LANGUAGES IN MEDIA AND INFORMATION ORIENTATION

‘Language is the source of misunderstandings.’
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900 – 44)

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
‘The medium is the message’, now a famous quote, was written by Marshall McLuhan in 1964. While the medium may affect how messages are received, the users’/audiences’ own background/experience may also affect the interpretation of messages. An important first step in becoming media and information literate is to understand how information, ideas and meaning are communicated through and by various media and other information providers, such as libraries, archives, museums and the Internet.

Each medium has its own ‘language’ or ‘grammar’ that works to convey meaning in a unique way. ‘Language’ in this sense means the technical and symbolic ingredients or codes and conventions that media and information professionals may select and use in an effort to communicate ideas, information and knowledge. Technical codes include sound, camera angles, types of shots and lighting. They may include, for example, ominous music to communicate danger in a feature film, or high-angle camera shots to create a feeling of power in a photograph.

Symbolic codes include the language, dress or actions of characters, or iconic symbols that are easily understood. For example, a red rose may be used symbolically to convey romance, or a clenched fist may be used to communicate anger. Media languages can also include the repeated use of particular words, phrases and images, also known as verbal or visual language. When we study media languages, three main questions should be considered: How are media languages understood by media audiences? What are some of the major codes and conventions used by people working in media and information today?

Another important question is whether different persons can derive dissimilar meanings from the same text or piece of information.
This module aims at training teachers to acquire knowledge of a variety of media languages to enable them to understand the ways in which information and messages can be conveyed and how their interpretation of information or ideas from media and other information providers can be related to the type of languages used.
UNITS
1- Reading media and information texts
2- The medium and the message: print and broadcast news
3- Film genres and storytelling

RESOURCES for THIS MODULE
The sources quoted below are illustrative only and principally drawn from North America and the United Kingdom. They may not be appropriate outside of this region so trainers should develop or research their own resources based principally in their own region.

● Goodman, Steve. (2003). Teaching Youth Media: A Critical Guide to Literacy, Video Production, and Social Change. NY: Teacher’s College Press.
● Hitchcock, Peter. (1992). Videography: A Guide to Making Videos. Ontario, Canada: Peter Hitchcock Productions.
● Jenkins, Henry. (2006). Convergence Culture: Where Old Media and New Media Collide. US: New York University.
● McLuhan, Eric and Zingrone, Frank. (1995). Essential McLuhan. Canada: Anansi.
● Bone, Jan and Johnson, Ron. (2001). Understanding the Film: An Introduction to Film Appreciation. US: Glencoe McGraw Hill.
● Bordwell, David and Thompson, Kristin. (1998). Film Art: An introduction. 6th edition. US: McGraw Hill.
● Film Education, 91 Berwick Street, London UK W1F 0BP . This includes a variety of free teaching materials and outstanding study guides, many of which can be downloaded from the web site, www.filmeducation.org.
● Film Study Guides for High School. Written for Pacific Cinematheque and distributed by Open Learning Agency of BC, Canada, these include study guides for individual films www.cinematheque.bc.ca
● National Film Board of Canada. www.nfb.ca The NFB works with schools, public libraries and museums to unite documentary films and education.
● Howard, Sue ed. (1998). Wired-Up: Young People and the Electronic Media. UK: Routledge. This anthology is designed as an accessible