Lies and damned lies Bias and objectivity in the news

Aims: To show how the news can be used to inform and develop literacy skills. To share good practice. To gain resources and strategies.

Discuss: Why is the news important for literacy?

The school and family share the responsibility of preparing the young person living in a world of powerful images, words and sounds. Children and adults need to be literate in all three symbolic systems, and this will require […] an integrated approach to the teaching of language and communication. (UNESCO 1982)

“Popular media can be seen as part of a broader ‘oral culture.’ The meanings which circulate within everyday discussion are ‘read back’ into individual responses, thereby generating a dynamic interplay between ‘social’ and ‘individual’ readings.” (David Buckingham & Julian Sefton-Green)

Widespread media literacy is essential if all citizens are to wield power, make rational decisions, become effective change agents and have active involvement with the media. It is in this much wider sense of ‘education for democracy’ that media education can play the most significant role of all. (Masterman, 1985)

Skills from the News Skills Bias Facts / Opinions Large volume of text Visual Literacy Inference and deduction Writer’s purposes Writer’s use of language

The "7 Violations of Media Objectivity" Misleading definitions and terminology Imbalanced reporting Opinions disguised as news Lack of context Selective omission Using true facts to draw false conclusions Distortion of facts (Source: )

Facts and opinions How would you differentiate between facts and opinions? With what do your students struggle and how can we help them?

Comparing bias in two news stories TabloidBroadsheet Facts Opinions Quotations Emotive Language Which of these newspapers is more biased against the government? Give evidence to support your answer.

Hierarchy of Words to show bias We agreed that the tabloid was more biased against the government.  Copy down words and phrases into the pyramid putting the ones showing the most bias at the top and the ones showing least bias at the bottom.

Writing Biased Accounts  Choose either a game of sport or a report about this school.  Plan a biased report either supporting a team or against the team, or being positive about this school or negative. Facts Opinions Quotations Words and phrases to show bias

Exemplar 1 King Ecgbert School Ofsted Report King Ecgbert School is school with good facilities, pupil behaviour, and teaching methods. The school has a promising sixth form with many intelligent pupils. The other school pupils have excellent behaviour and the school successfully integrates amazing teaching methods. A quote by one pupil in year 10 – “The teachers are extremely good at explaining things and helping us to excel at subjects.” King Ecgbert School has achieved well kept-clean toilets that a school would be proud of. The pupils show great respect towards their school building. As well as the amazing sixth form, the school successfully teaches years 7 to 11. The school building has just been built, and pupils moved from their old site approximately one year ago. This new building has had an amazing effect on the pupils. Behaviour, punctuality and attendance have greatly improved in the new building. A quote from Mr Evans, “I want to create a college atmosphere in this school.” Pupils believe this has been successfully achieved. The school canteen serves great, healthy, tasty food. The canteen staff are respected greatly by pupils and teachers. The school has also managed to integrate thriving ICT facilities. There are many ICT rooms located around the school and computers in most rooms. This system is treated with great respect and helped to run smoothly by network administrators. Overall King Ecbgert School is an excellent school with outstanding teaching methods, amazing pupil behaviour, great facilities, clean toilets and great food.

Evaluating Pupils’ work What skills are these students exhibiting and what is your evidence? What skills need further development? What advice would you give these students to help them develop these skills?

Review How could you use these worksheets? What changes would you make to adapt these sheets to your schemes of work?

Ways forward… Adapting the work for TV news –Comparing the language used on BBC / ITV /Channel 5 –News footage –Difference between spoken and written language in reporting the same story. –How video footage is linked to the report. –Interaction of the public through mobile phones / internet in the making of news. BBC News Day Project

Get in Touch… Sarah Salter King Ecgbert School Sheffield S17 3QU