News literacy

News literacy

Let's talk about it !

How do you inform yourself ?

Some vocabulary :

Watch the video and write a text on critical thinking skills to judge news report : - First group works on the first part of the video (0:00 => 2:18) - Second group works on the second part of the video (2:18 => 4:00)

Work in 6 groups. Each group will explain to others one of the six principles of news Literacytoires géniales.

From the Radio Television Digital News Association Foundation through a grant from Robert R. McCormick Foundation. Special thanks to Carol Knopes, Developed by Candace Perkins Bowen, John Bowen, Wally Dean and Carol Lange.

“News literacy is the acquisition of 21st-century, critical-thinking skills for analyzing and judging the reliability of news and information, differentiating among facts, opinions and assertions in the media we consume, create and distribute. It can be taught most effectively in cross-curricular, inquiry-based formats at all grade levels. It is a necessary component for literacy in contemporary society.”

Six Principles of News Literacy

• The First Amendment is based upon the conviction that all human beings have inalienable rights. The foundation of journalism is the professionals’ understanding of their obligation to accurately and completely inform their communities, so people may become more effective and active citizens.

• The First Amendment is based on the premise that people who can freely share information (especially about their government) will be informed and able to make choices about what leaders to elect, to take responsibility for the welfare of their communities and to respect the rights of people with different viewpoints and beliefs.

1. Free expression is the foundation — the cornerstone — of democracy

• Journalists must clearly separate and label fact from opinion in their reporting of information to communities and they should make concerted efforts to ensure that citizens know how to tell the difference.

• The public must make it a priority to learn the difference between fact and opinion and make it a skill to help others in their communities know the difference. People must demand transparency and credibility of information. Readers and viewers must look at information beyond their circle of comfort so they obtain complete and thorough data before acting. These obligations include evaluating what they receive and verifying what they develop on their own.

2. Discerning fact from opinion is a basic skill – and obligation

• Journalists must present information free of bias and agendas. They should clearly identify issues or limitations on that information, including reporting that the information might be incomplete or from questionable sources. Journalistic independence is essential to this process.

• Readers and viewers must understand a source’s agendas, motivations and backgrounds so they can make full use of that information, assessing what is true. They need to insist on independent journalists, professionals free of outside obligation and limitation, so they can trust the information they receive.

3. When the process of gathering and reporting is transparent, news and information are more meaningful, trusted and credible.

• Journalists must make sense of information, using the most credible and reliable resources, so audiences can make meaningful use of it, in context, with a minimum need for clarification. In short, journalists must get it right. And it must be presented in a relevant, engaging manner without sensationalism, speculation and bias.

• Citizens must take responsibility to make every effort to understand information received, including asking questions and pursuing their own versions of it. They must demand credible and reliable information sources, not infotainment based on information that is not right. And they must be taught the importance of seeking information of consequence.

4. Effective communication of news and information requires synthesis of multiple sources into meaningful context and comprehension of its impact

• Journalists must find the best resources. They should present information in coherent ways as well as keep it clear, meaningful and relevant. The purpose of news is not diversion but the sharing of usable and reliable information in an engaging and relevant way. Journalists’ roles can be called “engaged independence.”

• Individuals must expect that the information they receive is accurate, thorough and reliably sourced and that the media delivering this information is responsible and credible. Communities must not accept information without critical thought and analysis, including comparison and evaluation. In evaluating such information, they should be involved, skeptical and challenging, in what they act on.

5. Information requires verification to be effective

• Journalists must reflect their communities, but, when the need arises, they must first be able to challenge a community’s values and preconceptions to maintain the free and accurate flow of information. Journalists are the “watchdog” for society. They can bring about change by being journalistically responsible as well as by offering voice to those traditionally unheard.

• Individuals can join journalists in the “watchdog” function not only of society but also of the media, and can also provide the important function of giving voice to those traditionally underserved.

6. Information in today’s society must empower forums to give voice to citizens and to monitor the free flow of information

TRY IT ! Click on one of these website

Nothing is easier than creating fake news !

• Read comments
• Check the news by searching multiple sources
• Use fact checking sites like below

Even certified account can be faked !

8 questions you MUST ask yourself before trusting any information ! Let's talk about it !

How to make a difference between a false and a real information ?

A fact is a statement that can be verified. It can be proven to be true or false through objective evidence. An opinion is a statement that expresses a feeling, an attitude, a value judgment, or a belief. It is a statement that is neither true nor false. Or it may feel true for some, but false for others. A FACT: - can be proven true or false through objective evidence. - relies on denotative language. - frequently uses measurable or verifiable numbers, statistics, dates and measurements. AN OPINION: - cannot be presently verified. - relies on connotative language. - can mean different things to different people. - uses value judgment words and comparisons such as “best,” “most,”

What is the difference between a fact and an opinion ?

1. I have a husband and two children. 2. Pit bulls are the most dangerous dogs alive. 3. Ostriches do not hide their head in the sand. 4. There is nothing like an ice-cold bottle of Coke to satisfy a thirst! 5. It is time for educators to assume more responsibility for schools’ unhealthy lunch menus. 6. The government should increase spending for preventing unwanted pregnancy; more than one million teenagers become pregnant every year. 7. Rob said that the book Angels and Demons is better than The Da Vinci Code. 8. New York City is not the capital of New York State.

Practice: Fact or Opinion or Both?

Opinions in red

Facts in green

Read this article from DOGO news and underline :

Practice: Fact or Opinion or Both?

Write the ultimate fake news story to fool the world. Be sure to include the following… • Make sure your story has a sniff of reality to it. People won’t believe your article at all if it is complete science fiction. • Create some bogus research and data you could include to make your opinions and ideas sound like facts. • Use a mixture of fake and real people to provide important quotes and insights. • Make sure your story leaves readers wanting more crucial information. We want them to come back for more… • Use dramatic and expressive language and don’t forget to exaggerate.

Try to fool the world !!!