Ontario Media Curriculum

The Ontario Language gr.1-8 Curriculum was revised in 2006 to include the new Media Strand - reflecting some of the important trends within our society.

"Media texts can be understood to include any work, object, or event that communicates
meaning to an audience." (pg.14, Language Curriculum)

"Media literacy explores the impact and influence of mass media and popular culture by examining texts such as films, songs, video games, action figures, advertisements, CD covers, clothing, billboards, television shows, magazines, newspapers, photographs, and websites.3 These texts abound in our electronic information age, and the messages they convey, both overt and implied, can have a significant influence on students’ lives." (pg.14, Language Curriculum)

The overall expectations for Media Literacy remain standard across all grades:

Media Literacy Strand...

It's important to look at the new strand in language as simply a new way to teach as opposed to a new strand to teach. We have always been including media literacy within our teaching practices, but it was never actually looked at as a separate subject. With the changing times, and new technologies, it is only natural that we begin to recognize the need to teach to the over stimulating environment our children are exposed to on a daily basis.

"At the heart of media literacy is the principle of inquiry."

Elizabeth Thoman, Center for Media Literacy

The Media Awareness Network provides a place for educators in Ontario to start their own knowledge base of issues surrounding Media Awareness. The lesson library for teachers provides plentiful lesson ideas for teachers. For elementary teachers click on the appropriate grade level on the right hand side of your screen from here.

CML 5 Key Questions

Center for Media Literacy (www.medialit.org) has some extremely valuable information and ideas surrounding the Professional Development of Media Literacy. The information used here is taken directly from their website.

"Using the 5 Key Questions in media literacy, stimulate open conversation about new TV series, popular movies, trends in advertising, whatever students are watching and talking about. Become familiar with youth culture and you'll find many points of connection to what you're already teaching."

There are 5 Key Questions to Guide young children:















When working with older students, here are the 5 Key Questions to ask:

Advertising Assignment (Art, Language & ICT)

Have your students create their own Spoof Ad! Here is an example from the Adbusters site. Instead of using the Volkswagen slogan 'Drivers Wanted', have students create a spoof like:

Adbusters

Have you ever visited the Adbusters website? (www.adbusters.org)

What a great site for senior students to visit. There are many ways to critically analyse the advertisements that we face on a daily basis here.

Are you an elementary teacher? Do you still want to cover advertisements in your curriculum? Simply use the 'Spoof Ads' section of their website. You can easily use some of these specific ads that they have created to start a healthy, critical discussion with your students.

For example:

What are these McDonalds spoof ads trying to tell us?