GCSE Media Key Concepts Lesson 1

8/8/2019 GCSE Media Key Concepts Lesson 1

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What do you see?

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Lo: To understand the importance of key concepts in relation to Media

Studies

Key words: Language, Denotation, Connotation, Sign, Code

PLTS Objective: Independent enquirer.

To analyse and evaluate information, judging itsrelevance and value


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Key Concepts

There are four main concepts (ideas) that wewill be studying in Media Studies. These are:1

Language1 Representation1 Institutions

1 Audience

Useful acronym:

L - languageI - InstitutionsA - AudienceR - Representation

Or Useful mnemonic (special phrases)

Little Idiots Are Repulsive


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Language

When you hear the word language what do youthink of?

You will probably think of words, either spoken orwritten. Words are an important means of communication between human beings. But themedia does not communicate with words alone.It can use words or sounds to convey meaning.


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H ow do these forms of mediacommunicate to their audience?

Photograph Photographs is a visual medium, uses images to

communicate

Film and television Film and television are visual media, both use words and

sound as well to communicate.

Newspaper, magazine and comic Magazine communicates using printed words and pictures.

Radio Radio uses spoken word, sound and music to communicate

it is an aural medium.


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Connotation and DenotationBoth words and images, it is argued, work on at least two levels:

Denotation

The common-sense or everyday

meaning of a sign. A red-rose, for example is a

flower or garden plant

This is its denotational meaning

Connotation

The additional or associated

meaning that an image or wordcarries with it, over and above itsordinary everyday meaning.

A rose is a symbol of love. For someone who lives in Lancashireit is also the symbol that represents their county.

This is its connotational meaning


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Individual taskLook carefully at the following images. What is its:

Denotational meaning? (What you see)Connotational meaning? (Additional meaning)


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Pair taskWorking in pairs, look carefully at the following images. What is its:

Denotational meaning? (What you see)Connotational meaning? (Additional meaning)


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A media text is any form of media: television programmes,photographs, films, newspaper articles, radio programmes,advertisements and video games.The term text is usually associated with literary text such asRomeo and Juliet and Great Expectation as part of your English

lessons; because of this connotation it might seem strangecalling an advertisement a text but just as you study literary textyou will be studying media texts such as advertisements.

What is a media text?


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Individual task

Imagine you are in a MediaStudies class at your schoolor college in the year 2500.Your teacher brings in anepisode of Eastenders andthe front page of the Sunfrom this year.

What do you think theclass will make of it?What impression wouldthe class get of life at thebeginning of 2010?Do you think it would be

an accurate impression?


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Codes

What is a code?In your exercise book write your own defintion

for code.

To most peopkle the world code stands for a

secret method of communicating, ehich mustbe cracked or decoded, so that the hiddenmessage is understood.


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Codes

Each media platform has its own code.

For examples take a look at a news bulletin:

Music played at the beginning is seriousWell-spoken and well dressed people sat behind a deskIntroduce the show, tell the viewers what is happeningwith images

All these codes communicate with the viewers. Thesecodes form conventions. Once you have learnt the codesyou can decode any media text.


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Can you decode this image

If you do not understand how to readthese symbols it makes no sense


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Task

What codes are used in radio?When you aswitch on your radio, can you tell

what sort of programme youa re lstemning to?Is it easy to trell by listening what sort of station

you have listened to?

If so, what is it that gives you this information?


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Plenary

Decoding involves working out the signs and [1 ]in a text mean.Simple signs have direct meaning: road signs showing an imageof two school children crossing the road mean that childrenwill be crossing ahead. This is [2].Some symbols used in a text have a range of possiblemeanings. The colour red in an advent can suggest heat [ 3] orpassion. This is [ 4.]

1. writer/producers/symbols2. connotation/annotation/denotation3. childhood/peace danger4. denotation/annotation/connotation


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P lenary: Which PLTS have you achieved today?

Have you been a

a TEAM WORKER in today slesson?

Have you been aSELF-MANAGE R

in today s lesson?

Have you been aREFLECTIVE LEARNE Rin today s lesson?

Have you been anINDEPENDENT ENQUI RERin today s lesson?

Have you been anEFFECTIVE PA RTICIPAT ORin today s lesson?

Have you been aCREATIVE

THIN KER in today slesson?

Documents

GCSE Media Key Concepts Lesson 1