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Media Literacy Facts & Worksheets

Media Literacy is the ability to consume and create media responsibly

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Media literacy is the ability to decode and assess the influence of media messages. It is also the ability to create media thoughtfully and conscientiously.

See the fact file below for more information on Media Literacy or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Media Literacy worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

DEFINITION

  • Media literacy is a broader definition of literacy which includes the ability of an individual to comprehend how the media works and to even access and analyze media messages, as well as create, reflect, and act to make a difference in the world by utilizing the wide range of information and communications. 
  • This includes how they are organized, how they generate meaning, and how they should be used.
  • It is also defined as a set of competencies necessary for work, life, and citizenship, rather than as a single medium.
  • Media literacy is a 21st-century educational approach. It provides a framework for accessing, analyzing, evaluating, creating, and participating in messages in various formats ranging from print to video to the internet.
  • It fosters insight into the role of media in society as well as the critical inquiry and self-expression skills required of democratic citizens.

COMPONENTS OF MEDIA LITERACY

  • Media literacy is divided into five distinct components: identify, find, evaluate, apply, and acknowledge.
  • Identify refers to the identification of the nature and extent of the information needed. In addition, it also looks for the sources as well as the differences between them.
  • Find refers to an individual’s ability to effectively find the needed information among the various existing sources discovered.
  • Evaluate describes an individual’s ability to critically evaluate the information found as well as its sources.
  • Apply refers to the effective application of information in order for an individual to achieve a specific goal.
  • Acknowledge means understanding the ethical, legal, and socioeconomic issues surrounding specific information. 
  • Furthermore, this component is also related to free speech and media freedom for the reason that it could possibly deal with recognizing the limits of and protecting free speech as well as censorship. 

IMPORTANCE OF MEDIA LITERACY

  • Media literacy is important in enabling people to fully comprehend or gain knowledge about the messages conveyed to them through the media. 
  • With so many sources of information available today, it can assist people in identifying trustworthy sources and filtering through the noise to find what is right and wrong. 
  • Literacy in media is about assisting students in becoming competent and critical users of various media forms so that they can optimize their perception of what they see and hear rather than allowing the interpretation to control them.
  • Being media literate does not require memorization or collection of statistics about the media; rather, the ability to learn to ask appropriate questions about what is seen, heard, or read, or to think for oneself.
  • Being media literate also helps people develop critical thinking and good decision-making skills. 
  • It makes it easier to determine what is relevant information and what is not, as well as what is authentic and what is not. 
  • Furthermore, it aids in recognizing media biases and how they may influence our perspective of an event or issue.

MEDIA LITERACY FOR CHILDREN

  • On a daily basis, children consume everything they see on the internet, from text messages, memes, and viral videos to social media posts, video games, and even advertisements.
  • Part of this literacy is to assist children in identifying various types of media and recognizing that the media messages were created for a reason. Learning to identify the reasons and motives of the writer is a strong foundation for media literacy.
  • Media literacy education teaches children to distinguish between fact and fiction and to recognize credible sources of information. 
  • The goal is education for children is to help them become wise media consumers, develop critical thinking skills, find reliable sources of information, and express themselves respectfully.
  • When children become more media-literate, they will eventually learn to be critical media consumers, as well as how to research a specific subject and form their own opinions about it. 
  • They then apply that knowledge to make decisions, solve problems, or form their own opinions. They are also more likely to understand why they believe what they believe.

MEDIA LITERACY FOR ADULTS

  • Media literacy education is essential not only for children but also for adults. It’s not something you learn once and then forget about. It is about practical skills as well as awareness and knowledge of the digital environment and how it works.
  • On average, adults spend nearly 8 hours per day on the internet, while adolescents aged 13 to 18 spend nearly 9 hours per day on it.
  • Trying to be media-literate is critical for people to consume media responsibly rather than spend too much time on social media.
  • In 2020, one in five adults said they got their political news online, particularly on social media. This shows that social media now plays a significant role in how people obtain information. 
  • In this environment, completely bogus conspiracy theories, outright false news, trolls, or even shaky third-hand accounts can spread as quickly as a legitimately reported story.
  • That being said, the overall conclusion is that educating ourselves to become media-literate should be empowering. It should not only concentrate on the current struggles in the digital world. 
  • On the contrary, it should empower individuals in terms of how citizens should become more aware of the content we encounter and how we can navigate social media safely.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE INTERNET

  • Media literacy education in relation to social media and the internet is important because technology is changing our relationship with media and how we consume it. 
  • When using social media networks or news apps, for example, feeds are tailored based on a person’s pauses or clicks, resulting in content being singularized to a person’s pre-held perspective.
  • Without a doubt, having a sufficient understanding of media literacy education is a critical tool in the fight against disinformation that people encounter on social media or the internet. 
  • A critical and digitally literate public is far more likely to successfully assess online information, identify credible sources, and make well-informed decisions as citizens, consumers, and others. 
  • Being media literate allows you to engage more fully and creatively with the online (and offline) media world.
  • Furthermore, this education is an important partner to regulation in terms of improving the public’s ability to navigate the online environment (social media). 
  • A lot of regulations will be ineffective unless supported by a level of education and awareness.

Media Literacy Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Media Literacy across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about Media Literacy which is the ability to consume and create media responsibly.

  • Media Literacy Worksheets
  • Media Literacy Worksheets
  • Media Literacy Worksheets

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  • Media Literacy Facts
  • Literacy Acrostics
  • Getting the News
  • Latest News!
  • World News
  • News Writing
  • News Flash!
  • Ads Analysis
  • Digital Ad Design
  • My Digital Footprint
  • Say No to Fake News

Frequently Asked Questions

What is media literacy?

Media literacy is a broader use of the term literacy, it not only includes reading comprehension but also the ability to sift through various forms of media and grasp their purpose. This also includes being able to create thoughtful media content for others to consume.

Why is media literacy important?

It enables people to fully comprehend messages that are conveyed through modern media. With the wealth of information found online, being able to discern trustworthy sources and finding ways to verify what we see and hear is vital to the prevention of furthering misinformation.

What are the 5 components of media literacy?

It is divided into five distinct components: identify, find, evaluate, apply, and acknowledge. This pertains to the typical way a media-literate person would consume and process information from any form of media.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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