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Critical Media Literacy

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Introduction

CRITICAL MEDIA LITERACY

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There are a number of concepts and aspects that are involved when it comes to the
issue of sociology. One such aspect is education. Education is an important factor in society
as it provides crucial knowledge needed to navigate the challenges of life and contribute to
the development of society. In the same context, there are different cultures in the society,
which in turn translates to different languages spoken. The different languages may prove to
be a barrier when it comes to the process of education as all may not understand some of the
languages used. Social media literacy also comes into play as a critical aspect in the
education sector. Media literacy provides frameworks upon which students can be able to
critically understand some of the issues taught and thus assist in dealing with the challenges
of culture and language barrier (Baker-Bell, Stanbrough, & Everett, 2017). The film
immersion will be very critical in understanding immigrants’ issues and their problems in
pursuit of education.

Critical Medial Literacy

Critical media literacy is a form of practice that seeks to allow learners to have access
to, evaluate and manipulate information found in the media or text. It is a concept that seeks
to analyze or interpret the structures of power that form the media representation and
elaborate on some of the ways that people conduct themselves in order to make meaning of
certain media readings (Kellner, & Share, 2019). This is done through oppositional,
negotiated, or dominant forms. Critical media literacy is important because it allows one to
have a deeper understanding while reading certain texts through the use of different ways
other than the normally accustomed traditions.

This is critical in helping one become more engaged with the text and utilize the
power they may have to make sense out of the reading or text. There are several different
media types, including newspapers, books, magazines, brochures, and print media. All these


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types of medial literacy are used in different ways depending on the intention of the user to
pass critical information and help the audience understand the intended message. It is an
important concept that needs to be embraced in our learning institutions in order to empower
students to interpret texts and thus have a better understanding of issues.

How Education Inequality looks like in a Real-Life Classroom

Education inequality can be described as the uneven distribution of all factors relevant
to the undertaking of education in a proper manner. Several aspects are involved in the issue
of education, and it is important to have equality on all fronts. Education inequality can arise
due to variances in school funding, qualified teachers, distribution of books and technological
equipment, and language (Kellner, & Share, 2019). All these factors contribute in one way or
another to the disadvantage of an individual in the classroom, thus making the individual
quest for education rather difficult.

The issue of education inequality can be further examined through the use of film
immersion. The film is a small documentary that analyzes the life of ten-year-old Moises. He
is a migrant from Mexico and has just recently been admitted to a class in California.
According to the film, Moises does not speak English which is the language used to teach in
the classroom (Immersion). However, he is good at math. From the onset of the film, Moises
looks confused as he does not seem to get what the teacher is talking about. He does not
understand the instructions given and therefore seeks clarification from the next student. He
has to undertake a practice test which is basically a math problem but written in English. This
presents a challenge to him due to the fact that he does not understand the language.

The film, therefore, depicts a real-life situation of education inequality that can be
found in the classroom. Through the concept of language barrier, Moises is unable to
understand what the text entails, unlike other students who speak English. There is inequality


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in the sense that he doesn’t have a fair platform as other students in handling the test, which
is likely to lead to him failing.

Response to the Film

The film brings into sharp focus the issue of language barrier in education and the
problems that some of the immigrants have to face when starting life in their new countries.
From the situation analyzed in the film, it is clear that immigrants face many challenges in
terms of education because they do not speak the language used in the country. This situation
disadvantages them in their quest for the pursuit of education (Harshman, 2017). There is a
need to look into this matter to provide a good platform for the immigrants to have a chance
of education and thus become useful people in society.

In view of this, the concept of media literacy comes into play. This is because media
literacy provides a critical framework upon which one can analyze the experiences of the
immigrants in the education sector and thus offer them a solution. Through the use of media
literacy, they will be able to critically analyze and understand some of the texts that they are
given and thus be able to participate fully in the education sector. The process of learning a
new language is not easy, and it requires effort and time. The teachers need to understand this
and provide ample time for the migrant children to adapt and learn the new system (Kellner,
& Share, 2007). As with the case of Moises, he is seen struggling to answer a test in which he
does not know what it says, which can be attributed to him trying to work hard so as not to go
back to Mexico.

The presence of media literacy tools would have been very helpful to him as he would
be able to interpret the readings on the test better. The test in question would have been
analyzed using media literacy, from which he would be able to make sense of the
requirements (Harshman, 2017). It would also have been important for the student to be


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given ample time to utilize media literacy tools in understanding the test and, after that,
submit it. It is important to note that as much as putting them in class with the natives is an
effective way of migrants learning, it is critical to acknowledge the fact that they are not well
conversant with the language and thus should be handled more cautiously. This will make
them feel comfortable and thus strive to ensure that they learn the language used faster.

Media literacy helps students question numbers and figures and develop the media
skills necessary to interpret texts. This is a framework that would have been of great use to
Moises in the undertaking of his studies. Through media literacy, he would have been able to
have a deeper sense of understanding of the numbers or figures provided in the text, and this
would have gone a long way in helping him tackle the tests. The development of media skills
is also critical in helping him research various sources for a better understanding (Kellner, &
Share, 2007). Therefore, it can be noted that media literacy is an important aspect that
contains a wide range of frameworks or concepts necessary for dealing with challenges such
as the one experienced in the film. The teacher in the film should therefore strive to
implement the use of critical media literacy in the school.

Conclusion

Critical media literacy is an important concept in education that is growing
significantly in most schools. The benefits that the concept has to students and especially the
migrants are enormous and have resulted in the popularity gained. Media literacy contains a
proper framework that is critical in imparting knowledge to the students and also in analyzing
the experiences that migrants undergo in classrooms (Baker-Bell, Stanbrough, & Everett,
2017). The issue of culture or language barrier brings problems to migrant students as they
cannot fully participate in classroom activities in the same manner as the natives. Therefore,


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critical media literacy offers a solution to this. It is important that all stakeholders recognize
its importance and thus push the same to be implemented in their respective schools.


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References

Baker-Bell, A., Stanbrough, R. J., & Everett, S. (2017). The stories they tell: Mainstream
media, pedagogies of healing, and critical media literacy. English Education, 49(2),
130-152.

Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2007). Critical media literacy, democracy, and the reconstruction of
education. In D. Macedo & S.R. Steinberg (Eds.), Media literacy: A reader (pp.
3-23). New York: Peter Lang Publishing.

Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2019). The critical media literacy guide: Engaging media and
transforming education. Brill.

Harshman, J. (2017). Developing a globally minded, critical media literacy. Journal of Social
Studies Education Research, 8(1), 69-92.

Immersion. A short depiction film. Retrieved from http://www.immersionfilm.com/

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