Analyse the cover of Women’s’ Running magazine to show how its design and layout connote meaning (12)
If you saw this week’s episode of the Apprentice you will have probably quite liked the concept that one of the teams came up with for a new thrill ride at a theme park. Their Insomnia coaster worked on the principle that you were lured into a cosy sense of safety before being hurled out into the empty free falling wilderness. Backwards. I would still rather do that 100 times than go for a pint with Ryan-Mark to be fair.
Unseen Bolt
This is similar to the sense of sheer panic that often permeates our pupils when faced with the horrors of THE UNSEEN MATERIAL on component one of the exam.
Fear Ye Not – Get Them Thinking About This
This is actually a really good opportunity however to get themselves up and running without the worry of trying to recall every last scrap of hastily scribbled notes and scruffy Post-its from their revision folders.
Instead, get them to calm down and begin to work though this methodically and with the idea in their head that THEIR VIEWPOINT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE VERY VALID.
Key Tip
Deconstruct The Meaning Behind The Question.
Crucial phrase – “show how its design and layout connote meaning”
Pupil Check In Before They Begin To Deconstruct The Cover
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Planning for the term ahead – refreshing the modules for the new cohorts in year 10 and year 11; refining last year’s modules to build in support the for the new year 11 or new year 13 and their now known individual strengths and weaknesses – but in looking back at the summer’s set of exam results and evaluating my own and my team’s performance; what did we get right, where did we stray off course?
A long line of previous closures/move to digital of similar products over the past 12 months creates good learning opportunities to investigate the shifts in audience needs/demands for the print product, especially the women’s lifestyle magazines that are now following the earlier seismic culling of titles in the male lifestyle magazine market. In short, this is a good chance to introduce/review how Hesmondhalgh, Curran and Seaton and Shirky might be applied to real world media industry changes.
What's assessed Section A will focus on Media Language and Media Representations.Questions in this section can test the poor little lambs on any two of the following forms:• magazines• advertising and marketing• newspapers• online, social and participatory media and video games
NEA Let’s Get Down to The Briefs (Ah I Did Have One More)It’s more than reasonable to say, at this point, that individual teachers and centres have real responsibility when it comes to unpacking the core elements of the briefs the candidates can choose from.Warning Signs Part 1One Shot OnlyAs a prime marker this year, it was fairly obvious that a number of schools did not take enough time to systematically work through each of the opportunities on offer. At the most extreme end of this continuum were the centres who contrived to do completely the wrong brief.
Well hello, again pop pickers. I hope all is well and you’re all enjoying this delightful first half-term return to school, and are reading this, kicking back with a glass of Oranjeboom, some slices of Crackerbarrel and have just dropped a bit of Ted Sheeran on the radiogram.
It’s quite clear, looking at the new set of AQA briefs, that they are considerably more prescriptive and far less generic than the first tranche of five were.That is to be expected in Year 2. It’s essential therefore that teachers make sure they scrutinise BOTH the essential elements (left hand side) AND the equally crucial minimum requirements (right hand side).And not just scrutinise them but sit and THRASH OUT AND DECODE THE REQUIREMENTS with the pupils so they have a crystal clear vision of the focus for their upcoming months of work.
Clearly this topic springs straight from the pupils’ study of I Daniel Blake. If your pupils didn’t take the opportunity to watch IDB the first time round during the CSP prep, then now is definitely the time to do so for those considering this NEA.
This is a task that may seem reasonably straightforward at the beginning but is actually marbled with some quite challenging features...so pay attention!The Deetsone webpage/homepage must be new band/solo artist one linked page 30-second video teaser for upcoming single original logo one original image on each page
What Would Be UsefulDon’t make it abrasively weird. For odd perfume, adverts check out Natasha Lyonne’s Kenzo Winter-Fall 2017 brilliant but madcap offering. The ad, to successfully engage with the target audience, must speak to that 14-18 demographic (Tough ask that by the way). Break that down. What is going to appeal? Mise-en-Scene and detail will be key. It won’t be in the grand gestures because that would be unrealistic. What can students do to create an aspirational characterisation? What would suggest that about somebody? Don’t forget dialogue! A great way to try and present a sense of atmosphere and flesh out a characterisation. Get the mood right. Always have the key ideas of aspiration and successful lifestyle in their minds each time a shot is created.I’m off to meet Jesse Birdsall for a pint. Adios EduSprayers.
A short 5 minute task enables each student to recall previous learning and then apply it to an unseen text (a skill we know they need for their exam). What’s more is that these tasks also tie in quite nicely with ‘cultural capital’. Any teacher I’m sure anywhere will be aware of its importance and focus within the new OFSTED framework, and Edusites manage to embed it throughout their tasks and lessons.
So often we are so proud of our students, we complete mini plenaries, AFL and targeted questions based on the content we have delivered, and they respond in detail, with accuracy and confidence. And then we ask them to write it down (the exam board won’t accept verbal answers after all), and sometimes that’s where it all goes to pot. The wave of emotion washes over us and can sometimes rid that feeling of pride and leave us feeling a little dispirited.
The book lying open on my lap, begging to be read with hours of content, is weighing on my leg, I open my eyes, and I’m back in classroom at 8am, just an hour before the room is filled with children, looking to me to restart their routine and be the familiar face they’ve known to associate with Media Studies.
