explain  messages conveyed in various forms of media; || 13(A)  interpret  both  explicit and implicit  messages in various forms of media; || <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">13 (A) <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">evaluate <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> the role of media in <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">focusing attention <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">on events and <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> informing opinion on issues <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">; ||
 * * What forms of media will be used?
 * How will we teach students be to identify and explain the message conveyed? || * What are implicit messages?
 * How do we recognize them?
 * How will we teach students to interpret these messages? || * How does media focus people's attention?
 * What skills will students need to evaluate media's role in focusing attention?
 * How does media inform people's opinion on issues? ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;">Resources for teaching students to identify and interpret media messages || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;">Resources for focusing attention and forming opinion ||
 * < <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">13(C) critique <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> persuasive techniques <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> (e.g., testimonials, bandwagon appeal) used in media messages; |||| <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">13(B) interpret <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">how visual and sound techniques <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> (e.g., special effects, camera angles, lighting, music) <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">influence the message <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">; ||
 * * How can people recognize these techniques?
 * How does the use of these appeals affect the author's credibility and the plausibility of the message? |||| * How do visual techniques influence a message?
 * How do sound techniques such as music influence a message?
 * How will we teach students to interpret the effects these techniques have? ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;">Resources for teaching persuasive techniques |||| <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;">Resources for teaching how visual and sound techniques influence messages ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">13(B) <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">recognize <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> how various techniques <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">influence viewers' emotions || <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">13(C) <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> evaluate <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">various ways media <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">influences and informs audiences <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">; || <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">13(C) evaluate various techniques used to <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">create a point of view <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> in media and the <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">impact on audience ||
 * * What techniques can be used to create emotional effects?
 * Why do people try to play on our emotions?
 * How does the use of emotional appeals affect the author's credibility and the plausibility of the message?
 * Is there ever a valid reason for appealing to an audience's emotions? || * What criteria can be used to evaluate how media is influencing its audience?
 * What criteria can be used to evaluate how media is informing its audience? || * How are techniques used to create a point of view in a media message?
 * How does one identify this point of view?
 * What effect does point of view have on the audience's understanding of the information presented in a message?
 * Why is it important to identify the point of view being created by media? ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">13(D) <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> analyze <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> various digital media venues for <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">levels of formality and informality <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">. |||| <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">13(D) <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">assess the correct level of formality and tone <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> for successful participation in various digital media. ||
 * * What are various media venues?
 * What is meant by levels of formality?
 * How do these levels affect the audience's perception and understanding of the message? |||| * How does the appropriate level of formality and tone differ across various media?
 * How is the audience affected when the correct level of formality and tone is not used?
 * What limitations, challenges do these levels of formality and tone place on those who are creating media messages? ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;">Resources for teaching students to identify and assess levels of formality in media ||
 * Chapter 110. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading ||