Media Literacy: Thinking Critically Online 

Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in various forms. It helps students understand the difference between real vs. fake news, ads vs. facts, and how messages are crafted to influence opinions. 

In English, students often use online articles, videos, and blogs to do research or write essays. Media literacy teaches them to question the credibility, bias, and accuracy of sources.

Example: Don’t just use the first Google result — check if the source is trustworthy. 

• Teaching how to verify news sources.
  
  

• Discussing how language shapes opinions.
  
  

• Comparing how different outlets report the same story.
  
  

• Identifying persuasive techniques and propaganda.

• Analyze headlines: “What makes a headline clickbait?”
  
  

• Fact-check using websites like Snopes.com or Africa Check.
  
  

• Rewrite a biased article in neutral language.

Use platforms like Newsela, Google News, or Flipboard to explore multiple viewpoints.

Teach students how to “read between the lines” and recognize media manipulation.