I will be Teaching “Media Language and Representations in print” to Year 10

students and this will involve helping them understand how visual elements
convey meaning, and how media texts shape perceptions.
In teaching, I would start with a relatable example, like a magazine cover.
To begin I would explain that media language refers to the visual and textual
techniques used to communicate messages to its audience. Such as:
Understanding visual elements, where I would discuss key visual elements in
print media, such as images. I would choose an image from a magazine or
newspaper and ask students to analyse the image's composition, angles,
framing, and focal points and discuss how these elements influence the
viewer's perception.
And typography, where I would introduce various fonts as a way to convey tone
and meaning; and show different font styles and sizes in various print media
and discuss how font choices affect the message and audience.
Layout and Design, I would highlight the importance of layout in guiding the
reader's attention, and analyse the arrangement of text, images, and white
space(which is important in how the design appears to the human eye) for
overall visual appeal and message hierarchy.
Unpacking Textual Language: i.e., headlines, captions, and body text within
print media and show examples of persuasive language, rhetorical devices, and
emotive words and explain how textual language influences readers' opinions
and emotions.
Analysing and defining representations as in the portrayal of people, places,
and events in media, and discuss how media texts shapes cultural perceptions
and reinforce stereotypes.
Compare media texts, by providing different print media and asking students to
compare and contrast the visual elements, language, and representations and
subsequently encouraging discussion on how different media sources portray
similar topics. I can also have students create their own magazine cover,
focusing on media language and diverse representations.
We can also incorporate a fact-checking exercise, where we would analyse
news articles for biases and representations as well a Real-World Application by
discussing the role of media literacy in critically analysing print media, Sharing
instances of media manipulation, and how understanding media language can
help identify such cases.
Lastly, engage in open discussions about the students' observations and
insights and encourage students to reflect on how media language and
representations impact their own perceptions.
Assessment and Homework, which could be in the form of a short essay or
presentation where students analyse a print media text for its language,
visuals, and representations.
Conclude by summarizing the main points covered in the lesson, emphasising
the importance of being critical and discerning consumers of print media.