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How far do you think advertising influences
children’s perceptions of themselves? Should children be viewed as consumers?
Should children learn about advertising in school and if so, what do teachers
need to understand about the way in which children engage with advertising?
Evidence suggests strongly that fashion portrayed in
advertising has a powerful effect on children’s perceptions of themselves and
of others (Gunter, Oates, Blades, 2005), it is further supported that these
influences can cause catastrophic consequences, unintended but real (Palmer,
2006). The evidence can be seen in so many different advertising mediums, from
comics and magazines showing stereotypical butch muscular men and wafer thin
model like icons to adverts on TV pushing the must have consumer products and
looks that are so un real.
I work in a hospital caring for adults with many
different mental health issues, I also have experience working in counselling
11-25 year olds. It is extremely
difficult and takes a long time to change a person’s mind-set or to aid
recovery from self-harming or suicidal attempts (some of the severe
consequences mentioned earlier). As a
trainee teacher I want: to educate children to have a positive regard for
themselves and others; to see the world in its true light without the
airbrushing and fantasy life styles and to grow up happy, believing in
themselves with value so they can gain an education to be them.
In school the new national curriculum does not specifically
state the learning of persuasive writing in the programme of study, it does
quote: ‘Pupils should continue to
have opportunities to write for a range of real purposes and audiences as part
of their work across the curriculum. These purposes and audiences should
underpin the decisions about the form the writing should take, such as a
narrative, an explanation or a description’, noticeably, no mention of
persuasive writing. Burrell and Beard (2010) mention about the English
curriculum teaching in writing ‘frames’ is not providing a real sense of
purpose in understanding non-fiction. Furthermore I believe the education needs
to delve further in the understanding, teaching and learning of advertising and
all its connotations because of the underlying impact it has on every aspect of
society, including political power and the manipulation of people (Burrell and
Beard, 2010).
Persuasive reading and writing contribute to literacy
writing (Burrell and beard, 2010), advertising is done through communication; Therefore,
maybe an Information Communication Technology teaching and learning approach is
the answer? Many new streams of advertising are now carried out through mobile
media, as discussed in our seminars, I argue then, with respect to the
importantly worthwhile work discussed by Burrell and Beard (2010), should
teaching and learning now include digital literacy for the twenty-first
century? For advertising has now clearly moved forwards so much and as
mentioned earlier, writing frames need to adapt to interpret digital media
literacy.
Bibliography
Burrell, A. and Beard, R. (2010) children’s
Advertisement Writing. Literacy Volume
44 Number 2 pp 83-90.
Gunter, B. Oates, C. and Blades, M. (2005) Advertising
to children on TV. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Palmer, S. (2006) Toxic
Childhood:
how modern life is damaging our children...
and what we can do about it London: Orion Books Ltd.
DfE (2013) National
Curriculum in England: English programme of study
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-english-programmes-of-study/national-curriculum-in-england-english-programmes-of-study
and what we can do about it London: Orion Books Ltd.
It is interesting to see that the new National Curriculum doesn't specifically state about persuasive writing. I personally myself think persuasive writing should be taught in primary school as it allows children to see the persuasive techniques which children get drawn into from advertising.
ReplyDeleteI agree greatly with your point of digital media literacy being taught in school, as the article from Marsh, J. Brooks, G. Hughes, J. Ritchie, L. Roberts, S and Wright, K. (2005). Digital beginnings: Young children’s use of popular culture, media and new technologies, speaks highly of digital media literacy in primary school and is a very good read.
Persuasive writing, like you stated, has deeper implications more so than creative writing or narrative. As you peel away the layers of meaning and the possible mal effects then it puts it into perspective.
ReplyDeleteI would like to read all of what Marsh et al (2005) say but just looking at the findings of the report and the recommendations, it speaks of clarity and understanding.