Chamisa Mesa High School
Media Literacy
TV Talk Isn"t It Time We Taught Children to "Read" TV
10 Media Literacy Strategies
by Kathleen Tyner
It's not enough, in this age of technology, to simply know how to read
books-we have to know how to read new forms of electronic media, too. Media
literacy is not so different from the traditional print literacy that
parents already value. The trick is to analyze the information, evaluate its
usefulness, and respond or reply to it. Kids especially need to learn these
skills at some point children must practice decision making about media for
the times that you aren't around to guide them. Here are 10 ideas that you
can use to build your children's media literacy skills. 1. Don't hesitate to
censor media that violates your family's values. Censorship is a loaded
word, but censoring is an appropriate act for parents and teachers of young
children. Reject media that violates your family's values and establish
guidelines your children can follow. And though you can't eliminate the
presence of all junk media, you can use it as a teaching opportunity to
explore and contrast you family's values against those messages conveyed
through media.
2. Emphasize the programming, not the medium. TV is a poor reward for good
behavior. By rewarding children with generic television watching, you risk
placing more importance on TV than it deserves. To combat generic television
watching, use a VCR to tape the quality programs you like. Also, develop a
media use plan with your family. By using colored markers to highlight
quality programs in the TV listings, you can provide your children with a
visual reference of programs that are acceptable to watch. Even if you don't
stick to the plan, your kids will get the message that it's important to
choose programs, not just watch television.
3. Respect your child's culture. Separate issues of taste from issues of
harmful media content. As parents of any teenager will attest, it is only
natural that children will love media that you hate. It is important for
children to explore their own tastes and learn to make decisions about that
they like and don't like. The purpose of media literacy is not to protect
children from the toxic waste of media, but to teach them to analyze and
evaluate the information provided by media.
4. Deconstruct media. Media are not windows on the world or mirrors of
society; they are carefully constructed products with economic, political,
social and cultural implications. Discuss how books, television, and
billboards are put together. Since children spend so much time with
television, they probably know quite a lot about its codes and conventions,
although they may not yet have the vocabulary to articulate their knowledge.
Together, parents and children can discuss why producers, writers, and
directors may have made certain decisions.
5. Question all media. By questioning the media, children learn to question
information every time it's presented to them, analyze and evaluate it for
themselves, and think independently. Ask children questions that, delve
deeper than the story's plot. Look at the way media are manufactured for
specific purposes. For example, watch the credits and ask who produced the
program, or how may people worked on a film. Why did the director use
certain production techniques? How are cartoons made? Who is the audience
for their favorite picture book?
6. Recognize media stereotypes. Even though stereotypes rule the media root,
experts caution against prematurely raising disturbing questions about
negative racial or gender stereotypes. Without context, bringing up societal
inequities could erode a young child's emerging self-esteem. Teaching about
stereotypes is similar to teaching about sex-there is no need to become
explicit before a child is ready. But when asked about media stereotypes,
you'll know it is time to have a serious talk.
7. Request media literacy programs in schools. Media literacy is mandated in
the school curriculum of most developed countries in the world-except in the
United States. If you child's school uses media during the day, you might
suggest ways that teachers can teach about media as they use it. Your local
public telvision station might offer courses in instructional television for
teachers, too.
8. Lights. Camera. Action! Take a creative, hands-on approach to media
literacy and encourage your children to create their own videos, books,
newspapers, magazines, comic books, or posters. If you own a video camera,
your children can write, direct, and act in their own "television" programs.
In developing their projects, you children will be exposed to the codes,
conventions, and languages of media, which will help them better analyze
mass media products.
9. Form a media literacy study group. Parents around the country are forming
study groups though their churches, community centers, and PTAs to learn
ways to approach media education.
10.Keep you patience. Though media education is more work for parents, this
slow process has its rewards. It teaches children to think critically about
all information-a skill that will enable a child to become a more
productive, fulfilled, and independent adult. This is something worth
remembering next time your child interrupts your favorite program with 15
questions about why or how something is being done.
Kathleen Tyner is founder of Strategies for Media Literacy and co-author of
Media & You: An Elementary Media Literacy Curriculum.
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