Yr11 Skills Lesson. Understanding presentation and media devices.

As you are waiting for the lesson to begin … What are the differences in the front pages above? What effect do the front pages have on the reader?

Aims and objectives of the lesson … To become more critical readers To explore aspects of presentational devices in non-fiction texts To ascertain what examiners want when addressing this sort of question To become more familiar with the way in which presentational devices complement language in non-fiction texts.

The problem with examining presentational devices is that we are not ‘trained’ to analyse a media image. Too often, we absorb things without thinking about why they might have been used and what effect they create … … bear that in mind as you are watching this.

Do The Test Do The Test

To score highly in questions on presentational devices, we must be more aware of the little things that are so important, otherwise we miss the point of the question.

What elements do we need to consider when we are analysing media texts and presentational devices? Colour and the connotations of colour Use of font size and style and what this might suggest Positioning within the frame The use of images and the choices that authors have made The size of certain key objects and what this might suggest The way in which the images complement the language The connection to Audience and Purpose

What does the examiner say about the issue of presentation in GCSE English, Paper one? In June 2005, the examiner stated that … ‘Many candidates failed to use the guidance given to them and failed to deal with the issues of presentation. Many write long explanations of what presentational devices they could see but failed to explain their effect. In addition, candidates did not think about what creators were trying to achieve through their use of presentational devices. Answers contained a lot of description but not a lot of analysis. There were good ideas about the effectiveness of language, but this was not the case when it came to analysing media images.’

In many examination questions, examiners want you to think about how the presentational devices link to the language used and, most importantly, how they work together to create an effect. A typical examination question might be … Look at Item 2, the wrapper for a snack called Jaffa Cakes Mini Roll XL, made by McVitie’s. What methods do McVitie’s use on this wrapper to sell Jaffa Mini Cake Rolls? In your answer, you might like to consider … The way the words are used The presentational devices The use of fact and opinion.

How would you answer this question? In pairs, discuss how you would answer this question and what points you would include in your examination answer. Once you have done this, begin to write your response, using the bullet points guidance to analyse the media text, taking into account how the language and presentational devices work together to create an effect.

In many examination questions, examiners want you to think about how the presentational devices link to the language used and, most importantly, how they work together to create an effect. A typical examination question might be … Look at Item 2, the wrapper for a snack called Jaffa Cakes Mini Roll XL, made by McVitie’s. What methods do McVitie’s use on this wrapper to sell Jaffa Mini Cake Rolls? In your answer, you might like to consider … The way the words are used The presentational devices The use of fact and opinion.

Homework – Exam question How effective is this advertisement in making the car seem attractive? Write about the effectiveness of: The layout of the page The pictures The uses of language. Top Tip: Although you may have looked at this text before, remember that you are analysing it in a different way in this question. Look for things that you might otherwise not have noticed.

And to end the lesson … Based on what you have learned this lesson, which of these front cover do you think is most suitable for a teenage audience? What reasons do you have for your answer?

Aims and objectives of the lesson … To become more critical readers To explore aspects of presentational devices in non-fiction texts To ascertain what examiners want when addressing this sort of question To become more familiar with the way in which presentational devices complement language in non-fiction texts.