Freelance journalist and children’s literacy advocate Joyce Grant has always been a big believer that media literacy demands a skill set separate from the ability to read. On-line, where kids get most of their information, fact, fiction, opinion and advertising blur. Knowing how to recognize and decipher hidden agendas is crucial, says Grant, the force behind teachingkidsnews.com.
The genius of the site, which features current event articles written in a child-friendly way, is that each story is followed by a mini lesson plan (written by teacher and co-owner Jonathan Tilly) designed to spark lively discussion, debate - sometimes even skepticism - about the material. The result: a squeaky clean, age-appropriate news source that promotes media literacy. The first site of its kind, teachingkidsnews.com currently receives thousands of hits a day from kids and grown-ups around the world. Interested in raising a media savvy child?
Grant offers the following advice:
Let your kids see you reading the newspaper every day. They’ll be more likely to read the paper themselves if it’s a family habit.
Plunk the Sports (or Arts or Comics) section in front of your kid. Turn the page to a particularly interesting article. Even if they only read the headline, at least they’re getting used to picking up and accessing the news via a newspaper.
Explain how a newspaper (or magazine) is “read.” That you read the headlines to search for an interesting article. That you don’t have to read every article, or the ads. You can skip over articles and pages until you find something interesting.
Explain how the sections of a newspaper work. Explain the difference between an article and a column and a review.
Follow a breaking news story with your child. When you first start, you’ll find that there are a lot of things to put into context; you’ll have to explain the background to the story – which adults simply “know.” As you follow the breaking story, there will be less you have to explain, and the series of events will become more interesting. The child will start hearing about their story via other media: TV, Internet and radio. The child will then have an understanding of the basics about the event and they’ll become more interested in the news.
Read TKN every day. Make it a habit of reading the main story on the home page – kids will get a good understanding of some world events, so when they hear them in other contexts they’ll be able to sort the information out more easily. Grant also recommends talking about ads with your kids. Depending on their age, you can:
- Point out interesting or odd ads in your neighbourhood – billboards, bus ads, etc.
- Talk about the message of the ad. “What do you think that ad is for?”
- Talk about the target. “Who do you think that ad would appeal to? Do you think your father would understand it?”
- Talk about any hidden agendas in the ads – “Do you think that toy would be as good as the ad says?” “Do you think that’s a good value?” “Why do you think they made a series of toys that look so much alike?”
- Talk about logos and slogans and why and how they’re used.
- Talk about confusing ads. Why is this ad so confusing? Why is hard to understand what product it’s for?
Show your child ads in newspapers and magazines. Discuss why they’re there and how the newspaper makes money. Point out any ads that look like editorial—explain the difference.
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